Talking about God's wisdom and grace

I had the most wonderful conversation this afternoon with Craig Bailey, the executive director of the Buncumbe Baptist Association.

Now, it should be known that I consider myself a recovering Baptist. I grew up in what you might call a really radical right-wing Baptist church, where people believed we should hurry up and use all the Earth's resources so Jesus would come back. We were told we were doing God's work in Vietnam killing off Godless (racial epithet for Asians). We were assured that if we were good people Jesus would bless us financially.

So, I had it in for the Baptists for a long time. Not so anymore, but I don't usually get to discuss it with a Baptist. It's just not the right thing to do.

But we agreed that there is as much diversity among Baptists as there is among any group.

We talked about what comes after death, and about Michael's smile as he reached out and called my sister's name -- or as much of it as he had the strength to call. He told me about how his father nearly died of a massive heart attack when he was 51, and how much at peace he was after that. There is something after we die, but no one really knows what it is.

Craig thought that at the gathering after Jesus raised Lazarus, Lazarus was the focus of attention.

"Don't you think everyone wanted to ask him what it was like?"

I guess I would. I'd love to know what Michael and Ellen and my father are experiencing now.

I believe Michael is at peace, that he does exist in some form somewhere, and that I will see him and my sister and my father again.