Ouch, my neck!

Monday, the day after. What a fun day yesterday, celebrating Resurrection Day! The kids and grandkids were mostly home. It’s interesting how even in a crowd, two missing are so noticeable. The 4-year-old was running a fever when she got up. Her mother, who had fixed several dishes for dinner, dressed both girls in their Easter dresses (you have to be a mother to understand that), loaded the car, brought the 6-year-old to church to find us, took food to our house, and went back home with the younger. Since two pregnant sister-in-laws were coming, Jen wanted no chance of passing along any childhood illness. Even with the 2 missing, it was a grand celebration.

Today, I feel a little like the disciples in Acts 1:10 who had watched in awe as Jesus left planet earth in a cloud. They just stood there staring in space as he was going. I think I can imagine a thought common to them—what now? That was a wonderful ride, but what do we do now? It was an amazing time. Our friend, our leader, our savior was arrested, beaten, crucified, rose from the dead, appeared many times in the following days, and now this. He just went up into the sky in a cloud. (Picture a group of people with their mouths open hurting their necks looking up in the sky for a long time.)

For me, it was a wonderful weekend, re-thinking the crucifixion and glorious resurrection and singing exuberant praises to God for his Son. Now I sit here looking off in space, trying to write in my blog, and wondering “What now?”

For the disciples, there suddenly appeared a couple of guys in white that re-focused them, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky?” they said. I wonder how long those people would have just stood there without the angels who nudged them. Why were they just standing there looking at the past? There was work to be done in His kingdom. He said that all authority had been given to Him, so they were to go and He would go with them.

I don’t see any angels here in my too-quiet kitchen, but I can almost hear that question, “Why are you just sitting there looking at the past?” There’s a future to be lived. There are words to be written. There are things to be done in the kingdom.

It’s great to pause and enjoy the blessings, but it hurts your neck to just stand and stare at the sky.