the marvelous communicator and social activist tony campollo preached a famous sermon titled "it's Friday but Sunday is coming." one of my favorites, and worth hearing again. but I noticed that one day is neglected.

the story of easter is told over a weekend. it is not just Sunday, with all the joy and hope. it is not just Friday, with the death and closure. it is not just Saturday, with the doubt and wondering. it is a weekend, a symphony of three distinct instruments, each interesting on its own, but when blended into one, a true masterpiece.

no doubt, we would all pick Sunday if we could. many preachers would convince you that if your life is less than always Sunday, you are not living up to your potential, or your mandate from God, or something to that effect. I am sure that we will hopefully have many "Sundays" in our lives--days and seasons filled with freshness, hope, courage and faith. but can we have Sundays if don't have Fridays and Saturdays?

this month at the refuge we are focusing each Sunday on one day of easter each week. it is not a ton of fun thinking through the Friday, death that is, and is coming. or how about Saturday, when I become honest about how Friday felt and feels, and then expressing that feeling. who has heard of churches encouraging sadness?

think of it this way, imagine you have been on a fast for year, avoiding all sweets and goodies. at the end of the year you and all your friends gather for a dessert-only party. wow, would that taste great! or you have not seen your best friend in years, and the reunion is all you had anticipated. but, what if you had dessert every night, and in fact on the way to the dessert-only party you stopped at krispy kreme and gorged on hot donuts?perhaps you and your best friend just finished a one month road trip, in the same car, sharing a room each night.