Good Friday?

So...

Today is "Good Friday." I claim to be a fairly well-informed Christian-type guy...but why is it called "Good Friday?" If you think about it in relative terms...shouldn't it be called "tense friday?" or "apprehensive friday?" Believe me, I am NOT trying to be disrespectful or blasphemous in any way, shape, of form...but come on! It should at least be called "The next few hours are really going to suck!" friday.

Truth be told...this sunday, more commonly referred to as "Easter" should actually be called "Good Sunday" or more to the point "Good Son-Day." Wouldn't that make much better sense? Call me crazy...I don't know!!

This Easter sunday is a tie for the best holiday of the year...the other, you ask? Christmas, of course!! I am focusing on the idea that I am a true believer in the Risen Son of God...Jesus Christ, and this is a very special sunday in which Christians all around the world celebrate his release and freedom from the grave, his ascension into Heaven, and His throne on the right hand of the Father (No, this term "Father" used here is NOT in reference to the pope - who, as far as I can tell, in NO HOLIER than you and I - especially by any Biblical standard) I mean to say God Himself. Jesus was chosen for his mission - a mission of the highest importance.

No mystery that I work for NOAA and we are chock-a-block full of scientists and "big thinkers." What I have witnessed since I came to work here is that most of these "big thinkers" work really hard at talking themselves OUT of the existence of God, instead of embracing the very things that they study and research everyday that HE created!! I don't know - but I think it's a lot more difficult to work up a hypothesis denying or discounting God than it does to read a chapter (Romans, for example) of a book that has been around for more than a couple days to gain some really valuable insight...no this book is not "dianetics," silly...it's the BIBLE and it really isn't that confusing of a read. I double-dog dare you to do it!!! What would it hurt?

If ever there was a time...or even a day to look this book over - this would be the weekend. God is on our side...he sent His Son to prove it to us. He is offering all of us a free gift - but we have to be bold enough, and at the same time humble enough, to seek Him and ask for it!! I'm not trying to get all "preachy" on anyone at all - my job isn't to "save" you...it's to tell you where I am coming from in order to shed a little light, or a glimpse of what God can do with a sinful, far-from-perfect person...please don't be offended...just keep reading!!

It is really hard for me to relate in any human way to the internal angst that Jesus may have been feeling today a couple thousand years ago, He was still human, after all!! Thing is: he gave a crap about all of us...AND...he put His money where His mouth was...threw it all away. HUGE personal sacrifice...minimal personal gain!! We talk about soldiers and sailors being brave and selfless during this tumultuous time in US history - and I am 220% patriotic and try to show it every day - but their individual stories PALE in comparison to the personal sacrifice Jesus threw our direction!

As I bob around in the Gulf of mexico and have time to think about all kinds of things, I tried to really fathom this today - Good Friday. Maybe something for you to think about as well. The water is deep azure, the sky is clear, and it is 83d F as I write this on Good Friday...and I must say it is a good friday. BUT next friday is a GREAT friday as I will finally be headed home first thing saturday morning to the people I know and love!!

Happy Easter - Everyone. Give a little thought between your egg hunt and your smoked ham to what it really is and what it really means over the weekend...staggering at the bare minimum!!

Much Love -
Donn