ENCOURAGEMENT 32 may 2025 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition The Fountain of Youth is a mythical spring which is supposed to erase some of the years time has bestowed upon us. Somehow Ponce de Leon and the state of Florida make claim to this fabled site. No need for me to travel to St. Augustine to get a piece of the action; this tender wellspring simply walks into our home each time that our daughter Ruthie pays a visit. She is young and beautiful, both inside and out, and I am blessed to be infused with this novel source on a regular basis. She reminds me so much of my younger self.... ebullient, assertive, determined. And then the mirror gives me a reality check.... not a pretty picture. As hard as I stare at myself, I cannot focus on the bold, energetic and determined chap of old. Coexisting emotions Having served for many years in both the grief share and memorial services at a local church, I am acquainted with end-of-life issues and their repercussions. Gala events such as weddings and baby showers escape me for the most part despite their festive nature. For some weird reason I prefer the marked confluence of despair and bliss, both captured best by abject opposites, laughter versus tears. As we sat on Saturday afternoons and counseled folks at church who had recently lost loved ones and witnessed their painful weeping, we were often interrupted by the music and merriment of a marriage ceremony being carried out down the hall from us. It seemed cruel at the time to expose the hurting to the joyful, yet often in the midst of discussing the anguish of personal loss we would have spontaneous bursts of laughter as good times were recalled. Seems to me that to have a full life and possess the capability of making the appropriate occasional changes in our behavior it is imperative that we stimulate the coexistence of "having a ball" with "bawling our eyes out." Pleasure achieved through pain That, of course, goes totally against the grain of our inherited makeup. Our main goal is to position ourselves daily to accept pleasure and totally disdain any sort of discomfort. Interestingly, the everlasting pleasure assured in Heaven could only be achieved by the most excruciating pain ever experienced on earth. So, how am I to react to Our Savior's command to deny myself, take up my cross and follow him? How about accepting His advice to consider my present sufferings not worthy compared to the glory that will be revealed in me and that my momentary troubles are achieving in me eternal glory? How about His promise to restore, confirm, strengthen and establish me after undergoing suffering? Looks like Christ is suggesting that I stop fleeing towards dry land and instead face the waves of discontent that may crash upon the shores of my life. Many believe that pain is punishment from a retaliatory God. Moreover, the enigma of how can a loving God capable of preventing suffering allows it to fester has been the subject of innumerable theories way beyond my pay grade to decipher. For me it is quite simple; one has to be God to fully understand God. All I know is that the shared nightly prayer sessions with my wife Julianne have increasingly trended towards imploring God's mercy and restoration upon those in the midst of suffering. We start our conversation with Him with hands clasped in reverence but soon we "fall to our knees" seeking grace and compassion for the afflicted. And as we pray for the physical, emotional and spiritual healing of others, lurking in the shadows is our future discomfort. As the winter of our lives draws near, it seems that gray clouds and blustery weather is the usual daily forecast; finding light and warmth becomes a daily task. Comedies, histories and tragedies William Shakespeare's works are divided into comedies, histories and tragedies, which aligns with Scripture, given that the Bible is the history of the relationship of God with mankind as He deals with our accompanying comedies and tragedies. Frederick Buechner, the famous author and theologian, said it best, "it's a world of magic and mystery, of deep darkness and flickering starlight; it's a world where goodness is pitted against evil, love against hate, order against chaos; that is the fairy tale of the Gospel with one crucial difference from all other fairy tales... it is true and not only did it happen once upon a time but it is happening still." The first half of my life was a tragedy bordering on a horror story while the latter half is a tale of redemption and grace... a spiritual fairy tale featuring fantastic elements, magical moments and the guarantee of a happy ending. Today was a good day and we have the Lord to thank for it; tomorrow is uncharted territory, and we have the Lord to thank for it. As for me and my family we share Hosea and Paul's vantage point, "Where, O death, is your victory?; Where, O death is your sting?" Once Upon a Time - Omar Aleman - Aleman and Associates St Augustine, Florida - The popular Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth
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