Alpha and Omega

As I wrote yesterday, my grandson Teddy got some wonderful Advent calendars at his church on Sunday. One of these countdowns shows a daily Bible verse with some simple questions. Due to my basically lazy nature, I'm going to use the same verses while pondering beyond the provided questions. The way my feeble mind wanders, that won't be hard.

Today's verse: Revelations 1:17
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last."

Teddy had the questions of
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your last name?

Although my mind cells are shrinking, I thought I could go slightly beyond these discussion points. I started pondering about the many "firsts" in my life and quickly noticed most of them were happy ones.

I remember the first time I met Bob all those years ago. We went to the Downers Grove Heritage Fest with my sister and her family. Our first date was at Greek Town where I excused myself just in time to have him order the meal. (I think it is a pretty good test for a new date. He thought I was nuts!) Not soon after was the first time Bob met my mom. We went out to eat at the Dock, and she could quickly see why I had fallen in love. The first time I met Bob's family was another meal out. (Maybe you can see a trend here causing elastic to surround my waist.) We ate at a Chinese restaurant with dishes all containing fish. There was one slight problem. At the time, I ate hardly any Chinese and I strongly disliked any fish. Add a daughter at the ripe age of four, and you can wonder how Bob and I ever got married.

Prior to that was the first time I tried to drive a stick shift. My dad quickly asked me to take him home. There was the first airplane ride and my first visit to Woodfield Mall. (I was in Y-Teens in Rock Island.) I remember hearing of the birth of my first nephew. My excitement forced me outside to play in the November leaves in Jacksonville, IL where I student taught in a classroom of deaf-blind children.

More recently, there was the first time I saw my grandson. I raced through the airport hallways only to be flooded with a sense of pride never even dreamed of before. That wasn't long after the first time I realized I couldn't clutch so tightly to my dear Stephanie. She had found the man of her dreams and was about to begin a life of her very own firsts.

Lasts tend to bring a note of solemn isolation. The last time I saw my mom alive, she was concluding her long battle with chronic pain. The last time I was married, it ended with the harsh reality of unfaithfulness. A stark realization is that I cannot recall the last time I was without pain.

Today's verse reminds me that Advent is a time to ponder about our firsts and lasts. God is the Alpha and the Omega. He was "there to hear (my) borning cry" and will be there when I "close (my) weary eyes". He was first here as a babe in the manger and "He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end."

What are your firsts and lasts that come to mind? Have you shared them with your loved ones. How do you show others you believe in the first time Christ walked on this Earth? Do you honestly believe that his next and last time to come may be just days away?

Take time to ponder. Take time to prepare. I'll "jabber" to you more tomorrow.