Good morning! Moaning?

John 16:16-33

          You all know that I spent some time in the Dominican Republic. One of our missions was to experience the peoples lives, to see how they lived and to see how faithful they are. Mission accomplished. As you may know I found them to be some of the poorest people I have ever seen. Living conditions that make the poor in the United States look like they are living as royalty. Very very poor but very very faithful. Thankful, gracious and friendly. 

          Jesus said people will weep and mourn. We still do in so many ways but what have we to mourn about? As faithful people we now know that we are heirs to heaven, our earthly lives a shadow of the joys of eternal life that we will enjoy.

          This does not stop people from complaining, mourning and moaning. But really what have we to mourn over? We have been so incredibly graced. Perhaps it would be great if everyone went to the hill country of the Dominican Republic or Haiti to see how they live, see how happy they are in spite of real problems.  What real problems do we have?

          Today my sweet young husband turned 55 years old. The only sentiment I feel is an overwhelming amount of thanks. I have been so graced, we have been so graced. It is nothing material that make me or us feel this way. We are acutely aware of the blessing it is to have each other and to have found each other.  When does it occur that we take for granted all the magnificent gifts we have been graced with? Should I get irritated and ask for a divorce if he squeezes the tube of toothpaste in the middle?  If he endorses a candidate I find troublesome is that irreconcilable differences? When do you go from love to..... meh?

     It isn't simply relationships either. We have an over abundance of things we take for granted, that we 'moan' about and mourn. What have we really got to complain about? Our energies would be far better spend in praise and thankfulness. 

       I love seeing a friends post on face book each morning. He has a practice of noticing something that he is thanful for. It may be the first thing he notes when he wakes u or it may be a practice of being present to his surroundings.  His subject is then photographed and celebrated. Did I note he is an excellent photographer?  I celebrate his thankfulness and presence, it helps me to be more thankful and present all day long.

         How can we cultivate a sense of thankfulness insted of mourning and moaning?  Take a creful, thoughtful look around. What do you see?

‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.’ Then some of his disciples said to one another, ‘What does he mean by saying to us, “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me”; and “Because I am going to the Father”?’ They said, ‘What does he mean by this “a little while”? We do not know what he is talking about.’ Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, ‘Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me”? Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labour, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

‘I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but will tell you plainly of the Father. On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.’

His disciples said, ‘Yes, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure of speech! Now we know that you know all things, and do not need to have anyone question you; by this we believe that you came from God.’Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe? The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!’