Short story is it was really three great days of fun for family and friends. Most of the attendees were friends of my daughter and son-in-law so it was a young crowd, and a great bunch to celebrate with. It was like a family vacation with you and 20 kids, all the same age. Really fun, and great memories. And a lot of time with just me and my wonderful wife.
So, I start thinking about how you have to give your kids away when they get married. And, yes, you're not losing a daughter, son, etc. you're gaining one, I know. But I'm not THE GUY for my daughter anymore. Her husband is. And it's tough. Like when she went away to college and I missed her so much for so long. Watching your kids get married is wonderful, but it's also sort of the end of an era, or even a death of sorts.
You have to be realistic about giving things up when it's time, even people. You can't hold on to days past; sure they're great memories but that's what they are. You have to go forward to continue to experience new things, to appreciate what you have now, to grow. I have to grow, looking FORWARD to holidays with a larger family, maybe grandchildren, and more. Many of us have lost loved ones to death, both young and old. While the memories are to be cherished you can't live in the death of the person but relish in the life you had with them and remember how they would like you to grieve less and live more.
That got me thinking about how we hold on to things too long. Here in Michigan, it took a decade to knock down an old ball park, Tiger Stadium. It was the field where baseball legends like Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson played, along with Hammerin' Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gehringer and Al Kaline. It was the ball park I walked into through the dark tunnel into a sun-drenched carpet of green with bright white uniforms on the players and the aromas only old outdoor ball parks have, like Wrigley and Fenway. But, it had been neglected for years, trees were growing in the seats, the place was falling apart, scavengers were stripping the old lady of all her past glory, and any valuable copper. But people couldn't let go of their childhood memories.
I watch my friends go to concerts and watch senior citizens like Steve Tyler and Aerosmith, Paul McCartney, who has been around so long people refer to him as "former Wings' front man", forgetting the Beatles were a fairly popular foursome, and wonder why they keep shelling out hundreds to see these guys. Now, I've enjoyed their music, add in the Allman Brothers, the Stones, Bob Seger, Bruce and the rest, and there were great times as kids. And it's okay to still like the music but if you're in your fifties you should not get fece-faced drunk and high as Timothy Leary on a work night. Hey, it's over, grow up. Let go, enjoy the Black Keys, Lil' Wayne, Eminem, Kid Rock, Jay-Z. Try it, you might like it. Make new music memories.
Then, of course I think about how so many of us have trouble really embracing the whole Jesus Saves thing. See, Jesus SOUNDS cool, but if I have to give up Seinfeld reruns, Friends re-runs, R movies, songs with questionable lyrics, my nightly glass of wine, the occasional Jack Daniels rocks and other things I've held on to with great fervor and passion, I don't want any part of it. I want to sit in old Tiger Stadium listening to "Stairway to Heaven" without religious overtones, wearing my throwback Converse All-Stars, drinking my old school Pepsi "now with real sugar" for Petes' sake, hoping I can hold on to everything and still have everything else.
Well, my suggestion is to remember that everyone dies, you too. There is an afterlife or so many religions wouldn't be hawking their ideas, rhetoric and merchandise. Life is really a worthless excercise if this time on Earth is everything, isn't it really? I believe One God did create it, and has given us free will to choose all the iPads, iPods, Jimmy Chus, Mercedes, Cartiers, etc. or Him. God probably won't ask you to give up anything. You may find as you give Jesus a chance to really be part of your life that some things won't seem as important anymore. Heck, you might stop dressing up as Darth Vader and standing in line at Loew's two weeks ahead of the next Star Wars sequel and do something good for someone, which might even be giving up your Darth Vader costume to someone who could use it. It might be skipping one new generation of smart phones to donate to Habitat for Humanity, or the Tuscaloosa relief fund, or heading to the urban area nearest you and feeding some folks or teaching some kids. Who knows? And those new things will probably be the most rewarding and valuable things in your life.
For a plant to grow a seed has to die. If you hold onto the seed you'll never reap the harvest, or enjoy the shade, or colorful blooms. Just even as Jesus died and buried sin in the ground, raising up in triumph over death (that we can share), sometimes you have to bury the past, plant that seed, and let your life grow to it's full measure. Have a great day!
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