Friday, April 15, 2011

This Side of Broken

Which side of broken are you on?  Some days I think I'm on the right-side of broken.  On those days I can laugh freely, love easily, and forgive quickly.  But then there are those other days.  Those left-side of broken days.  On those days I spew venom, reek havoc, and kill the proverbial buzz.  Those left-side days have shadows.  They have memories echoing with guilt and shame.  Those days find despair an easy companion and regret a not so distant friend.  I've come to realize that I can't get from the left to the right side of broken by making a leap.  The only way is through.  Some 2,000 years ago a man started on the left-side of broken. He travelled through torture, humiliation, and death before he came out just right of broken.  I'm afraid the same might be true for me.  A few years ago I stepped into my tragedy, my sorrow, and my dysfunction.  I'm still wading chest-deep in the mire and refuse but I've had moments when I've seen the other side - the right-side of broken.  I've learned that the stink is nearly unbearable and the pain sometimes unthinkable, but there's a man with scars on his hands who leads the way.  Which side of broken are you on?

Sunday, April 3, 2011

A Love Unsolicited

A few days ago I was ironing a shirt before heading to work.  My 5 year old was sitting on the couch watching cartoons drinking chocolate milk and my 2 year old was walking around in her footsie pj's dragging her favorite blanket.  I'm not the most adept at ironing, so most of my attention was on the task at hand.  With no provocation from me, my daughter dropped her blanket walked over to me and hugged my left leg.  Moments later she returned for one more hug.  Needless to say she made my day.  Is there anything more powerful than unsolicited, unmitigated, unconditional love?  It is life changing.  My daughter's hugs reminded me that our Father in heaven has shown us his unsolicited, unmitigated, unconditional love through his only begotten Son.  The Bible says that God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners or enemies of God Christ died for us.  In other words while we were preoccupied with living life on our own terms God embraced us with arms stretched wide - so wide in fact only nails could hold them. 

Is there anything more powerful than unsolicited, unmitigated, unconditional love?