Wednesday, April 20, 2011

I finally have internet access! My connection has been so slow that I can't even download attached files lately. It's really quite crazy.

Garry and Josh are working on some maintenance projects this week -- repainting the landing gear, installing a new pod, and doing a few other things that I can't remember. They found a crack this morning that means a few extra hours of work.... but we are so glad they found it instead of the piece breaking!

We are thankful that Garry's back is much better, though it continues to be stiff and a bit sore. A physical therapist friend of ours here might give him a treatment either today or next week.

As Easter approaches everything slows down and stores close. Many places are closed Thursday through Sunday in celebration of Holy Week. Yet so many of our friends celebrate Holy Week without any understanding of Easter-- new life and resurrection power. So many are steeped in a mentality of working hard and trying hard. People don't eat pork or do physical labor. You can't do much of anything on Saturday as many believe god is actually dead on "black saturday". People go on pilgrimages and beat their bodies in hopes of purifying themselves from sin. Hopelessness and futility seem to prevail in this time that should be a time of celebration.

In fact, every time I get caught in the performance trap I feel the same thing-- I simply can't measure up to my expectations, let alone those of the people around me. I can see so many things that need fixed, yet I am powerless to do anything about most of them. And in seeing so much wrong I am at times paralyzed from doing the good I could do, lost in the seeming hopelessness of things beyond my control. But the reality is that God is alive and well, His work is going on and I can choose to join Him in it or lose the blessing of doing so. He is good and He will prevail. His grace is sufficient and ever present. His power is available today and every day, power for LIFE and GODLINESS.

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