There's a Great Day Coming!

I saw three planets last night. Did you? Back up a few days......we took our sixth graders to the Adventure Science Museum last Thursday and the worker there told us to look into the sky that night. I forgot all about it. I had already noticed the two bright "stars" before we went but didn't know what they were. Then, the lady at the museum mentioned that if you looked into the western sky, you would be able to see two planets that stood out. They are pretty obvious I must say. I thought they might be planets, but she confirmed that the brightest one is Venus and the less bright one is Jupiter. She also told them that if they looked into the opposite sky, you could see a "star" that appeared to have a reddish tint. That would be Mars. Sure enough, I went for a 3 mile run last night.....saw Venus and Jupiter immediately and then looked across the sky directly opposite of them. There it was. The redness jumped out at me. It was so obvious that it was a planet and not a star. I just said a quiet "wow" under my breath. I showed my boys too. Check it out tonight if you haven't seen it. It's pretty amazing to be able to easily identify three planets at once. It just once again shows how awesome God is. I love being wowed by His creation. Can't wait to view it from Heaven one day. What a perspective that will be!

Speaking of......heard some great lessons on Heaven recently at our church. Our preacher did a short series on what Heaven will be like, what happens when we die, etc. It was a well prepared, very interesting series, and I learned a lot. But I noticed something when he concluded it last Sunday night. We sang an invitation song after his lesson as we always do. This is the song to encourage any that need prayers or want to give their life to God to come forward. The song Sunday night was "There's a Great Day Coming." Know that one? It has three verses and we sang them all. There's a Great Day, a Bright Day, and then a Sad Day. Nothing against our song leader here. He does a great job so no offense meant, but when we got to the last verse, he slowed it way down. So we ended the song singing very slowly and somberly "There's a sad day coming....." I'll be real honest here....it was depressing to me. It felt like we were all singing at our own funerals. I'll be honest again.....I've never liked that verse of the song and I really don't like that it's last. I've always thought the writer got it mixed up. The happy and positive verse should've been last. I don't like ending on the sad verse. In it, the words continue on and say...."a sad day coming by and by....when the sinner shall hear his doom 'depart I know ye not'." I know the verse is based on scripture and it's true. Some will hear those words one day, but I just don't like that it's how the song ends. It's depressive to me. I would much rather end with the verse about it being a great day or bright day. Actually, if I had my way, I'd probably take out the sad verse altogether. Just my opinion. Some may like it or think it's needed. But I like to try my best to focus on the positive instead of the negative. That's what I'm planning the last day to be....a great and positive day....not a sad and negative one. Not sure when that day will be, but I do know a day coming up that could be great or sad depending on how you look at it.

It's less than a week away. Next Tuesday as a matter of fact. March 27. It will be Griffin's birthday. Or is it death day? I've struggled with what to call it and thought about it a lot. Because technically it's both. But I think the same question applies here as well. Do I give it a positive or negative name? I like to choose the positive. It's his birth day. Not just the day he was born here in our world, but most importantly, the day he was born into Heaven....into the loving arms of Jesus. So I choose to call it his birthday. The question of great day or sad day applies one more time as well......how will I approach and treat this day?

I've wrestled with this one too. Everyone can choose to treat it however they want. But after much thought and prayer, I'm choosing to once again treat it as a great day. Don't get me wrong...of course there will be some sadness. Can't help that. But I'm going to try my hardest to make it a great day. A day where I remember the great things that happened because of March 27, 2011. Like what you ask? Well, it's the day a child of God came home. It's the day I and my family grew much closer to God. It's the day we realized just how many friends we truly have. It's the day that my eyes were opened and I realized just how important Heaven is. It's the day I also realized how wonderful God is in allowing me, a sinner, to join Him and my son in Heaven one day. So yes, while there are some painful memories and some memories of tears will resurface, I choose to focus on the good things....the great and bright day it will be....instead of the sad day. So what do I plan to do? First of all, a dear and loving friend has offered to sub for me that day so I'll be taking the day off of teaching to spend with my family. Another wonderful friend has offered to run with me to Griffin's grave early that morning as I mentioned in my blog a while back. I offer again....if anyone else wants to run the five miles with us...feel free. It'll be early. 5:30ish. We plan to get there by sunrise which is around 6:45 that morning. If anyone else wants to meet us there to watch the sunrise, feel free again. I know that's early so no pressure, but it is a beautiful spot to see it. We'll spend some time watching, praying, remembering.....not sure how the morning will go.....we'll just let God lead. After that, I plan to come home and spend the day both with my wife and maybe some time alone. At some point during the day, I plan to pull out Griffin's box.....this is a box of letters, notes, hospital papers, etc that we collected from the days, weeks, and months after his birthday last year. To my knowledge, it hasn't been opened since last summer, but I'd like to go through it and use the hundreds of letters of encouragement in there to help me through the day. Many of you reading this are included in that box and I want to thank you in advance for encouraging me once again and helping me through. This may sound strange....but in a weird way, I'm kindof looking forward to the day. I'm going to use it as a spiritual recharge day, kindof a retreat with God, and I need that. I need it often, more than once a year for sure, and I'm excited and anxious to see what God will do with me on that day. The main point is, I am choosing to make it a great day, not a sad day. That's what I want it to be. And that's what I want my life to be as I anticipate Heaven.

I guess the day Christ comes back will be a sad day for some, but not for me. It'll be the greatest day ever. And I can't wait. I wish it would come today. I pray it comes soon. In the meantime, I'll try my hardest to make each day a bright and great day. After all, each is a gift from God. Even next Tuesday. Griffin's birthday. So I'll treat it like the gift it is. It'll be a great day. And when it's all over, I'll be one day closer to seeing Griffin again. And seeing my Father.


There's a GREAT DAY coming!



I love God, Griffin, my Girl, and my Guys.

Keep runnin'. The PRIZE awaits. (Php. 3:14)

-Albert