That Last Book - What a Revelation! (Part 1)

Ok, so this post is going to be 2 parts because I just have too much to say. I've been thinking about this one for a week or so...actually I've been thinking about it all summer. I'll tell you why in a second. First, the update on the Days of My Lives.....

Cross Country is going well. I lost some runners that I never had. That always happens. I have these runners...actually they are not runners because they never run....I have these students who just walk like normal humans that say in the Spring that they are going to run CC when school starts back. They get me all stinkin' excited because they are great kids and then they don't even show. When I ask, they always have an excuse. I'm too busy with school work or I really want to just focus on soccer or baseball or guitar or hopscotch or whatever!! The sad thing is that a lot of them would be GREAT runners. I KNOW they would. And their running career is over...like that! The world will never know what they could've done for the CC team and for our school and for themselves and for their lives. Kindof sad isn't it? Cue the slow violin music. I'm usually mad at them for about a day and then I get over it. It is disappointing, but they're kids. What can I expect? It's not easy being a kid. (I know b/c I still act like one most of the time.) And I guess that kind of disappointment comes with coaching any sport. But the ones I have are awesome! 22 boys and 11 girls. And I can't wait to see what they're going to do. I really want to be running with them. Badly. But I'm going to take this final week off for my heel and then try to go back.

School starts one week from tonight. One week! Yikes. And inservice starts next Sunday afternoon. Say what? Yep, Sunday afternoon. Christian school stating on Sunday. Go figure. But whatever. The times they are a-changin'. At least that's what we keep hearing. We are going to worship next Sunday night as a school faculty with our families and I'm really looking forward to that. I love worshipping with my school family. Lots of different congregations coming together and praising as one. That's what it's all about I'd say, and I think it's a great way to start off our year.

So back to this post. Here's the deal. Early this Summer I really got into this last book of the Bible. Revelation. Just the word scares some people. Is is supposed to be scary? If I asked that question based on my growing up, I might have to say yes because it was never studied and barely talked about. And if it was brought up, it was often brought up in a 'we don't understand that book so we don't try to' kind of way. But here's why I got into it. Several reasons actually. First, when we lost Griffin, we got books. Lots of books. From many different people. I've read several. And for obvious reasons, most of them were on grief or losing someone or Heaven. The ones focusing on Heaven have been my favorites by far. Hence this new blog focus. I just said "hence". Strange word. Do you ever say 'hence'? Ok, it's lost all meaning. Sorry. Anyways....."Heaven if For Real" by Todd Burpo. Loved it. And you can call me crazy all day long and I may be but I believe it. I'm sorry if that's weird....and it's not just because I need to believe it, which I do....I know it's a kid and it could be totally made up, but I have no doubts God wanted me to read that book. It was given to us multiple times and suggested many more. It was even offered to me today.....over 4 months after our loss. I felt so happy when I read it....so filled with hope and joy and encoruagement. So I believe God was telling me to feel comfort through it and to believe it. If it's not true, does it really matter? Does it really hurt to believe in something like that? We know Heaven is going to be great and that our loved ones will be there. And a lot that was in there, I already believed anyways. Does it really matter what we believe about the details? I'm getting off track, but I just really loved that book. I just finished another one that I loved. It was called "Have Heart". It was by the Berger family who lost their son Josiah at age 19. They live in Franklin, TN. It is a GREAT book and I highly recommend it. It also gives such hope and happiness and longing for Heaven. They use a lot of scripture, especially from Revelation. The point is that a lot of these books we received focused on Heaven and since Revelation is that magic Heavenly guide, I've read more than my regular share of Revelation.

Another reason - Bible Bowl. This is Carter's first year to do Bible Bowl and each year a new book is chosen. Out of all 66, this year....you guessed it....Revelation. I was pretty surprised at first. And I've heard mixed discussion on that. I've even heard of some churches choosing not to participate because of the topic. Can't say I agree with that. Revelation is inspired by God just like the other 65. Why would you skip it? But after I got over my initial surprise, I was actually excited. I'm glad it's being studied. It should be. It certainly wasn't when I was young. Now granted, Bible Bowl from what I can tell is stricly memorization of facts. These kids aren't getting a whole lot on meaning. And that could be frustrating, but that's what Bible Bowl is. It's a competition based on memorization. That's what it's always been. And that's fine. But I'm glad those who choose the book each year didn't back away from it. I'm glad they didn't skip it so as not to offend. I wish it could be the chosen curriculum for kids or at least teenagers during a class or two at church. But after the summer focus, I have to ask these questions. Is Revelation ignored or avoided? Is it studied as much as any other book? What's the deal with Revelation?

My thought it that we've chosen to avoid it or just lightly touch on it because it does scare us. We don't understand it, understandably, and so we avoid it. We don't want to be wrong. We don't want to study something that's difficult. Study Psalms instead we may think. They're comforting and make sense. Again, Revelation is just as inspired by God as any other book. He wouldn't have put it in there if He didn't want us to study it. I just hope we're not avoiding it because we're scared of it. That's not right. Is it hard to understand? Yes it is! I don't claim to understand it all. I've read it. This summer. When I had to write Bible Bowl questions for the first five chapters for camp, I read them of course and then decided to just read the whole book. I don't get it all. I still don't know if it's telling me what's going to happen, what's already happened, if it's even going to happen ever. I do believe that it is a picture of Heaven. I do believe at least part of God's intention was to show us a picture of Heaven. I have really enjoyed reading about it through these books and it makes me want to study it more.

I'll stop for now, but there's more I want to say including a certain fiction series that I've started reading again because of Revelation. Some of you may know what I'm talking about. But it's just all made me think about this book. What is it's purpose? How it can help me? You? I feel God calling me to study it and focus on it and I won't let Him down. Would love to hear your thoughts. More in a few days....

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

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

-Albert