Crankeverend (CR) often faces moments of death as he visits those who are in the last hours of their lives. And in those moments, CR has discovered some important things about the meaning of life. In particular, it forces CR to face the questions of “Why am I HERE?” and “Where am I GOING?” and “When will my time be up?” — those existential ponderings of us all. Now, before anyone freaks out, CR wants to remind everyone that CR is blessed with a wonderful congregation that is filled with faithful, frail, funny and flawed people, and that alone should give CR a sense of purpose. And it does. But, if we do not regularly take time to look for the deeper meaning and purpose in what we are doing, and how we are experiencing the calling and the direction of the Holy Spirit, then life can become routine, and in time will become purposeless.
So, what has CR learned so far in 53 years of scratching out an exixtence on this planet that has mattered in the least bit?
What CR has learned is this existence is both complicated and simple. It is complicated because so many things intersect in our lives on a daily and weekly basis and if we are not hyper-focused we can miss so many of them. Lately CR’s life feels as if it is being lived in fast-froward. And CR guesses this is true for most good folks over the age of 50 (Which BTW includes CR’s lovely wife — welcome to the club, baby). What time this Cranky Reverend has lived in the bediviling state of dread — that honestly seems to go on for an eternity — now passes quicker than an under-inflated football from Tom “The Cheat” Brady (My apologies to all Patriot fans. You didn’t pick him and most players in the NFL probably cheat — Tommy boy just got caught). So, because life moves in fast-forward most days, it is necessary to hit the pause button occasionally and take a look at what is happening around you. What indiscretions do you need to forgive? Who do you need to seek out to receive some forgiveness? Who have you intended to contact but you have been putting it off? Who is it you need to say “I love You” more often? Why do you spend the time with the people you do and who are you neglecting in the process who needs more of your time? And, what coincidences are happening that may just be G-d knocking on your door to get your attention?
Life should be and can be simpler — we MAKE it too complicated. We are the ones who try to do everything, try to fill our lives up so that every minute is scheduled, and try to avoid having to listen to our own thoughts. Instead of going somewhere every day, instead of seeking out “meaning” in meaningless places, we should be carving out more time to spend in prayer — having more conversations with Jesus.
CR has learned that life has no purpose when we seek only to serve the “self”. CR read a headline today where a young man shot himself in the head trying to take a “selfie” – (for those who do not know what a “selfie” is, it is a picture of yourself — taken by yourself — for the purpose of seeing yourself) Teen Shoots Self in Head. It is a microcosm of the state of the world — the more we focus only on ourselves, the more we shoot ourselves in the foot (notice CR said “foot” not head so that CR does not denigrate the young man for SHOOTING HIMSELF IN THE HEAD!) because the world is filled with too many people who are focusing only on themselves. We have had the “Baby Boomer” generation, Generation “X”, the “Millennials”, and this generation we might as well call the “Selfie Generation”.
Look, CR knows there are no easy answers in this life. But we won’t find those answers looking into the “reverse camera” snapping pictures of our own image on our phones. It takes a deeper sort of searching — looking deeply into our souls, our minds, and our hearts to determine the “What?” “Where?” and “Why’s?” of our lives. We exist, not just for our own pleasure — but for serving the creator. And yes, it is hard to love others if we do not love ourselves — but come on folks, how many pictures of CR does CR need to look at before CR realizes his nose is crooked, his head is bald, and his “good looks” have been replaced by a “big-eared” “big-nosed” Picasso-ish rendition of CR’s former self? Yikes — a selfie of that will break any camera. And yet, Jesus loves CR just as CR is and that is the main reason for this Cranky Reverend to feel good about CR’s self — but not CR’s “Selfie”.
So, in 53 years of living, CR has learned that life is not about the self — it is especially not about the “Selfie”. Life is about loving G-d and serving the creator — and serving the others before the “Selfie”.
Crankeverend……..!tuO
The "Frowning Glory" 
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