paravanes:meditations

The 4th of July weekend is here, and for folks in the United States, it may be a time of reflection, of celebration, of a day spent alone and away from family members from whom we may be alienated, or just another day. It's supposed to be a time to celebrate freedom. What is freedom? If you know your American history, you know that the colonial victory over British rule didn't mean freedom for everyone . It didn't mean freedom for those who were enslaved, and it meant the beginning of the end for many Native Americans and their cultures, languages, and traditions. Still, I can't think of another country in which I would chose to live. But what is freedom? Real freedom is spiritual freedom--the ability to consistently know and chose what is right and follow that path. But who is to say what is right? Who has the authority to speak directly to what is right or wrong for everyone, at all times, and in all places? Only Christ. Jesus Christ is the standard by which r...

"Then I heard further [perceiving the distinct words of] a voice from heaven, saying, Write this: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are the dead from now on who die in the Lord! Yes, blessed (happy,to be envied indeed), says the Spirit, [in] that they may rest from their labors, for their works (deeds) do follow (attend, accompany) them!" Revelation 14:13, Amplified Bible What do you do on Father's Day when your father is no longer living? The rituals of card-giving, gift-giving, dinners out, church celebrations, etc. are no longer a part of the day. It can be a time for reminiscing, a time for re-calling and re-collecting, a time for gratitude, a time for thankfulness. I am very thankful my father (Rev. Thomas Evans, D.D., 1925-2002) was a quiet warrior. Looking back, I have wondered how he acquired that status. He fought in two wars, attended and graduated from college and grad school while married with children, stayed married to my mother from 1946 until he died in...

On Memorial Day (once known as Decoration Day--a day to commemorate the war dead and place flowers, flags, etc. on their graves), I visited the cemetery where my parents are buried, did some clean up, and placed flowers and a flag. The flag almost didn't make its way to the gravesite. After fighting mosquitoes away while doing the clean up, taking photographs of the flowers on the grave to share with family, I was all ready to leave the cemetery and return to my Memorial Day holiday break. As I drove out of the cemetery, I remembered I hadn't stopped by the cemetery office to get a flag for the gravesite. I turned around, stopped by the office, picked up a flag, and drove back into the cemetery to place a flag on the grave. Why did I do it? Why did I have to go back for the flag? My father was a veteran of World War II and Korea. My grandfather was a veteran of World War I. Their service under this flag transformed not only their lives, but the life of this nation. Af...