Landing among the stars..

Well, the Ultimate Blog Challenge has two days to go. Not much chance I'll finish it. That would require nine more posts, including this one.

I wish I could have done better, but the process was still worth it. I read some great new blogs, embedded a video for the first time and got more consistent with my writing.

It's kinda like the quote from Brian Litrell, "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."  I set out to achieve something. I didn't do it, but I did do something.

What goals have you set recently? How are they going?

Who's better? Or does it matter?

A young friend of mine posted, "I am beginning to realize that some of the best people I know are atheists."

I responded, "There are good people of every belief system, that has always been true."

I believe it, too. Oh, I am talking about the casual definition of good. From a theological perspective only God is good. (Mark 10:18: “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.) Still people of every religion are (or can be) friendly, law-abiding and helpful or even compassionate, self-less and heroic. Most, if not all, religions teach kindness. Those of no religion can and often do learn courtesy, respect, helpfulness etc from parents, teachers, and friends.


I remember being in an evangelism discussion once. The presenter encouraged us to live for others and when we were asked why, to tell them because that was what Jesus wanted us to do and go on to tell our faith story. An interesting idea, frequently espoused. I was working in a pediatric nursing home at the time, though, and my non-religious colleagues were rather good at living for others.  I could barely keep up, never mind do more.

I don't think that outdoing others, being "better" than them is the point though. I'm not sure that evangelism is the reason for living for others, though it can be a most excellent side effect at times. We are to put others before ourselves because we are told to.

Even that is not the ultimate point is it? We shouldn't be Christians because it makes us better than others. It doesn't. Anyway, it's not about us. It's about Christ. We are called to be His, to know His love for us and to love Him. Our actions flow from that.

Striving to be good, to do right is only one part of the picture. The other part is surrender. When we get to the end of our lives, it won't matter whether we did better than atheists or not. What will matter is that we know Christ.




Have a blessed day.




I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge. This is post number 21 of 30 for April. Guess I better  get moving, eh?

Deeply involved...

I needed to finish a dress in three days, so from Wednesday to Saturday I pretty much did nothing but go to fittings and sew. Fortunately, I had help from two more experienced seamstresses and it got done.

When I resurfaced from the project, I took a look around. There were....some things to clean up. Not only fabric scraps and pins, but the dishes and cluttery stuff I'd neglected. It was only a few days, so no real harm was done.

What happens when projects involve us to deeply for too long? How much of a mess happens then? Perhaps it is not only housekeeping that gets put aside, but also friends, family and spiritual disciplines. Neglecting those leads to more lasting consequences.

Of course, God may call us to a specific, focused purpose for a season. But a lot of projects are either frivolous or good in themselves, but not if worked on to excess. In most times, God calls us to balance a variety of responsibilities.


What has been your experience with this?







I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  This is post number 20 of 30 needed in April to complete it.

For Military Kids

I forgot to wear purple on April 13. Actually, I meant to post on the 12th, explaining why everyone should wear purple on the 13th. Oops.

Apparently, purple is the color that represents all the branches of the military. It's a mix of army green, navy blue, marine red, etc. April is Military Kid Awareness Month. The 13th was the day picked by Operation Military Kids to encourage people to wear purple to thank and support these young heros.

I was a military kid once. Don't remember it much. I was born on Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri and spent my infancy there. My father was a Captain in the reserves after that for a several years.

For kids whose parents are actually deployed, things can be tough. Military families usually don't have a lot (I'll have more to say on that in another post.) and separation is hard regardless. While modern technology allows for more communication than was available years ago, that doesn't make up for the lack of hugs, homework help and fishing trips.

So, if you know a military kid, give them a hand. A hug and smile will be a blessing. A special outing will be deeply appreciated. And don't forget the at home parent. They could use a  little help, too. Maybe mow the lawn, do the dishes, babysit?

Whether you know a military kid or not, say a prayer for them all. They deserve it.

Have a blessed day!





I am also participating in the Ultimate Blogging Challenge. This is post #19 of the 30 I need to do in April to meet the challenge.

Wednesday Encouragements: For the tired

In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis spends time having the senior demon explain the undulations of the Christian life to the junior demon. In the book, demons are supposed to exploit those times when Christians are feeling tired and low, and make them think that things will never get better. If they did just hang on to faith and wait then things would start to look up again.

David had many times when he was low in spirit -- feeling oppressed or discouraged. Psalm 42 is a prayer he wrote in such a time.

Psalm 42^[a][b]

    For the director of music. A maskil^[c] of the Sons of Korah.
 ¹ As the deer pants for streams of water,
   so my soul pants for you, my God.
² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
   When can I go and meet with God?
³ My tears have been my food
   day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
   “Where is your God?”
⁴ These things I remember
   as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
   under the protection of the Mighty One^[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
   among the festive throng.
 ⁵ Why, my soul, are you downcast?
   Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
   for I will yet praise him,
   my Savior and my God.
 ⁶ My soul is downcast within me;
   therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
   the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
⁷ Deep calls to deep
   in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
   have swept over me.
 ⁸ By day the LORD directs his love,
   at night his song is with me—
   a prayer to the God of my life.
 ⁹ I say to God my Rock,
   “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
   oppressed by the enemy?”
¹⁰ My bones suffer mortal agony
   as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
   “Where is your God?”
 ¹¹ Why, my soul, are you downcast?
   Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
   for I will yet praise him,
   my Savior and my God.


Verse 11 lets us know what to do: put our hope in God. And wait. Have faith that He is still there, working for our good even if we don't feel it.



Have a blessed day!



This post is part of Wednesday Encouragements: A Christian Blogging Challenge. This challenge involves posting a blog that edifies the Church each Wednesday from Easter to Pentecost.

I am also participating in the Ultimate Blogging Challenge. This is post #18 of the 30 I need to do in April to meet the challenge.

Rambling

I have no time to blog today. I need to sew like crazy to have the dress done by tomorrow. I signed up for the Ultimate Blogging Challenge, though, so I am going to blog anyway. I don't want to get too far behind.

I get to be somebody else tomorrow. I'll be doing an historical re-enactment of Ann Hasseltine. Re-enacting is rather a geeky hobby, I suppose. I larp, too, which is even geekier, but I am proud of my nerdiness, so I am happy.


Well, that is really all I have time for.  And it's kind of a cheesy post. Maybe I'll upgrade it sometime.

Anyway, have a blessed day!!

Following the Pattern

I have been going crazy sewing the past two days. In fact, I'll be getting back to it in a few minutes. I have a dress I need to finish.

The reason I am doing so much sewing (with help from two great friends who have excellent seamstress and costuming skills) is that I will be re-enacting Ann Hasseltine Judson again this Sunday. I'm excited. :)

But about the sewing. I am not the most experienced seamstress in the world and I picked an easy pattern. There  is only so much that can be done to make a regency dress easy to sew, however, and sometimes I find myself confused with the directions. Like with sleeve binding this morning. I have never made one of those before and the instructions did not seem to make sense. As I got started though and worked with the fabric, things became clearer, until finally they clicked. At points I was tempted to abandon the written words and just jump ahead, but that would have been disaster. I stuck with what I was told and it worked. Now I know how to make a seam binding.

Sometimes, I think it is like that with the Bible. What we see written seems to make know sense. We might not get how to obey never mind why. But as we move ahead, things become clearer. We begin to see what it is that God is asking us and something of what his reasons are. We grow closer to understanding.

Take the concept of Sabbath, for instance. We are asked to take one day in seven to "rest." How do we do that when there is always something else to accomplish? Some things like that will solve themselves. Once working on Sunday is not an option, we find solutions.

A friend of mine and I were chatting about the old Massachusetts Blue Laws that were repealed about 20 years ago. They used to prohibit most businesses from opening on Sunday. Setting aside going to church, the law gave (almost) everyone a common day off, a sort of forced relaxation day. Nobody ran errands on Sunday and kids' activities weren't usually scheduled for that day.

Once it became possible to work and shop on Sundays, people did. We lost the idea of Sabbath rest. Life got a little crazier and a little faster.

I don't think we'll ever get back to that concept as a state, but if we commit to it as individuals, I think we will find a way. When we start to follow the pattern it begins to make sense.

How have you found that to work in your life?




I am participating in the Ultimate Blogging Challenge. This is post 17 of 30 I need to write in April.

Wednesday Encouragements: Psalm 139

God put this Psalm on my heart yesterday. Not sure why.

Here it is with some reflections. Hope they are a blessing to you.

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
 ¹ You have searched me, LORD,
   and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
   you perceive my thoughts from afar.
                                                           God knows us. Completely. And yet He loves us anyway.

³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
   you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
   you, LORD, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
   and you lay your hand upon me.
                                                        This puts me in mind of a friend whose little girl loves to wrapped
                                                       up in a prayer shawl and prayed for. It makes her feel safe and    
                                                      loved. Don't we all want to feel like we are being held sometimes?
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
   too lofty for me to attain.
                                                      Too great, too awesome for human understanding.
 ⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
   Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
   if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
   if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
   your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
   and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
   the night will shine like the day,
   for darkness is as light to you.
                                                 God truly is everywhere.
 ¹³ For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
   when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be.
                                                      We are God's, His design, right from the beginning.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God!
   How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
   they would outnumber the grains of sand—
   when I awake, I am still with you.
                                                       God's thoughts are to be treasured.
 ¹⁹ If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
   Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
   your adversaries misuse your name.
²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD,
   and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
   I count them my enemies.
²³ Search me, God, and know my heart;
   test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
   and lead me in the way everlasting.

                                                   Keep us, Lord, in your way, despite our imperfections.


Have a blessed day!



This post is part of Wednesday Encouragements: A Christian Blogging Challenge. This challenge involves posting a blog that edifies the Church each Wednesday from Easter to Pentecost.

I am also participating in the Ultimate Blogging Challenge. This is post #16 of the 30 I need to do in April to meet the challenge.

Unexpected

A few days ago, I saw this link on a social networking site.

Girls Going Wild in the Red Light District

I try to guard my mind, so I almost didn't watch it. But the poster had written, "Watch it all the way to  the end and tell me what you think." So in the end I did. 

I encourage you to watch it now. All the way to the end. Don't skip the last few seconds. 

Kind of unexpected, right? That's why it makes such an impact. 

I "shared" the link on my Facebook page and almost immediately was told I was spamming. I had to repost it and say I wasn't. It's not the kind of thing that people expect to see from me. Unless they watch it all the way to the end. 

Trafficking is a serious issue. One that needs to be faced head on. Here are links to two websites that describe people doing something. 

American Baptist Women's Ministries Break the Chains Project.

Stop the Traffik 

Please pray for all trafficked and enslaved people around the world.

And what unexpected messages have you found recently?

Trinity

I spent part of my weekend studying the Trinity.

I actually took a boffer sword of my son's on this retreat as an object that reminded me of the Holy Spirit. Partly because in the armor of God, there is a Sword of the Spirit. Partly, because my son made this sword and its decoration is a little different. That reminded me of the creative work of the Spirit, doing a "new thing."


This ancient prayer, by St. Patrick, reminds us of the inseperable nature of the Trinity.


Our God, God of all men
God of heaven and earth, seas and rivers,
God of sun and moon, of all the stars,
God of high mountain and lowly valley,
God over heaven, and in heaven, and under heaven.
He has a dwelling in heaven and earth and sea
and in all things that are in them.
He inspires all things, he quickens all things.
He is over all things, he supports all things.
He makes the light of the sun to shine,
He surrounds the moon and the stars,
He has made wells in the arid earth,
Placed dry islands in the sea.
He has a Son co-eternal with himself...
And the Holy Spirit breathes in them;
Not separate are the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
(Patrick c389-461)*




Amen!! 




I am participating in the Ultimate Blogging Challenge. This is post #13 of the 30 I need to do in April to meet the challenge.






*Read more at: http://www.faithandworship.com/early_Christian_prayers.htm#ixzz1sA9Ezqew 

Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Indoor/Outdoor

It's been all over the news, talked about in teaching seminars and at camp conferences. It's been on people's radar screen for a while.

Kids are not outside these days.

I am sure there are articles with statistics and so on, but I did my own little informal research project. I drove around time a few times shortly after school got out in my town and counted the kids I saw. The highest number? Three. And two of them were using their phones.

The other kids, presumably, were in their houses, attending activities, or at the local library.

Why is this? Judging by conversations I have had, the biggest factor is fear. Kids can't be unsupervised in outdoor spaces: they might get hurt or stolen. Yes, being outdoors is risky. But how much more risky is it than being indoors? The risks are on a different list. If you are outdoors you might encounter a pedophile. If you are indoors you might encounter a home intruder. Both are rather remote possibilities. Steps can be taken to help children face either situation. Outdoors kids might fall out of a tree, get hit by a car or twist an ankle. Indoors they might get caught in a fire or suffer carbon monoxide poisoning.

I recently read an article that pointed out that there are social, psychological and spiritual risks to an indoor lifestyle. Another article talks about "Nature Deficit Disorder." In my view, kids who are indoors most of the time are missing out on important learning opportunities. They aren't watching worms, feeling rain, reflecting on trees. They don't bump into kids in the neighborhood and start a game. They don't have as many opportunites to learn to entertain themselves.


So what's the answer? How do we change things?

I don't know. I think summer camps can help, but we also need more unstructured outdoor time for kids on a regular basis. Or maybe I am just being nostalgic for my own childhood, which included a lot of free time with friends out side the house. Maybe society needs the kids to be indoors right now.

Your thoughts?

Wednesday Encouragements: Being Perfect

Today is the first day of Wednesday Encouragements: A Christian Blogging Challenge. The idea is for Christian bloggers to write posts to edify other Christians. Cali  Villanueva started us off with a great idea for an activity -- Youth Group Game: The Lost Sheep. Now's it time for me to write mine, so here goes.

Be perfect, therefore, as your Father in heaven is perfect.

                          Matthew 5:48

I had a friend -- he's since died -- who used to try to be perfect on Wednesdays. That was his goal. He based his idea of pefection on Jesus, certainly, using the "four absolutes" as a guide. The four absolutes are absolute love, absolute unselfishness, absolute honesty and absolute purity. This friend of mine would set out each Wednesday to live these ideals. He would fail - he said making it twenty minutes was good-- and start over repeatedly throughout the day. He never gave up. 

Maybe I should tell you a little more about this friend of mine. His name was Rev. Robert E. Baggs, but we just called him Bob. As a Baptist pastor he inspired many with his teaching, sacrificial service and love of youth. He was over 80 when he died and well up into his 70s he actively volunteered with the New England Baptist Youth Conference, now known as the Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park.  He was a passionate teacher and spoke with directness to his students. He was both respected and loved -- I once saw a roomful of teens give him a standing ovation when, at 75, he was introduced as the vesper speaker.

But back to his habit of trying to be perfect on Wednesdays -- a habit he tried to get us all to emulate. I always assumed that the purpose of such exercises was to help us realize that we couldn't be perfect on our own and show us our need for Christ. I suppose that is one purpose. At our faculty retreat this year, though, we were discussing Bob's habit. One of the teachers talked about how such an exercise would help us to identify with Christ, who was tempted in every way but never sinned. By trying to be perfect ourselves, we could understand a little more of what Jesus went through for us. I'd never thought of that, but it is very true. 

Godly conversation can lead us into new ideas, help us to see from new perspectives. It is a holy gift and a real blessing. 

I think I might try being perfect once in a while. To remind me I can't do it on my own, to help me identify with Christ and to develop good disciplines.

Your turn:

Who has been a role model of Christian living for you?

When has Godly conversation brought you new insights?

Have you ever tried to be perfect? How'd it go?

I am participating in the Ultimate Blogging Challenge. This is post #11 of the 30 I need to do in April to meet the challenge.

Weird Stuff We Said Today

"Number four, reporting to be destroyed."

"How does a ghost get sick?"

"That was so three minutes ago."

"He needs serious training in geekhood."

"I thought he'd have pleny of time, being dead."


Theses are snatches from conversations held throughout the day -- and none of them in a game. There were other unusual things said, but you get the idea.

Out of context, each of these statements seem strange....maybe even horrible. Eeach one made sense at the time, though Serves to remind us to keep things in context, whether Bible verses, statements by politcal candidates or things our friends are reported to have said. After all, it's only fair.

But enough serious stuff.   What are some "weird" things said at your house today?

I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge. This is post #10 of 30.

I am also hosting Wednesday Encouragements: A Christian Blogging Challenge. I challenge fellow bloggers who are also Christians to post an encouragement for their brothers and sisters in Christ each Wednesday from Easter to Pentecost. Join us!

Movies

So now that we have one of those TV contraptions (albeit one that doesn't get any channels) we have been watching movies now and then. I mean it has to be used for something, right?


My husband and son like old black and white versions of adventure movies, like Journey to the Center of the Earth and King Kong. We usually watch multiple versions of the same movie. In fact we only have one version of King Kong left to watch. It'll probably be Godzilla next...

It's a good thing I am not a girly-girl. I really don't think chick flicks would go down to well at my house. But I don't miss them -- in fact I could live without them quite easily--  so it's OK.


What do you like watching?

 I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge. This is post #9 of 30.

I am also hosting Wednesday Encouragements: A Christian Blogging Challenge. I challenge fellow bloggers who are also Christians to post an encouragement for the body of Christ each Wednesday from Easter to Pentecost. Starts tomorrow!

Keeping me young

I am visiting a dog buddy of mine (and his family). He happens to have a canine friend visiting as well. My buddy is getting on in years ... he's 10. His friend is just three, so rather younger.

I have been watching them. Well, it's hard not to since they love attention. Judson, the older dog, has been  more active than usual with Echo around. Very energetic and playful. He is, in fact, behaving like a younger dog.

It puts me in mind of a conversation I had once with a fellow youth minister I met at a conference. We were talking about our ministries and I said that being around young people all the time made me feel old, because they are always giving up their seats for me and making sure I have a bed for overnights when they are all sleeping on the floor.  She replied, "Oh, I find that they keep me young."


And as I think of it, I realize that it is true. Oh, being polite folk, they do help me up and so on. And they make me more aware of the passage of time as they grow up, graduate, join the staff, move on.

But they also keep me active, in touch with new ideas, seeking new perspectives. I feed off their energy. As I seek to challenge them, I reach for new heights.


Yes, they keep me young and I love it.


How about you?





Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park, the youth ministry I volunteer with,  seeks to challenge high school teens to an active faith in Christ and to develop their God-given gifts so that they can become leaders in their churches and communities. Our main event is a two week conference in August on the southern coast of Maine. Check it out here.

I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge. This is post #8 of 30.

I am also hosting Wednesday Encouragements: A Christian Blogging Challenge. I challenge fellow bloggers who are also Christians to post an encouragement for their brothers and sisters in Christ each Wednesday from Easter to Pentecost.

On Old Hymn for the Festival of the Resurrection

Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son;
Endless is the victory, Thou o’er death hast won;
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave clothes where Thy body lay.


Thine is the glory, risen conqu’ring Son,
Endless is the vict’ry, Thou o’er death hast won.Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
Lovingly He greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
Let the church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing;
For her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.

Thine is the glory, risen conqu’ring Son,
Endless is the vict’ry, Thou o’er death hast won.


No more we doubt Thee, glorious Prince of life;
Life is naught without Thee; aid us in our strife;
Make us more than conqu’rors, through Thy deathless love:
Bring us safe through Jordan to Thy home above.

Thine is the glory, risen conqu’ring Son,
Endless is the vict’ry, Thou o’er death hast won.

                                                             HAPPY EASTER!!

Ten Thousand Angels.

This song by Ray Overholt provides and excellent reflection on the death of Jesus for us.

They bound the hands of Jesus in the garden where He prayed;
They led Him thro' the streets in shame.
They spat upon the Savior so pure and free from sin;
They said, "Crucify Him; He's to blame."He could have called ten thousand angels
To destroy the world and set Him free.
He could have called ten thousand angels,
But He died alone, for you and me.Upon His precious head they placed a crown of thorns;
They laughed and said, "Behold the King!"
They struck Him and they cursed Him and mocked His holy name
All alone He suffered everything.He could have called ten thousand angels
To destroy the world and set Him free.
He could have called ten thousand angels,
But He died alone, for you and me.When they nailed Him to the cross, His mother stood nearby,
He said, "Woman, behold thy son!"
He cried, "I thirst for water," but they gave Him none to drink.
Then the sinful work of man was done.He could have called ten thousand angels
To destroy the world and set Him free.
He could have called ten thousand angels,
But He died alone, for you and me.To the howling mob He yielded; He did not for mercy cry.
The cross of shame He took alone.
And when He cried, "It's finished," He gave Himself to die;
Salvation's wondrous plan was done.He could have called ten thousand angels
To destroy the world and set Him free.
He could have called ten thousand angels,
But He died alone, for you and me.

Chag Pesach Sameach!

I wrote this post at the beginning of Passover last year. I thought I'd repost it now. Have a blessed Easter!!

Yesterday was the first day of Passover.  Jews the world over celebrated two seders, one on Monday and one on Tuesday, in honor of this very important holiday. Passover is celebrated on different days and dates each year, as far as our calendar goes. It is scheduled based on the Hebrew calendar.

I am not Jewish, but I know several people who celebrate Passover, so I posted "Chag Pesach Sameach!" as my Facebook status on Monday. It is a transliteration of a Hebrew phrase which roughly translates "Happy Passover." A few of my friends were confused by this and asked me what I was talking about. Therefore, I offer this blog as an explanation of the importance of Passover.

First a few words from David Just, a Jewish friend who has faith in Christ:

There are only two holidays that we are required by The Law to commit to God. Those are the weekly Sabbath and the Passover. Because this is a joyous holiday, a very serious one at the same time and one commanded specifically by God, it holds a special place in our hearts, on our minds as well as on the calendar.

If Christians understood the meaning of each element in a seder, what each cup of wine represented, what each prayer meant and why "Next year in Jerusalem" is said at the end of both seders and the end of the holiday, then I believe Christians would have a deeper understanding of Our Lord's Last Supper, the cup of wine after dinner which He gave to His Disciples to drink, His death and resurrection and the Good News in general. Because is it not true that without His coming back from the dead there would be no Christian faith today?

A Passover Seder is a ceremonial meal which commemorates the Jews exodus from Egypt. The ritual contains several symbolic occurences which are reminders of the happenings leading to the Jews rescue from slavery. Questions are asked and answered. Ten drops of wine are placed on the plate as the plagues God sent on the Egyptians are listed. Herbs are dipped in salt water to bring to mind the tears and bitterness of slavery. Tasty charoset looks like the mortar Hebrew slaves put between bricks as they built. Matzoh -- unleavened bread -- is eaten as a reminder of how quickly the Jews had to leave Egypt when God told them to go. The meal is very rich in symbolism and is meant both to teach and to remind.

Passover is a festival of freedom, a celebration of God's protection and provision and as such it is a festive occasion. But it's even more than that. It is a foreshadowing of Christ's redemptive work on the cross. Way back at the first Passover, when the Jews ate standing up because they had to be ready, each family sacrificed a lamb for their meal. The blood of that lamb was painted on the door so that the angel of death would know to pass over that house as he sought out the first born of the land. For Christians, Jesus is our Passover lamb, his blood protects us from death. An interesting note from David:

God commanded that the lamb’s blood be painted on the posts and lentils of their doorways. The pattern on the passage from being inside (as slaves) and outside (as men on the path to freedom and redemption) has been compared many times to a gibbet. Many scholars believe that was the design Romans were using for crucifixions.

By the way, the Last Supper that Jesus ate with his disciples was a Passover Seder. The bread he passed to the disciples was unleavened bread. Some have noted that when he broke it, it would have made a snapping noise that would have been a powerful symbol to the disciples. The cup he gave them to drink was probably the fourth cup of wine, the Cup of Redemption. It is drunk to remind the Jews of their redemption from slavery into freedom.


Well that was, I hope, a lesson in both history and religious tradition. May it give you just a glimpse of this holiday. If you look more into it, you may find it enriches your faith.

Have a blessed day. Chag Pesach Sameach!






I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge. This is post #5 of 30.

I am also hosting Wednesday Encouragements: A Christian Blogging Challenge. I challenge fellow bloggers who are also Christians to post an encouragement for their brothers and sisters in Christ each Wednesday from Easter to Pentecost.

Is Slayer a Christian band?

So my answer to the question posed in my title is this:

 I have no idea. I don't even know the names of the band members, never mind their claims about religion. And even if I did, God alone knows their hearts.

But this post was inspired by a conversation I had that went like this:

       "Slayer is a Christian band."
        "But their lyrics glorify death"
        "Well, God embraces death."


God embraces death. Now, there is something I can speak on. No, no he doesn't. God overcame death.

Death is not something to be sought or praised. It was not present in the Garden of Eden but entered our world because of the first sin of man. It was not originally intended to be part of the natural order of things. It is an intruder, an enemy.

1 Corinthians 15:26 says, "The last enemy to be destroyed is death."

Death, however, is not an enemy to be feared by the Christian. Those who are in relationship with Jesus already have eternal life. For us, death is not victorious. He has won that battle for us, at a huge price. I don't think He would have paid that if death were a friend or something He embraced.


What do you think?





I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge. This is post #3 of 30.

I am also hosting Wednesday Encouragements: A Christian Blogging Challenge. I challenge fellow bloggers who are also Christians to post an encouragement for their brothers and sisters in Christ each Wednesday from Easter to Pentecost.

Random Things I Learned This Week

In this information, we sometimes come upon information that is basically connected to nothing we are doing, Over the last few days I learned some random things a few of which I will share here, just for fun.

Caffeine is a pesticide.

  I had no idea. Apparently this is good for tea leaves and coffee beans. I don't know what it means for us, if anything. I have no idea if an organic pesticide could be made using that information either. But for some reason that tiny fact took me by surpise.

Passover is the origin of spring cleaning.

   Well not Passover, specifically, but the ritual removal of leaven from the home that precedes the holiday. I read about this on a fellow blogger's site. It makes sense now that I've learned of it, but I'd never made the connection before. The removal of leaven is a symbolic reminder to the Jews to remove sin from their lives. I conducted a devotion for a women's group a few years ago, in which I encouraged those present to think of Spring Cleaning as a metaphor for spiritual cleansing.

Beet Juice is a ph indicator. Add an acid and it turns blue add a base and it turns red. Pretty cool, although fairly useless unless you are looking for a science project.


There you go.  What random things have you learned lately?




I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge. This is post #3 of 30.

I am also hosting Wednesday Encouragements: A Christian Blogging Challenge. I challenge fellow bloggers who are also Christians to post an encouragement for their brothers and sisters in Christ each Wednesday from Easter to Pentecost.

Wednesday Encouragements: A Christian Blogging Challenge

I am starting a blog challenge.

                                                    Wednesday Encouragements:
                                                   A Christian Blogging Challenge


I am thinking of this as a group in which Christians write for other Christians. It's for personal testimonies, praises, songs, worship or ministry ideas and teachings.

The theme verse will be:
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
                                                                                                                      ~1 Thessalonians 5:11

 I picked Wednesdays, because the Sunday service/ Wednesday Bible study rhythm resonates with me, even though I am not currently in a Bible study on Wednesdays.

I hope that a number of you will join in. When you right a Wednesday Encouragement, link it back to the group page so others can comment on it. Also, please comment on one or two others' posts each week.

Thoughts on promoting this idea are very welcome!


It's day two of the Ultimate Blog Challenge, which I am also participating in. To meet that challenge I have to post 30 blogs in 30 days.

Have a blessed day!

Ultimate Blog Challenge, April 2012 -- Palm Sunday

The Ultimate Blog Challenge has rolled around again and I am going to give it another try. I have attempted it three times and completed it once. This time I am aiming to post 31 times in the month and to comment on at least two other participants' blogs Monday-Saturday. Can I do it? We'll see.


Today was Palm Sunday. This rather minor holiday is one of my favorites. It doesn't really take any preparation, is upbeat and includes a tradition that I love.

That is weaving palm leaves into crosses. My father learned to do that as a child and always did it for the church. I cherish the last Palm Cross he ever made.

Toward the end of his life, I learned to weave the crosses and now I make them for any who wants them. I get a bit of attention and people seem to be glad to have a reminder of Jesus to take home.

This morning an older man of the church approached me as I entered coffee hour. "It's Palm Sunday. I'm waiting for my present from you." I wove him the first cross. It occured to me that he is moving -- about 3,000 miles away -- so in the future I will need to mail him his cross.

Traditions help us to find stability as the seasons of our lives change. Even simple ones like weaving Palm Crosses.


Have a blessed day!!