Easter 2014

As many of you know I gave up Facebook for Lent this year.   I decided during that time to spend most of my Bible reading perusing the last week of Christ's Life.   It was so moving for me to saturate myself in the Gospels contemplating His passion, His death and His resurrection.

By the time Easter arrived I was overcome with gratitude and while watching the Passion of the Christ with two local island girls I was moved to tears.  He said YES to the most horrific and painful plan that His Father ever devised.  Someone needed to die for the crimes,  the offenses, the abuse, the neglect, the SIN that separated us from the Father.  I am grateful He did!!

We also watched the movie Son of God, and the TV series the Bible.   All those images just conjured up feelings of gratitude and thankfulness in my spirit.

When my kids were small I used to decorate eggs with them.  I hadn't planned on doing it but when Rubeen and Ashley came by the house on Good Friday I decided to ask if they wanted to decorate eggs for fun.   They looked at me with this blank look on their faces... decorate eggs??? why??   So I was able to show them food dye and how to make different colours and how to colour with crayon and decorate them.   They loved it!!

After that we watched the Passion of the Christ together.  I was a little nervous about it being too graphic for the girls but I explained everything as we watched it.   They cried along side me.  What love.  For me, as a mother, I was wrought with grief as I watched Mary grieve over the atrocities that happened to her son.  I stopped the video at one point and shared  Isaiah 52:14 with them which says that 'His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being, and His form marred beyond human likeness'.  I remember years ago when the movie "The Passion of the Christ' first came out I wondered if Mel Gibson had made it too graphic as his movies can be a bit 'blood thirsty'.   I asked the Lord (since He was there) and He brought that verse in Isa. 52 to mind.  When I read it, I realized that truly He suffered more then any other man who the sins of the world.

On Easter Saturday I decided to make Easter bread.  I have not made that bread in 6 years and I used to make it every Easter in Canada.  I think it was the egg decorating that got me going with that idea, but either way, it was wonderful to have our neighbour's over for bread, cake and fruit on our deck.   We ended up visiting all day together:  playing games, talking and going for a late afternoon swim.

On Easter Sunday Bob and I rose at the dawn of that day and drove to the Lighthouse on the way to West Bay.  It was disappointing because as we arrived it began to rain.   Bob read the account from Luke about His resurrection with the sound of rain pelting our car.  We love to watch the sunrise and I was so grateful when the rain stopped and we were able to see the most beautiful sunrise ever!!!

He is alive.   May He rise up with healing in His wings every day for you.  He is able.  He is.

Lessons I am Learning....

Here are some things I am learning.  They are random thoughts.  They are excerpts from my journal.  They are straight from my heart.  At first I was writing in second person but I changed to first person because... well.. these are things that I am learning.  If you want to apply them to yourself that is great and I know you will be blessed.....

~ when it is too difficult to talk about heavy problems I am learning that in silence He is there
~ when I come to the end of myself totally it is where I find true grace and real life in Him
~ following the Lord isn't clear cut.. it is a moment by moment trust that creates a bend in the road and a change of direction
~the Lord will only speak to me when I ask and also when I am willing to do what He says....

in silence He is there

~ when no one else seems to understand me, I am learning to simply draw closer to Jesus. He is intimately acquainted with all my ways
~true love doesn't demand change but stands beside the person accepting them yet believing for more
~pruning hurts!  but it shows that He is still at work in me...
~if I keep going and going then eventually my body will suffer.  It's part of life.  I am learning to take care of myself
~self-effort is exhausting and it is the opposite to what He desires

I am learning to take care of myself

~no is talking about dying to self but it is central to the Christian faith and produces true life
~a lot of activity does not equate with His activity .. it only leads to burn out
~doing what He wants is true liberty. it isn't always easy to follow Him but His burden is light

alot of activity does not equate with His activity.. it only leads to burn out

~Christian service is not a replacement for intimacy with Him.  we only kid ourselves in our busyness
~abiding in Him will bear much fruit
~the path is narrow and few find it.  I want to be on the narrow path
~He opens doors and closes doors.  Our job is to stay close enough so we can be certain of our next steps

we only kid ourselves in our busyness

~there is no LIKE button in the real world.
~I used to believe that facebook was about connecting but it isn't really about connecting.  it an exchange of information (which is good).    I have learned that it takes effort to be in relationship but it is worth it and I value those who are in my life...truly in my life.  thank you.  you know who you are.
~I have about 10 friends (including family) in my life right now, I mean really "in there".  people I talk to,write emails to,  do things with and laugh with. I  consider myself hugely blessed.
~the biggest step of faith for me is believing in His keeping power and love in regards to our kids.

dinner with chris and carla..i consider myself hugely blessed

~sleep is essential.  I used to get about 5 -6  hours a night  and now I am getting about 7 hours a night.  I take a natural  sleep-aid to help me sleep.  There is no shame in that.  I feel great!
~without love I am a noisy gong.  He is teaching me that true love listens and doesn't keep a record of wrongs.
~whatever I think about will consume me over time...I am learning to not act on everything that enters my mind (part of being A.D.D)
~I am learning what it means to be 'in Him'

true love listens

~He waited a long time for me to wear myself out, and to learn the secret of silence and song
~I am learning to spend time with Him first and to do the things He wants in a day
~ I am learning to pace myself
~mental health is something we all deal with. we  just don't talk about it much. I am learning to be honest.  I have A.D.D. which means my mind never stops.  If I do everything I think about then I will collapse.  I can't do that anymore.

He waited a long time for me to wear myself out...

~I still don't know what what wrong with my body.  It could be fibromyalgia but it doesn't matter because  it brought me back to Him in such a humble and dependent way and I am forever grateful for that.  I will face whatever with the strength He gives...
~I am learning to not eat chocolate since it creates a flare up in my body and I ache for days afterwards.
~I am realizing that life is simple:  Love God.  Love others.  Love yourself.   In that order.

I am learning to pace myself

~there are two things that I am starting to incorporate in my life regularly:  trusting people into His hands,and thanking Him for what He is doing
~I don't need to be in control.  Big sigh....
~if I hold things or people too tightly in my hands then I have to let go of His hand and that is disasterous!

I don't need to be in control

~when I am assured of His approval then I can relax and not seek after anyone else's.  this is a huge and valuable lesson that is impacting my life in awesome ways!
~following Jesus is unorthodox but the peace I have these days is incredible
~I don't have to worry about arranging everything!!
~I can laugh at the days to come (Prov. 31:25b)

I can laugh at the days to come

Amen amen and amen!!!

The sound I love the most!

There are certain sounds that move us and evoke all sorts of emotions.   I have been thinking about that lately. I am intrigued at how a sound can bring back a memory.

 The beautiful sound of a newborn first cry... it is so raw, so new and so fulfilling.   I cherish the sound of "honey I'm home!" or the sound of kids saying, "Mom can I have a snack?!" Or the sound of feet crunching on snow looking for Christmas tree.   I love the sound of a loon's lonely cry at the lake. It makes me grateful for family nearby.  I love the sound of palms rustling or the roar of the sea. crashing against rocks!  I love the sound of my feet walking on dry autumn leaves. It reminds me that change is inevitable.  I love the sound of a crackling fire.  It soothes me and lulls me.

  I thoroughly enjoy the sound of laughter!!   It can be the belly laugh from someone in my family or even the sound of a stranger laughing in a crowd.  It makes me smile! Or the sound of a baby laughing... my word that is so precious!!! And oh  how   I love the sound of a love-whisper in my ear... it can stir my heart to tears.

But my favorite sound of all:

I love love love the sound of soft crinkling pages when I open my Bible.  

Truly.  Over the years I have heard that sound and each time I am reminded of how faithful, how good, how wonderful He is to me.  The other day I was sitting on the deck and as I turned the page I thought,
Oh my how I love that sound!!

I wasn't always a bible reader.  Nope.  I wasn't raised up believing and seeking the face of God.  But for the past 30 years I have made it a practice to daily read His Word.  But lately it has become more and more and more central for me and I am astounded of  how intimate He has become to me.  The Bible brings life to me. I am grateful for the way His Word speaks to me and each time I turn the page I marvel at how specific He is to me.  If you haven't read the Bible in awhile then I encourage you to read it with an open heart because it is a love letter.

                                                     It is the sound of the faithful One....

It is the sound of love divine.  

It is the sound of freedom. 

 It is the sound of quiet comfort. 

 It is the sound of His voice.

even our dog Sandy loved to read the Bible!!

What is your favorite sound?