Usually

When I come to Puerto Rico it is usually to take pictures of flowers, visit friends, beaches, Old San Juan, and eat pastellilos de chapin. All have been done except to dive into the ocean and find some real chapin pastellilos.  Yet this trip is different.  While close to the beach, I haven't stepped in it.  Though I have a car I haven't gone to Old San Juan.  Then I did see a good friend, but only to say good bye and hopefully not for ever.  Add to that my old pastor for many years preached last Sunday.  To add to the unusualness he will be preaching a year's sermons on the many holidays we celebrate throughout the year, except he will be doing it in six weeks.

I want to emphasize emphatically that unusual is not bad.  In this time when persecution seems to be crouching at the door, celebrating our holidays ahead of time is not a bad thing.  I am sort of looking forward to celebrating Resurrection Sunday this Sunday at church.  Actually, that is the main reason we have church on Sundays.  "Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed!"  Christians announce this on that day when we remember his resurrection.  It is an event that revives us and reminds us of eternity.  That though one might die, we look forward to the resurrection of the saints because he died and rose again. We will too.  Why? Because he promised!  So I am looking forward to celebrating Resurrection Sunday, this Sunday in mid July.  Instead of Christmas in July, it will be "He is Alive!" in July.  Amen!