Sunshine and Shadows: Advent Two

Sunday, December 6, 2020

Advent Two - Peace be with you

I'm my worst critic.

I wrote a blog last Sunday about Hope. And in the blog, I said that this week's candle is JOY.

I worked on my Bible study for November 30. Because of scheduling for the month of December, we are focusing on two "candles" per study rather than one. I prepared for JOY.

At the end of the afternoon, I realized -- the second candle is PEACE.

I had no PEACE about that for a few hours. I was really giving myself a lot of grief.

The women in the Bible study that night were very kind and forgiving.

Tuesday morning I listened to a Monday night voice mail that had come in after I was asleep.

"I'm going to Heaven", the voice said, "and I wanted to tell you I love you and Grace be with you"

One hour later, my brother, Lester telephoned - "Jonathan is with Jesus".

That voice mail had been from my brother Jonathan at about 9:30 Texas time. In about three hours, Jonathan passed away. I'm pretty sure that when he said Grace, he meant to be saying PEACE.

For many reasons, life has not always been peaceful for Jonathan - and there have been times that there was no peace in the relationship that I shared with my Golf and Gator focused and some times very difficult brother.

But somehow, through God's grace the last couple of years we have worked our way into a much better place.

He has visited me a few times; we have talked about that faith that was instilled in us as children. Since March of this year, I have talked with him each Sunday. Last Sunday I sent a text to his wife, Tammie, with the words - "Tell Jonathan, I'll always think of our Sunday chats" and in a few minutes he called me to tell me "I've enjoyed our Sunday chats".

And now it's Sunday. There will be no Sunday chat with Jonathan. However, it is the second Sunday of Advent and the candle of Peace will join the candle of Hope.

That's good because I'm having a hard time finding my smile - so I might not be Joyful.

I smiled as I wrote those last words. And then I thought of these words from Scripture:

"weeping may endure for the night, but Joy comes in the morning"

Psalm 30:5