i stood in the check-out lane of my local grocery store, my items just scanned through the register: one box of hostess ding-dongs [for throwing, not eating...long story], one box of city trash bags and two bundles of city yard-waste bags for the piling leaves in my yard.

“$33.99” reported the cashier. she looked down at the small pile of things i was purchasing and said, “it’s ridiculous how much it costs to get rid of something, isn’t it?”

i just kind of mumbled something like, “no kidding,” and walked out the automatic doors and into the parking lot. as i tossed my things into the trunk of my car her words replayed in my mind.

she's right…the price of getting rid of things can be immense.

a friend of mine shared with me this painting of the crucifixion of Jesus that has had a great affect on me. i have spent a good deal of time trying to take it in—the darkness of what took place as well as the promise of new life to come. i share it with you today because i was reminded of it again while thinking about the store clerk’s unintentional insight.

here is the irony in it all--the people who killed Jesus thought they were getting rid of someone, and it was really that someone who was getting rid of something.