No pain, no gain.  If it's not hard, what good is it?  Teach your children well. Responsibility is weighty. We inch along, comparing burdens and gauging endurance.  A little ground covered each day.  A little less far to go.  We tremble respectfully before the harshness of life.

The cry of joy catches in our throat.  How to lift our eyes to the dazzling light?

Jesus, your wisdom beats ours.  You rise.  You live.  Our best advice sounds obsolete.  After Easter, the sky opens wide.  This is not what we imagined.  Your goodness surprises us.

The stranger came from far away.  He knew about kings and splendor.  But Philip's words pierced his heart.  Stop the carriage. Down he sank into the water in search of new life.

We understand hard work.  Sacrifice does not puzzle us.  Some days we forgive our enemies.  But that you bother with us.  That slips past our determination.  That brings tears of joy.  You are the mystery who shows up at my door.

Every day we reach for bread.  Hungry.  Tired.  Off to work.

Every day.  There you are.