From the perspective of the Sr. Class

Spoken Word:

This year of 2020 was supposed to be our year.

We thought we would party, celebrate and cheer.

Then the virus arrived and the “certain” became “unclear.”

We were scattered and quarantined due to Corona fear.

We couldn’t hang with friends and they are important to see.

No going out to eat. No Cinemark movie.

It’s a bit claustrophobic. Quarantine is crazy.

Boredom’s unrelenting. I’m weary of being lazy?

We missed out on everything important to us.

Sports, concerts, trips, plus. . .

Couldn’t even go to church, and that feels like a must!

And it’s all because of this pandemic virus.

Chorus:

Can we leave remorse behind us! Can we keep our fears at bay!

Can we set our baggage down! Can we rise above the fray!

In spite of all the chaos, it’s a gift to be alive.

We will not live cast down. More than survive, we will thrive!

We are not alone.

Spoken Word:

This repetitive chaos over racial in-equality

breeds incredible grief and anger insanity.

We pretend we are one, yet we foster disparity.

Why’s prejudice a thing in intelligent humanity?

This is not what we imagined! This is not our choice!

Negativity is thrust upon us and it’s darkened our voice.

How can shadows be lifted? What can help us hoist. . .

this poison from our countenance that we again rejoice?

Choir:

Can we leave remorse behind us! Can we keep our fears at bay!

Can we set our baggage down! Can we rise above the fray!

In spite of all the chaos, it’s a gift to be alive.

We will not live cast down. More than survive, we will thrive!

We are not alone. In Christ we will rise!

Spoken Word:

We love our families, but they can cause us stress.

Meals together are cool, but we could deal with less.

We don’t talk politics, which is a mess we confess.

Anxiety is rising and it’s so hard to express.

The things that weigh us down are not so easy to see.

Yet, the burdens that we carry won’t let us be.

It seems we cannot shake them. It seems we cannot flee.

How can we rise above this? How can we be free?

Choir:    

We can leave remorse behind us! We can keep our fears at bay!

We can set our baggage down! We can rise above the fray!

In spite of all the chaos, it’s a gift to be alive.

We will not live cast down. More than survive, we will thrive!

We are not alone. In Christ we will rise above the fray!

*    *    *     *    *    * 

My favorite non-scripture parable refers to the two dogs we have inside of each one of us. One dog is anger/resentment/hate/negativity. The other dog is peace/love/generosity/positivity. Whichever dog we feed is the dog that grows. The larger dog can eventually devour the other.

Which dog am I feeding? 

*    *    *     *    *    * 

In times such as these, the year of 2020, the fray of discouragement can overwhelm and consume. We can drink from the well of toxic disappointment and drown in pessimism. Yet, in the midst of confrontation we are called to rise above and choose a different path.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
James 1:19

God is One who sees the tomorrow we cannot. When the white hot spotlight of the moment shines on our personal stage, we cannot see the bounty that lies just beyond the darkness. God can. And through the power of the Holy Spirit we can do more than endure hardship. We can do more than merely survive. We can thrive! The love of Christ consumes the present moment, dispels what is “not” and encourages what might soon “be.” We are not alone. In Christ we can, and will rise above the fray.