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Mary’s birthday party was yesterday.  Her birthday is on Tuesday.  At 100 years you take whatever opportunity you can to celebrate. 

We were glad to be part of the party.

Mary began life in 1916.  During the middle of a war.  Her teens were during the middle of depression.  She had children in the post war years, was widowed, remarried and widowed once again.  Her sight is dim but her mind is keen.

I enjoy our visits.  They are times to reminisce, to hear stories and to laugh.

Perhaps that is one trait of a long liver! 

Life is a series of events.  Those events can be measured in terms of seismic consequences.  Emotional, physical, spiritual, mental.

The scars can be seen as disfiguring, or enhancing.  Scars can be loving reminders or weighing encumbrances.  Mary embraces her years with love.

Mary is a bit of a historian.  Anyone 100 years old is a living archive.  She has chosen to be lively, not deadly.  She could walk another 100 years and her attitude would still call us into her life – just to see what would come next!

Mary, you are an example for us all.

I’m reading through the Old Testament Prophets.  In respect for the religion I practise, and in love with the God I follow, I have a desire to read these books.

Now, reading these books is not a thing you would just take up on your own.  A few pages in, and you are wondering who on earth this God is.  And why in heaven these people do the things they do.

Actually, it’s probably just the opposite.  God is in heaven and is not one of us (oops, the story of the New Testament kind of changes that).  People live here on earth and act like it (oops, the story of the New Testament kind of changes that).

So, back to the Prophets.

For the most part, the Old Testament prophets are like politicians at election time.  They carefully lay out their policies (given by God) and then denounce the other side (the false prophets).  Although the people get to vote on who they like (which is most often the false prophets), the outcome is still that which is laid out by the OT Prophets.

In our daily lives in the 21st Century we don’t walk around calling people prophets.  As I was reading one of the OT Prophets I wondered to myself who are the prophets of today. 

The answer was fairly quick to come.  The 21st Century prophets call themselves consultants.  A consultant is brought in to asses the current situation and to strategize a future.  Not all consultants are bad, not all are good.

So, as with the OT Prophets and their nemesises (what a great way to write out the bad guys), we need to be discerning.  In our day and age we roll too easily with what would give us the good life – prosperity, success and comfort.   And we tend to crucify the consultants who cause us: to think new thoughts; to spend our time reflecting on the past; and to change our ways in order to see a better day!

I’m almost up to Daniel, the prophet who played with lions.  “The big cat plays with the big cats.”  That could be another interesting blog! 

Yesterday I was passing on address and contact information to a contractor.  In the tradition of doing business, I had a business card that I gave to him.  There was no business listed.

“So what do you do.”  The contractor was most interested in what I did and  not just the personal information on the card.

I was taken up short.  Something I have sensed over the years was staring me in the face.  We relate best to people in relation to their productivity. 

OK, a business card is a “business” card.  You can expect that someone looking at one would expect a business to be listed.

I’m retired.  I never thought of listing that as my business. 

I’m not expecting to be “productive”.  I am expecting to be a person of integrity, wisdom, perseverance, love, compassion, justice, mercy and many other characteristics.  In the midst of that, I may be working for the better of others and to help people to see God through what I do.

I remember the story of a group of high school boys from an upper class school.  They were on a “trip” during the school year – wandering around some countries in the Middle East.  At one point they all pulled out their business cards – signs of their expectation for the future.  One young fellow was from the Middle East.  There was no listing of a business.  Just a list of his father and other relatives.

“We are known by who we are and not what we do.”

Maybe I should write that on my business card!

I’m off to an Easter Tea today.  We’ll judge Easter hats, sing a bit and enjoy tea and dainties.  I’m the entertainment – which means I’ll sing a bit and talk a bit and hopefully keep all of us awake.

I want to chat a bit about Easter Sunday Morning Sunrise services.  I remember a number of years ago attending such a sunrise service.  Later in April.  We really had to get up early.  This year – not as early if you go to a sunrise service.

The sunrise service takes place outside.  The idea is to celebrate the empty tomb (which is what Easter Sunday is about) which greeted Mary as dawn broke on Easter morning.  A pretty simple explanation.

History gives “the rest of the story.”

The first time this happened was back in 1732 (at least this is the first recorded time).  Transport yourself back 300 years.  Put on your warm clothes.  Be a man. 

Now history shows that the tradition ended up catching on to all genders, ages and sizes.  But the first time was men only.

The Single Brethren (unmarried men of the Christian community called Moravians living at Herrnhut in Germany) had been praying all night.  This was the evening before the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.  I can imagine they were quite thankful in their prayers – a few “Hallelujahs” and “Praise Jesus” were probably spoken – although probably in German!

Then they headed off to the town graveyard, called God’s acre (I like that name – God keeps an eye on the places where His people are buried!).  There they really got into it – singing songs of praise to the Risen Saviour.  No guitars – just acappella.

So, we’ll try some singing this afternoon, although we won’t be at the graveyard but in a warm meeting room.  We’ll sing without piano or other instruments.  Probably in five part harmony – 4 parts and my part!

Should be interesting!