Jesus and Me ... and the Cats

John 14:1-4, 23-29 Revelations 21:1-10, 22-22:5 I'm just a poor wayfarin' stranger, While travelin' through this world below. Yet there's no sickness, no toil, nor danger, In that bright land to which I go. I'm goin' there to see my father. And all my loved ones who've gone on. I'm just goin' over Jordan. I'm just goin' over home. I know dark clouds will gather 'round me, I know my way is hard and steep But beauteous fields arise before me, Where God's redeemed, their vigils keep. I'm goin' there to see my mother. She said she'd meet me when I come. So, I'm just goin' over Jordan. I'm just goin' over home. (“Way Faring Stranger,” early 19 th century folk/gospel song) In the lyrics of "Wayfaring Stranger," we hear echos of Revelation 21:1-10, 22-22:5, as the stranger travels home.  In light of this and John 14:1-4, 23-29, how do we as Christians finish this sentence:  "Hom...

Jeremiah 31:2-3 (MSG) This is the way God put it: "They found grace out in the desert, these people who                        survived the killing. Israel, out looking for a place to rest, met God out looking for             them!" God told them, "I've never quit loving you and never will.             Expect love, love, and more love! I have decided to not expect perfection in an imperfect world inhabited by imperfect human beings. As a recovering perfectionist, I also acknowledge that I am far from perfect. If it truly was a perfect world, I would be at least five inches taller because I am obviously under height for my weight. In a perfect world, I would never lose my keys or my cell phone.  My clothing would always be freshly laundered, pressed and hanging neatly in the closet.  The house and lawn would always be immaculate.  The c...

John 20:19-31 I like surprises, ones that are more like "Ta-da" than "Ha-ha, gotcha!"  Case in point. I had a classmate in seminary who found out I startle easily, as in jumping and screaming whenever he snuck up on me.  One day, I decided enough was enough.  The next time he did it, I turned, clutched my chest and collapsed to the floor and then lay very, very still.  Poor guy went into a panic; he actually thought he had "frightened me to death."   Gotcha. The second Sunday of Easter is celebrated in some churches as Holy Humor Sunday or Bright Sunday.  The custom was rooted in the musings of early church theologians like Augustine, Gregory of Nyssa and John Chrysostom.  They believed that God played a practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead.  God pulled a "Ha-ha! Gotcha!" on the forces of evil.  Early theologians called it the Easter laugh.  For Christ's followers, it was a wonderful "Ta-da!" m...