What is so good?

Think for a moment on your worst day.

What happened? What or who was lost. Which hopes and dreams crumbled into ashes before your eyes. And how did it feel?

Was tomorrow even on the radar? Or did it feel daunting to even think about?

And so it was with what we call Good Friday
That is what I am venturing to guess was many people's worst day. When I think of what happened and who was involved. Does it get any worse? A mother loses her child. Guys who left their jobs and lives and pinned all of their hopes on a semi-homeless guy who had a propensity for making miracles,  healing the sick, eating dinner with degenerates and really ticking off political leaders.

What in the world do they do tomorrow? Run? Start again? Wait? Cry? Give up?

In those dark places. Where did they go? And were do we go?

Recently I have had some difficult conversations with my dad. And may I say that he is very brave for engaging with me. Because I went there. To his darkest place, without really realizing I was going there.

I asked him about the events surrounding the day I had an accident with a lawn mower 30+ years ago. I asked him about that year and the accident and what it was like for him. The truth is, he was the one driving the lawn mower that was millimeters from severing my entire leg.

He told me that was the worst day of his life.

I never thought of it like that before. When you are carrying your bloody screaming child into your hatchback how do you even imagine what happens next. How do you go on? Where is the hope and redemption?

Perhaps it came 30 years later as he is talking to healthy me and watching his grandson play on the carpet while I tell him that I never blamed him. That accidents happen. And that he is loved and lovable.

Or do you know the story of Abby from the Biggest Loser. I can't even talk about it because it is my worse fear. But out of her broken life, she was able to resserect meaning and herself and live a beautiful life.

Sometimes it doesn't come right away.

Easter is only a few days after Good Friday. That part of the story was a shorter wait. But it was and is transformative. Life and hope can come from the deepest death, the most humiliating places where all hope seems lost.

The disciples are known throughout history. They went on to live their lives for the sake of the hope that they had seen first hand when Jesus stood before them a few days later.

And the power of that love and that hope are still making waves now. Making a difference.(sadly it is also misused in places).

Love is for EVERYONE. Hope is there for EVERYONE.

And that, I think, is pretty darn good.