Cemeteries: A Summer Recap and Thoughts on Jesus

Less than 9 days until I return to college. I will be a sophomore - 1 year under my belt, but still left with enough time to enjoy it.

In between observations and online classes, VBS and summer camp, concerts and mini-road trips, I enjoyed being home. Sometimes I regret not applying for jobs, but on the other hand, I really loved just doing nothing. I loved being able to take my brother roller skating, eat dinner with my family almost every night, waste time online, and visit cemeteries.

Have I mentioned I love cemeteries? I love genealogical research, finding my ancestors, scrolling through US censuses, and locating the gravesites of people whose grandchildren's grandchildren are my parents. I love standing at the foot of their graves and closing my eyes and picturing people (who never knew that one day I would come into the world as a result of their marriage and children) bury their deceased loved ones, back before TV existed. It's really something awesome.

This summer, other than visiting cemeteries where my ancestors are buried, I also used the path around the cemetery in the little town where I live as a walking/running track. I've never been much for health clubs or organized sports or most types of physical activity, but I've realized that exercise is good. For one, since I've been getting good exercise more than three times a week, I haven't felt nearly as panicky or anxious or depressed as those times when I have not exercised in months. There's something to be said for getting enough sleep and enough exercise, especially for easily anxious people like me.

Waking up about 8, eating breakfast, reading the Word, and walking/running a good 1.5 - 2 miles before starting the day's events has been a regular schedule for me the past few months, most recently since I returned home from the beach with my mom and stepdad. Typically I walk a few laps, run one or two laps, then walk a couple more to cool down. Each lap is 1/4 of a mile, so six laps is one and a half miles. Today, unlike the usual stretch, walk, run, walk, drink water, drive home business, I cut across the track on my last lap to study the stone figure in the middle of the cemetery.

I always assumed it was Jesus, and even though there are no markings or signs, I'm reasonably sure it is. Running and sweating your way around a cemetery between five and eight times a day could be creepy, if I let it, especially with this large stone guy looking like he's going to step down from the pedestal and give me a bear hug at any moment. I guess because I like cemeteries so much, the stone Jesus sculpture didn't seem to bother me.

Walking up close to the sculpture, I realized something I hadn't noticed before. Jesus's head was

dipped slightly and his arms outstretched. You might be able to see it better in the picture on the left. It reminds me of Jesus on the cross, such a humble, giving position, but at the same time, so strong. It's like he's defeated death and he's welcoming everyone into his arms. Now, I know this is just an artist's interpretation of a Westernized Jesus, but I just can't help but be filled with the same feeling I get at all cemeteries. You might not be able to tell from the pictures, but this sculpture is quite a bit old. I kept thinking of all the people who had visited this cemetery in years past, whether to bury someone they were close to, or to lay flowers on a grave of a family member. And I wondered how many people saw the sculpture and realized Jesus was opening his arms to them, to their grief and pain and brokenness.

My Jesus is humble and patient. I mean, read Philippians 2:3-11. Jesus "took the humble position of a slave" when he came to earth to live and die for us. But he is so much stronger and greater than we often give him credit for. He defeated death and rose again to redeem us, to purchase us from sin's tangles and give us the lives we never could have had otherwise.

One of my favorite passages, the two verses I chose as my Senior Bible Verses when I graduated high school, is Ephesians 5:1-2. It summaries this idea well:

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

It also provides direction for where I'm going. This direction? Love. Imitating God. Following Christ's example of selflessness.

I'm involved in ministry this coming semester, serving my fellow college students through community and dialogue on the Eldredges' Captivating and Wild at Heart books with a friend, mentoring a 6th grade girl, and serving in various capacities at church and on campus. I'm working at the job I held last year in the Admissions Office. And I am asking God to prepare my heart and love and be loved in great ways this year.

The thing I love the most about cemeteries is how they are so directly related to love. I mean, all of those deceased people have families, families who buy flower arrangements to cover their graves. All those families have friends who came to the funerals for their loved ones. So, love. But seeing the sculpture of a humbled and powerful Jesus welcoming his children into his arms reminds me of Jesus's love. It gets me excited to one day see the face of my Savior in heaven and gives me the encouragement to keep going when things get tough.

As I was walking away from the sculpture, the Cupid Shuffle came on my iPod, which I had just remembered was still in my ears. I started to dance without realizing it, and I was suddenly like Oh my goodness, this is so irreverent! But then I laughed at myself. Lord willing, the people these graves symbolize are rejoicing in the arms of Jesus. And I bet that the Jesus Shuffle is on the playlist for the party in heaven. So, don't tell my grandma, but I Cupid Shuffle-d all the way back to my car.

And, friends, that's what I did this summer. Believe me, I'm planning to do something a little more exciting that sit at home and run around cemeteries next summer, although I did learn a lot, spend good time with my family, and served at summer camp and VBS, which I really enjoyed.

Less than nine days remains, and I'm going to enjoy every one of them until I move back in at college and make the most of those eight or nine months of sophomore year.