To wait or not to wait!

Good Friday was over. We had made it through the saddest day of the year. We hated being sad so the next thing we wanted was Easter Morning. The glorious celebration of the resurrection. The hope we all want and live for. 

But what happened to Holy Saturday. The day of praying and waiting? 

I know that I am not good at waiting for much. If I want to do something I usually just do it. I know that this drives Rodney crazy at times. He's a planner and a thinker. Has to take his time before doing almost anything. Not me. Gets me in trouble sometimes. Poor Rodney, I sure keep him on his toes.

Anyway, back to Holy Saturday. 

Luke 23:54-56

New English Translation (NET)

⁵⁴ It was the day of preparation and the Sabbath was beginning. ⁵⁵ The women who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. ⁵⁶ Then they returned and prepared aromatic spices and perfumes.
On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

Holy Saturday is our day of preparation for Easter, and as I said before, it is our day of waiting and praying....or at least it is supposed to be. 

Our church set up a prayer vigil for this day. A day we could come to the foot of the cross and wait, for a time, prayerfully, for Easter to come. The sad thing of this is that very few came. Very few could settle down and rest for even a few minutes. 

I think we have forgotten how special this weekend is to our souls. Christmas is the start of this miracle, but Easter is the completion. 

Easter is wonderful but the only way to get to it from Good Friday is to go through Holy Saturday. It is good to be quiet at times. It is good to contemplate at times. Our world really does need to be at rest. We are always busy, always striving. How can we ever see and hear the miracles all around us if we never quiet down.

As a child my family and church never observed this day but since I have been married to Rodney we have.  I love that we do. It is good for us.  Maybe next year, if you missed it, you can slow down and sit at the foot of the empty cross too! Waiting.....

Easter Day is here now and boy was it worth the wait!

Blessings!

Sad Day of Change

Today is a sad day for me. Good Friday seems like such a strange name for this horrible day. I keep thinking of what Jesus must have been going through over 2000 years ago. The punishment, pain and humiliation had to have been more than most anyone could stand. 

He had been up all night, tired, ridiculed, spit upon, dirty and abandoned. Even though Jesus stood before them in this condition, the deliverers of all this pain, I'm sure, could still see the specialness, the regalness, the quietness, the acceptance of all that was being done Him. Even as they led Him to the cross.

Matthew 27: 11-14, 26-31,45-50,54

¹¹ Jesus was placed before the governor, who questioned him: “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?”

Jesus said, “If you say so.”

^12-14 But when the accusations rained down hot and heavy from the high priests and religious leaders, he said nothing. Pilate asked him, “Do you hear that long list of accusations? Aren’t you going to say something?” Jesus kept silence—not a word from his mouth. The governor was impressed, really impressed.

²⁶ Then he pardoned Barabbas. But he had Jesus whipped, and then handed over for crucifixion.

^27-31 The soldiers assigned to the governor took Jesus into the governor’s palace and got the entire brigade together for some fun. They stripped him and dressed him in a red toga. They plaited a crown from branches of a thorn bush and set it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand for a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mocking reverence: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” they said. “Bravo!” Then they spit on him and hit him on the head with the stick. When they had had their fun, they took off the toga and put his own clothes back on him. Then they proceeded out to the crucifixion.

^45-46 From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around mid afternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

^47-49 Some bystanders who heard him said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” One of them ran and got a sponge soaked in sour wine and lifted it on a stick so he could drink. The others joked, “Don’t be in such a hurry. Let’s see if Elijah comes and saves him.”

⁵⁰ But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last.

⁵⁴ The captain of the guard and those with him, when they saw the earthquake and everything else that was happening, were scared to death. They said, “This has to be the Son of God!”

As I said they had to see Christ's specialness, His realness. He was who He said He was. He was and is the Son of God!

The Son of God, was bringing change. Not the kind of change that comes from a new hair color, a new dress or a new hat for Easter morning. 

No we was bringing change that scared the priest of the temple, the priest that were so devoted to the laws.  

He was bringing the changing of the old laws to the new time of Grace.

He was bringing change that has changed the whole world, from our hearts to our calendar. 

Yes today is a very sad day.  Yes, but as we wait we know we are waiting for the most miraculous change of all, resurrection.

Happy Easter!!

Blessings

Warm Rag

What a way to start Spring Break! 

The stomach bug hit and hit hard. This has been quite the season for a family that usually never gets sick with the common bugs, that are going around. We have had them all. Poor Riley, this time he had it the worst. Threw up so hard he broke blood vessels in and around his eyes. (Sorry to be so graphic!) I felt so helpless for him. All I could do was hold a warm wash rag on the back of his neck and ride out the wave. Now that he is on the mend I think Spring Break will be OK. Shew!

As much as I felt for Riley, Jesus felt even more for us.... 

Matthew 9:35-36

Common English Bible (CEB)

Compassion

³⁵ Jesus traveled among all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, announcing the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness.³⁶ Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus looked around at us and felt so bad for us. We seemed like sheep. Wandering around, following the sheep in front of us, doing what they were doing only because they were doing it. Not knowing what was right or wrong. Lost and helpless and unable to find our way home.

The good thing for us is that He wasn't helpless. He could do more for us than hold a warm rag on the back of our necks. He came with the solution to our troubled, lost ways.

As we are in the midst of Holy Week let's not miss the  precious gifts our Sweet Jesus brought to us. His teachings of love, forgiveness, and grace. He also gave to us the most precious gift of all...Eternal life. By dying on the cross and and gloriously resurrecting on Easter morning!! 

We don't have to be helpless. We can follow the Shepherd, who gave everything to lead us. We can learn from our Savior and, like Him, be compassionate, loving and show grace. We can be examples of Christ and help others realize that they don't have to be lost and wandering too. 

As Easter Sunday approaches remember the Shepherd who can lead you and everyone around you........home!

Blessings!
  

Power Source

I was struck today by a statement I heard from a preacher I listen to most mornings. Now mind you he's not my most favorite preacher. Of course I am married to him. And by the way If you would like to hear Rodney he preaches every Sunday, in Hagerstown.  He is a great deliverer of what the Holy Spirit has placed on his heart. 

Anyway, enough of the advertisement. This preacher, this morning, said there is no power in prayer. Now I have led classes that taught on the power of prayer. I have said things like, isn't prayer amazing"?, or "that happened because of prayer". I know of many, many miraculous things that have happened after prayer took place. So this really stuck in my craw. How can you say there is no power in prayer? 

Then this preacher, who I really do like and appreciate, brought up Christ in the garden. Praying on the night before his trials began, that would lead Him to the cross. He spoke of how tormented Jesus was. So tormented that He sweat blood. Christ was praying that this cup might pass, that maybe God could come up with another way to send redemption for us. Instead God sent an angel to give Jesus comfort and strength. 

Even Christ, did not have enough power in his prayer to change the situation he was about to be in. If Christ, that night couldn't change His situation, how can we change ours? If you listen in on Christ's prayer you might hear the answer...


Luke 22:39-44
: ³⁹ He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. ⁴⁰ When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”^[g] 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” [[⁴³ Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength.⁴⁴ In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.]]

Did you read it? Did you hear it? He said,"not My will but Yours be done". Jesus knew where the power came from. Even a most earnest prayer from this perfect man could not be answered with out His Father, God.

So how can any of us think that our willingness to pray be all that there is. We have faith in our God. But do we understand that He is the one who lifts our voice and thoughts to Him and cares enough to turn them into answers? 

Sometimes He gives answers we really wish would be different. Look at how a scared Christ still had to go through Calvary for us. Praise Be! So there will be times we don't understand what God, our source of everything, is doing, but as time goes on, we will. Look at Easter!!

What is wonderful though is that we do have the ability to use our voice to turn to the one who gives the power to our prayers.

Happy Praying!!

Blessings!

Too Much!

Ladies, have you ever had one of those days you had so much to do that you didn't get anything done? That seems to be me today. I putzed all day but didn't really get to check anything off my list.   Life is so busy in other areas that stuff at home gets put on the back burner and when a day comes that I can just stay home and work, I look at all that needs to be done and just get tired. I picked at the piles but only brought them down a little. You already know about me and laundry. 

Wonder if God feels like that sometimes. He has so much to do. Like holding the universe in place, creating new life, healing old life. hopefully bringing Spring soon and all the while loving and keeping us. He sees us at war, sees us fuss, sees us destroying, sees us turn from Him. Sees us worry, sees us cry, sees us try to handle things on our own. Sees us gossiping, sees us hating, sees us turn from Him. God loves us so much! From the beginning of sin He has had a plan for us. But the human race just keeps turning from Him and thinks they can handle everything on their own. Has to make Him so tired. I'm sure He wishes we would see He's there for us!
 

Romans 5:7-11

The Message (MSG)

^6-8 Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.
^9-11 Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we’re at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!

 

Easter is on it's way. The celebration of the completion of God's plan. Christ gave so much. Humbled himself and became human. Suffered more pain than we can even imagine. Was humiliated and forsaken! All for us, this human race, people who keep forgetting to turn to Him.

This Easter is even more special to the group I was with in Israel. We got to be in the area where Jesus suffered and died. but we were also where He left the grave and defeated death. Thinking of the amazement of this and the joy of this miracle takes the tired right out of you!

I have stopped and reminded myself that no matter what I have going on in my life, My God Loves Me, Christ gave all for me and I am not alone. As you are going through your day remember He Loves You Too! No need to go it on your own!!

Blessings!

What do You Mean, I Can't Go In?

Last night Rodney and I had to be tough. We were the door monitors for the band judging, at the middle school. Which means if a band was playing no one could get into the auditorium until that song was over. It was only fair to the band, that no distraction went on during their performance, as they were being judged from the moment they stepped onto the stage.

As it happened the whole competition was running about 15 minutes behind schedule, according to the program. So any late running parents had a bit of a break. We had a few sets of parents who were doing just that, but they were very late.  When they got to us their band was already playing. But the the plan was we couldn't open the door until the band finished that song. You could hear the band from outside the door. So it wasn't like they couldn't hear they just couldn't get in.

You would have thought that Rodney and I were the meanest people on the planet. We actually had two women start to cry. I thought one woman was going to hit Rodney. The rules of a plan can be a hard thing to follow and some of us think that rules are for the other guy and not us.

I think that is how Christianity is viewed by some people as well. Some want to think that just being good is their way into heaven. Some of us think that if we go to church that is our way in. Others of us think that we are just chosen, so the things that we do in this life don't really matter. We're already getting in. And like these parents last night, some of us think that if we have someone already in there we can just open the doors and walk in.

That is not what Christ said.....

John 14:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus is our door monitor into eternity with God the Father. We have to accept His way and believe in the message of Easter morning.... He died and rose again for us.

There will be some who think they can bypass this plan. But the belief that rules don't apply to all will leave them crying outside the door, just listening.

On a happy note... The family members who came in and let us hold the door open for them at the appointed times got to see their children play and hear some wonderful music. All ends well when a good plan comes together.


Blessings!

HEAVEN ON EARTH

LOOK MOM, HEAVEN

THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT I HEARD FROM RILEY AS WE WERE DRIVING IN THE CAR. HERE IS WHAT HE WAS LOOKING AT....

THE OFFICIAL NAME FOR THIS SIGHT IS CREPUSCULAR RAYS. THE NAME COMES FROM THE FACT THAT THESE RAYS CAN BE SEEN DURING THE CREPUSCULAR HOURS OF THE DAY. THE HOURS BETWEEN DAWN AND DUSK. THE TIMES WHEN THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK ARE THE MOST NOTICEABLE..

I LOVE THAT HE SAW THIS THE WAY I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF SIGHTS LIKE THIS. THE SPLENDOR OF THE LIGHT COMING THROUGH THE CLOUDS, TO ME, IS NOTHING SHORT OF HEAVENLY. YOU MIGHT SAY "HEAVEN ON EARTH". 

WHAT IS HEAVEN ON EARTH TO YOU?  IS IT A HAPPY MARRIAGE, HAPPY FAMILY, BIG HOUSE, GREAT JOB, NO WARS, NO HUNGER, GOOD GRADES OR IS FAME AND GLORY?

HERE IS A DEFINITION I FOUND FOR HEAVEN:

Heaven (Christianity)

Christianity inherited the Old Testament belief in heaven as, metaphorically speaking, the dwelling place of God.

 

I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THIS DEFINITION. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT AFTER OUR DEATH, WE WILL SPEND ETERNITY WITH GOD, IF WE ACCEPT CHRIST AND HIS GIFT OF ATONEMENT. THE DEATH ON THE CROSS AND HIS RESURRECTION. IMAGINE THE WONDERFULNESS OF THIS. BEING IN THE DWELLING PLACE OF GOD. GIVES ME GOOSE BUMPS TO THINK ABOUT IT.

 

BUT AGAIN,  WHAT ABOUT "HEAVEN ON EARTH"? I FOUND THESE VERSES AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS PHRASE...

 

Colossians 1:26-29

The Message (MSG)

This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple.

WE DO NOT HAVE TO WORK HARD TO FIND OUR HEAVEN ON EARTH, OUR GLORY. WE HAVE IT. WE FORGET WE HAVE IT OR WE REJECT THAT WE HAVE IT BUT WE DO HAVE IT. CHRIST. 

I AM NOT SAYING THAT WE WILL HAVE GOLDEN STREETS TO WALK ON HERE OR THAT THERE WILL BE NO HUNGER OR WARS OR SADNESS OR THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE PERFECT.( DON'T FORGET WHERE WE LIVE.) BUT AS WE WALK ON THIS EARTH WE CAN TURN TO THE ONE WHO CAN BRING US GLORY. THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE THE LIGHT SHINING THROUGH THE CLOUDS OR YOU NEED A BIT OF PEACE. DON'T FORGET, CHRIST IS OUR "HEAVEN ON EARTH"

 

BLESSINGS!

 

Clean and Shiny

Clean Slate...

This morning I did a job that our son, Riley, usually does. I unloaded the dishwasher. As a matter of fact I could hardly wait to get up and do this. I can hear you now, "Has she gone crazy"? No, well not any more than normal.

You see we had a new dishwasher installed yesterday. Our old one just wasn't doing the job any more. Even the dishes that it would get clean had a weird film on them and I was hand washing more and more. You could put dishes into the thing that just needed rinsed and even they would come out dirty.

This morning, everything was clean. Spotlessly clean! It is funny to be so happy about a chore but I gladly put away the dishes for Riley, just for the joy of watching clean ones go into the cabinet and not back into the dishwasher.




In my reading this morning I read this verse....

Fortunate those whose crimes are carted off, whose sins are wiped clean from the slate. Fortunate the person against whom the Lord does not keep score. Romans 4:9 (MSG)

We as Christians are fortunate indeed! Our God does not see us as filmy and dirty, but as spotlessly clean. He can't wait for us to get up and spend time with Him. He loves that! As a matter of fact we were created just for that purpose, but sin came and got in the way. 

Just like the dirty dishes had to be kept in the dishwasher we as sinners are kept from God. Thank goodness Christ came to make us clean! As we accept him we are made, not hazy, not spotty, but totally clean and shiny to our God. He doesn't even remember when we were dirty. He, like me with the clean dishes, is so excited to see the clean and shiny you each and every morning!

Blessings!

I wish, I wish, I wish

I wish, I wish, I wish......

Don't we catch ourselves saying these words as our past comes to mind. I wish I hadn't done that or I wish I had've done this. What would people think of me if they knew....., Lord, you want me to do what? You know my past and so do others. How can I be used by you?

How can I be used by you? That is my question as I think of some of the stupid things of my past. There are so many things I would have done differently. So many regrets of missed opportunities. So many times I let myself be led down a wrong path. These thoughts are not from God. These thoughts take my eyes off the things I should be doing and make me feel unworthy.

As children of God we need to keep looking forward. Moving away from our past and moving on toward our goal. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church, taught of the "entire sanctification". This speaks of the power of God's grace to move us away from the sin in our lives and push us towards holiness.

Look at Paul. He was a persecutor of the Christians. He was even there at the stoning of Steven. Look what he has to say in Philippians 3:12-14....

I am not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: by no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward-to Jesus. I am off and running, and I'm not turning back.

Do you think that Paul might have had a greater compassion for the Jews and the Christians because of his past? Maybe all that you have experienced will give you a better understanding of the people God has put in your life. But don't dwell on a past that God has already forgiven. Look what Jesus did for the woman who was going to be stoned in John 8...

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, "the sinless one among you, go first; throw the stone." Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt. Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. "Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you? " No Master". "Neither do I," said Jesus. "Go on your way. From now on, don't sin".

Jesus changed her that day. I wonder what she went on to do? How many people she went on to help change because of the forgiving power of Christ?

Sweet friends, don't let your past be your guide. Instead say "what past"? Keep your eyes and your heart looking forward. Remember Christ hasn't condemed you, He has forgiven you and wants you to go on your way and sin no more. With God's help that is exactly what we all can do!

Blessings!

I wish, I wish, I wish......

Don't we catch ourselves saying these words as our past comes to mind. I wish I hadn't done that or I wish I had've done this. What would people think of me if they knew....., Lord, you want me to do what? You know my past and so do others.  How can I be used by you?

How can I be used by you? That is my question as I think of some of the stupid things of my past. There are so many things I would have done differently. So many regrets of missed opportunities. So many times I let myself be led down a wrong path. These thoughts are not from God. These thoughts  take my eyes off the things I should be doing and make me feel unworthy.

As children of God we need to keep looking forward. Moving away from our past and moving on toward our goal. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church, taught of the "entire sanctification".
This speaks of the power of God's grace to move us away from the sin in our lives and push us towards holiness.

Look at Paul. He was a persecutor of the Christians. He was even there at the stoning of Steven. Look what he has to say in Philippians 3:12-14....
I am not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: by no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward-to Jesus. I am off and running, and I'm not turning back.

Do you think that Paul might have had a greater compassion for the Christians because of his past? Maybe all that you have experienced will give you a better understanding of the people God has put in your life. But don't dwell on a past that God has already forgiven. Look what Jesus did for the woman who was going to be stoned in John 8:6-11...

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, "the sinless one among you, go first; throw the stone." Bending down again,  he wrote some more in the dirt. Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. "Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you? " No Master". "Neither do I," said Jesus. "Go on your way. From now on, don't sin".

Jesus changed her that day. I wonder what she went on to do?  How many people she went on to help change because of the forgiving power of Christ?

Sweet friends, don't let your past be your guide. Instead say "what past"?  Keep your eyes and your heart  looking forward. Remember Christ hasn't comdemed you, He has forgiven you and wants you to go on your way and sin no more. With God's help that is exactly what we all can do!

Good at It

GOOD AT IT

I was told last night that I was a good helper to my husband, Rodney. I love him and he is family so it is easy for me to help him. 

This got me to thinking about others, around me, that are not my family. Am I a good loving helper to them? I certainly do have great examples of others, to learn from, on how to be.

Every time there is something going on at the church so many people just jump right in and help get it done.

Whenever, over the years, we've needed someone to help us with Riley we have had no trouble finding loving people to do just that.

While at the fair this last summer I captured this picture of a sweet friend of ours helping a smaller, younger girl with her cow in the judging corral. She didn't get any credit for this. She just did it because her friend needed help.



 Last May over 200 hundred people, in and around Hagerstown, IN  stepped out of their normal schedules and put together some 48,000 meals for "Kids Against Hunger". Imagine all the starving children that have eaten better because of their generosity.

We have a neighbor that comes over and takes care of our yard, just out of the goodness of his heart. The snow on our sidewalks and drive magically disappears after every snow storm because of the kindness of another of our neighbors.

The list of examples of people in our lives, who just love, goes on and on and on. I could be writing all night. 

I Thessalonians 4:9 keeps coming to mind....

Regarding life together and getting along with each other, you don’t need me to tell you what to do. You’re God-taught in these matters. Just love one another! You’re already good at it.

All of these people do all of these things, not because they have to, but because they want to. They are already good at it!

Let's hope we all can have someone say that about us too! 

Blessings!