scents of the season

The temperatures have finally risen here in Colorado. Summer seems to be upon us. It's not my favorite time of year, though. I'm not very tolerant of heat and sun and sweating and such.

But summer is...Summer! There are some wonderful things to be said for it. No school. No icy roads. A feeling of freedom.

But some of my favorite things are the scents.

Freshly mowed grass.
Sliced melon.
Cool cucumbers.
Sweaty little kids.
Iced tea.
Lemons.
Hot cotton.
Roses.
Rain laden pines.

I have to make an effort to enjoy summer rather than simply surviving it. One of the things I can do is sit back, close my eyes and take a deep breath.

What scents speak summer to you?

rapture day

In case you haven't heard, the world is supposed to end today.

I believe in the rapture. I believe that some day Christ will come and take his bride (the church, believers, Christians) out of this world. But I believe that it cannot be predicted. The Bible says that no one knows the day. I take that to mean that no one knows the day.

I think we can know the season, but that's a different post.

So, no, I don't believe the rapture is going to take place today.

There have been a lot of tongue-in-cheek questions about how we should spend our last hours. What should we accomplish and what should we ignore if the world is ending? What are our priorities?

I don't think I'd change anything. My future is secure in Christ. I'm ready. I'm eager. The idea of Christ coming fills me with expectation and joy, not fear.

Not to say that my life is perfectly prioritized. But I'm not sure a last minute shuffle would accomplish anything.

The thing is, he could come tomorrow. He could come next week. It really could be any time. Any time. We should always be looking, waiting, and ready.

But it's not about when he comes. Most of us will meet him in death, anyway, instead of the rapture. It is about the fact that we will each stand before him, one way or another. That is certain. That can't be avoided. What will that moment look like for you?

Even so, Lord Jesus, come.
The Spirit and the Bride say 'come'.