Show Us Christ

Things are in full swing here at Bunting Central.   Schooling, church meetings, and cantata writing!

Next up: the PRIVITERAS!!  We are even more excited after getting a taste of "tour guiding" with friends who've already been here.  Now remember, we're driving on the left down here.  If you come and want to borrow our van, we may make you take a driver's test first!  (Pete, We're sure you'll do fine!)

And in the meantime, between fun days out with Lancaster friends, we are putting our collective nose to the grindstone, writing and arranging our Easter cantata.  The opening song will be Doug Plank's "Show Us Christ" as we set the tone for our music and narration.  We are using quotes by historic men of God, such as Calvin and Spurgeon, as well as contemporary authors and pastors, such as Sinclair Ferguson, to weave the story of redemption throughout our musical experience.  A sampling of great songs slated to be used are: A Mighty Fortress is Our God, How Sweet the Day, O Sacred Head Now Wounded, The Power of the Cross, Revelation Song, and All I Have is Christ.    All in all, we are planning for a little over an hour of music and narration, along with a gospel invitation.  Please pray for us as we arrange and write, refine and rehearse.  We want this to bring glory to God as we clearly portray God's plan for saving sinners.  We serve a great God in the midst of a needy people.

We love you, our dear family and friends, whether in Lancaster, Butler, Florida, Nassau, or anywhere else you may be.  We feel the effects of your prayers for us!  Please keep it up!

grieving as those who have all hope

It was only 5 days after Christmas when Jackie Bunting went to meet her Lord and Savior face to face.  Our great loss, her infinite gain!  A few weeks before my mother-in-law passed away, I was bothered by thoughts of what she might be experiencing, what dark thoughts she might be taunted by.  I became suddenly afraid of the experience of dying, both for her and myself.  What if God didn't meet her in it all?  What if he left her alone in her suffering and grief?  I was forced to confront my own belief about what happens to the Christian when he/she dies.

Now, just a few weeks after she has passed away, I must tell of the peace of God that flooded all of our hearts and minds when she did slip into eternity.  As soon as I heard Keith's voice on the phone telling me the news, my heart leapt to think, "Mom is with Jesus!"  Since it was early, 3:30am, I just laid there for some time thinking of what she must be seeing and experiencing in those first minutes of eternity.  There was no room for dark thoughts, only light-filled wonder as this solid peace filled my heart, the assurance of the living hope we have been promised in Christ.  I KNEW Jackie was with God.  And I wept at the thought that she went first, before all the rest of us, and would be there one day to meet us. 

Now, as the days and weeks since her death pass, I continue to be more and more aware of how light and temporary this world is for the Christian.  All earthly things have an end, Peter writes in his epistle.  But there is no end of days with God.  No end of joy.  No end of peace.  No end of wonder.  Who can imagine such delight?  It is too wonderful for words.

My "Mother-in-love" has been given the greatest healing of all...she is with her God.  And so we grieve not as those who have no hope, but as those who know the living hope that is in Christ Jesus.