As you know, I've been thinking a lot about resurrection this year. I'm not exactly sure why. But in the process of writing my 17-page paper about it, I decided something. I can work for resurrection in this life, and hope for it after death. Or I can work for resurrection in this life and try to find peace in the thought that I sow the seeds of peace that will lead to resurrection for my community one day. On a practical level, the difference boils down to facing my own death and the deaths of others stoically, or facing it hopefully. I choose hopefully. It may be in part in light of the fact that if I become a minister I will be dealing with death and mourning on a fairly regular basis. It's also partly due to the fact that I want to be able to hope and love and be vulnerable unto death. I can only make myself vulnerable unto death if I do not fear it, and I will only not fear it if I can find hope in it.