Burning of the BOOGG

Last night officially kicked-off Alpenfest 2011 here in Gaylord, Michigan. What a great week and a great celebration this is going to be. I really am pumped. What a great town to live in!

I was captivated last night with the "Burning of the BOOGG." The legend of the BOOGG is a Swiss legend in which a giant snowman made of cotton wool (called the BOOGG) is used to symbolize winter. Each year they burn the BOOGG with colorful pageantry to celebrate the beginning of spring (as seen pictured above).

In Gaylord, at the beginning of Alpenfest, the burning of the BOOGG takes on a new meaning. Residents of the Alpine Village (the nickname for Gaylord, Michigan) and other visitors at Alpenfest, write down their troubles and problems on a piece of paper and then place them inside the BOOGG. The BOOGG is then lit on fire and everyone watches as their problems and troubles go up in smoke. Now everyone can enjoy a trouble-free Alpenfest filled with fun and festivities.

It really is kind of a cool way to start the festival. But wouldn't it be great if all we had to do in order to rid our lives of all problems and troubles was to write them out, place then on the BOOGG, and light a match? But we all know that the truth is that it just isn't that easy. Lighting the BOOGG on fire may be fun and it may even make us feel better, but after the BOOGG goes up in smoke, the problems and troubles still remain.

Is there a better solution? Absolutely! 1 Peter 5:7 tells us to cast all of our anxiety on Christ because He cares for us! Do your problems and troubles remain even after the lighting of the BOOGG last evening? Then why not take those same problems and troubles and cast them on Jesus. That won't magically make all of your troubles and problems go up in smoke, but you can know that He will walk with you through the very heart of those problems and troubles.

Why? Because unlike the BOOGG - Jesus cares for you!