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patterns of ink

How fruitless to be ever thinking yet never embrace a thought... to have the power to believe and believe it's all for naught. I, too, have reckoned time and truth (content to wonder if not think) in metaphors and meaning and endless patterns of ink. Perhaps a few may find their way to the world where others live, sharing not just thoughts I've gathered but those I wish to give. Tom Kapanka

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Location: Lake Michigan Shoreline, Midwest, United States

By Grace, I'm a follower of Christ. By day, I'm a recently retired school administrator; by night (and always), I'm a husband and father (and now a grandfather); and by week's end, I sometimes find myself writing or reading in this space. Feel free to join in the dialogue.

Friday, March 21, 2008

In Remembrance of Me

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Yesterday was the first day of spring! And the sun rose with the promise of new life all around. Thanks, Lord. We needed that.

Today is Good Friday... when the Son was lifted up with the promise of new life all around. Thanks, Lord, we needed that even more.

I began these thoughts a week ago Monday, March 10th, the night after “Spring Ahead Sunday.” A few hours earlier, I was a few minutes late to my Monday School Board meeting, because--according to my watch--I still had an hour to get back to the school. Two nights before, when Julie and I changed all the clocks, I forgot to change my watch.

Spring ahead; fall back!” Isn’t it funny how we rely on those four words to make sure we get it right twice a year? Here are some other examples of 4-word reminders.
I know some people who say “never eat soggy waffles” to remember the clockwise order of N,S,E,W on a map. And I’ve caught myself mumbling,
lefty loosy; righty tighty” while unscrewing things. Here’s another one I use that you’ve probably never heard:
Black gold, Texas tea.”

Whenever I’m doing electrical wiring at home, I begin singing the “Beverly Hillbillies Theme.” You may know it from re-runs. Jed Clampett was “shooting at some food and up from the ground came a bubblin’ crude—oil that is, black gold, Texas tea..” That little song helps me remember that the black wire goes to the gold contact on the fixture, which leaves the white wire for the silver contact. (The green wire goes to “ground” because both words start with g-r.)
There you have it: My Guide to Basic Home Wiring.
I guess we could say God wired our minds for re-MIND-ers.

He understood the power of verbal symbols (words) and visual symbols (signs, logos, etc.) and that without them, we are prone to forget the most basic instructions of life. He plugged in symbolic reminders as the story of man’s fall and redemption unfolded. Some huge, like the rainbow, some hard as rocks beside a river, and some as small as a mustard seed, but –BAM!—the image flashes across our mind and we remember something God told us not to forget.

Some symbols are so important that our Lord himself did not share them until His last moments on Earth.

On the night he was betrayed, He sat with his disciples and imposed extraordinary meaning upon two ordinary objects: He reminded his followers that he was the “bread of life” and then he broke that bread.

Then the Vine reminded the branches that grapes must be crushed to fill the cup, and so too his life must be spilled out for the forgiveness of sins. (This symbol of the cup was still fresh on his mind a few hours later as He pleaded with His father in the garden, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”)

Jesus remembered that we would forget. He knew we were creatures in need of rainbows and rocks and seeds and sticky notes, so He left us with three symbols in his last hours on Earth. The last symbol, like the first two, was a common physical object—not the bread or cup upon the table but something made from wood like the table itself.

This Son of God whose earthly father was a carpenter knew all about wood. He taught of a Kingdom of roots and branches. He admonished us to be mindful of the sawdust and beams in our eyes. This God-man knew the touch of wood from his first to his last breath. He was the lamb whom those drawn to Him saw first in a wooden manger and last upon rugged cross. And so it was that this most common of materials was hewn into the most enduring symbol of Christendom. The Saviour knew that our minds would need re-MIND-ers, that our eyes would sometimes need a SIGN to recall His SIGNificance, and He instructed us to observe these symbols "in remembrance of me." The old hymn put it this way,
.“Lest I forget Gethsemane,
                         Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.”
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May we fall back on these words as we look to the spring ahead.

Happy Easter!

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18 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

LOL!!! The watch story tickled me...it would be something that could happen to me!

Happy Spring...it's finally sprung! However, the weather people are telling us we're under a storm watch for tonight going through tomorrow with 3 to 6 inches of snow and freezing stuff in the forecast! UGH!!!! But the positive thing about it is.."warmer" temps are also right behind it and it will be gone shortly. It's just that we have to contend with it!

We can say (tomorrow) that "It's Friday...but Sunday's coming!" Allelujah!!! A friend and I were chatting today and she was sharing about the message last Sunday at the church they attended. The pastor stated our culture tends to think of Easter as a "happy" time (and that is somewhat true given the message of hope) but he said Jesus wasn't happy. He wept over the city and the sinfulness of "man" and he endured an awful death (which isn't happy). I don't know how this pastor finished...but I'd say that with "Sunday" that, that is the part that should give us joy at least, if not, happiness!
Happy Easter!!!!!
WCL

20/3/08 3:01 PM  
Blogger .Tom Kapanka said...

WSL,
Yes. I heard about the snow. We may only get a couple inches up here in West Michigan, but from Chicago to Detroit they are looking from 3-5 inches I've heard.
If I'm not mistaken, we got a good snow last year on Easter and it was much later in April. In the Midwest, you just never know.
Hey, by the way, Wisconsin Sandwich Lady, the Badgers had a pretty close game last week against Michigan State. I've treated both of them kindly in my March Madness brackets.

It's Friday (tomorrow),but Sunday's comin'!

20/3/08 4:13 PM  
Blogger Dr.John said...

Great post! What more can I say.

20/3/08 6:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Again...LOL!!! I'm totally NOT a cheesehead nor do I follow sports (though my husband LOVES sports!) in any sense of the form!! Long story is...he was "addicted" and over-did the "boy" thing in our early marriage and killed any spec of interest of sports in me. I attended our son's (and now grandkids) sports events but that is about it for me! So you and I could have a friendship despite the competition of schools/teams!!! (smile)

Hated the weather news tonight! They're saying a possible 3 to 8 inches (and I heard 10 somewhere) in our area! Arrrrrgggghhhh!!! Today was so lovely too! You're right about Spring in the mid-west being "If-y". WSL

20/3/08 8:29 PM  
Blogger .Tom Kapanka said...

Dr. John... Pastor John... thanks!

WSL,
I don't watch much basketball until March Madness or the playoffs. I am watching thw Wisconsin Badgers even as I type and they are lookin' good in the first quarter. Up by 6. So far all my "picks" have won. That's a first for me. (Don't worry I'm not in a pool... just do it for fun.)

20/3/08 9:21 PM  
Blogger heiresschild said...

hi Tom, i forgot to change my watch also, was wearing it and didn't realize the time difference until almost a week later.

awesome post--very revelatory. i love the "reMINDers."

21/3/08 3:11 AM  
Blogger .Tom Kapanka said...

HC,
So good to hear from you. I hope to get around to some "favorites' reading this weekend. I've gotten behind. Happy Easter!

21/3/08 11:18 AM  
Blogger Nancy said...

Happy Easter! I have been so busy lately. Please forgive me for not keeping up but I will return.

Sorry to hear about your snow! Spring is surely just around the corner for you.

Enjoy your family and your time away from school! Blessings!

22/3/08 8:06 AM  
Blogger Lone Grey Squirrel said...

Have a blessed Easter, my friend.r

22/3/08 9:11 AM  
Blogger .Tom Kapanka said...

Nancy,
I can completely understand. It's been the same for me. The snowfall stretched from MN to PA, but it will melt off soon... we hope.

LGS,
Happy Easter to you, too, my friend!

22/3/08 9:34 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

First of all..."Happy Easter!"
Your add-on post could have been us here in Wisconsin! In our area we got about 6" (or a bit more) of the white stuff and made the 100" record! Looking out right now it's sunny and partly cloudy. Have to wonder about the birds who made an early arrival back. We've had LOTS of robins and the sandhill craines are back too. A friend said the finches are turning yellow and another friend saw a red-winged blackbird. AHhhh, Spring!!!
WSL

22/3/08 4:44 PM  
Blogger .Tom Kapanka said...

WSL,
I figured you got it, too.
I haven't seen a Robin yet, but as I was shoveling, I heard sea gulls overhead. They were confused. It was strange to hear sounds of "the beach" in a snow storm.

22/3/08 9:05 PM  
Blogger heiresschild said...

HAPPY EASTER Tom to you and your family. i saw 2 bluebirds outside of my window this week; haven't seen any robins yet.

22/3/08 9:28 PM  
Blogger .Tom Kapanka said...

HC,
Our ground is still white, but the snow is only about 3 or 4 inches thick now.
My brother Paul and his family came in today for Easter. We just watches Michigan State take Pitt and make it to the Sweet 16.
Sorry the Terps didn't make into the tourny this year.

22/3/08 10:55 PM  
Blogger Jo said...

What a beautiful post. You always have a fresh and unique way of looking at things, and writing about them. Just beautiful..!

22/3/08 11:05 PM  
Blogger .Tom Kapanka said...

Josie,
Thank you. Hope you had a beautiful Easter in Vancouver. Almost all of our snow has melted except in the shade and shrinking piles.

23/3/08 8:27 PM  
Blogger Cris said...

Great post Tom! May we never forget or lose gratitude for what our Lord has done for us.

Happy Easter

24/3/08 4:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey dad! Member how my car was under that small portion of the himalayas? that picture of you shoveling just sparked my memory! love you! Happy Birthday! -Kim

22/4/08 1:41 PM  

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