I get so emotional during Easter weekend. Listening to praise and worship music, listening to the story of Jesus' death.
The story of our Lord and Savior dying for US brings me to tears. Just to think that one man, 33 years of age (the age I am at this very moment), was beaten and stabbed with a spear, was made to carry His own cross through town and listen to people cheer. For what? For US!
I could not fathom my child being born to die on the cross for the greater good of humanity. Especially with the way most of the world acts. However, I am very thankful that there was a man who was willing to take the stakes for you and I. I tell Him everyday!
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
Never Guaranteed
A Blessing
Fun
Beautiful
A Highway
God Given
Big
Living
Nuts
Poetry
An Art
Good
A Dream
Not Read Only
A War
Wonderful
Colorful
A Feast
A Story
Like A Box Of Chocolates
Noise
A Zoo
Unfair
A Cartoon
Hard
What You Make It
Sweet
Short
A Ball
Eternal, if you believe Jesus Christ as your Savior! (John 3:16)
What a whirl-wind of a year my family & I have had!
After finding out we were pregnant while trying to work on our marriage & after the loss of our last baby might be enough for some people to just throw their hands up in the air & give up due to these stresses. It was a trying time at times, I am not going to lie.
I still had some resentments towards my husband & with the pregnancy, I was still enduring some grief from the loss of my last baby. But after many late night discussions we concluded that God wanted us to be blessed with this little miracle for more than one reason or another & my husband says, "God wants me to grow up & be the husband & father I set out to be". We had to let Him have control & believed that He was going to bless us.
While we were pregnant we were dreading the 20 week mark. I had started feeling Nehemiah move around the 16th week of pregnancy, so when I started feeling Crispin around the same time it seemed a little like de ja vu. Only I was not having any of my nightmares or bad feelings like I had while pregnant with Nehemiah. As we were quickly approaching the 20 week mark I was actually having a feelings of comfort & peace. Since we were scheduling our delivery date I started getting panicky & anxious around week 35. I kept feeling like if they do not take him now something bad is going to happen. I would just breathe & start praying to God to let him stay in until the doctor was ready to deliver him. I know that a baby born before 37 weeks is never a good thing.
When people would ask me if I was ready yet or don't I wish he would come early, I always politely said no & no. I knew this was my last baby & I wanted everything to go perfect. After the loss of Nehemiah I look at pregnancy way different than before. I know the last few weeks it seems unbearable at times due to swelling & not being able to sleep comfortably & feeling the baby move makes you wish they were here sooner rather than later so you can feel them in your arms. I think after a pregnancy or infant loss we tend to be able to tolerate the uncomfortableness & the sleeplessness just to insure the baby is healthy, alive & well at birth. I have actually started to believe that a woman who wishes for her baby to born early because it will be cute small & won't hurt so much during delivery or so their baby can be here sooner, are actually selfish!
Now to make a confession. The day we went in for our c-section just to be sent back home due to a scheduling error, I had a couple of panic attacks just thinking "if they leave this baby inside for one more day he is going to die". I just prayed all day that everything was going to work out & I kept reminding God that it was His will. I even reminded Him a time or two that we really wanted this baby & we would be great parents. Like God needs reminding of something I had been thinking & praying for the last nine months. :)
God has truly blessed our family over this past year & I am thankful for having such a loving Father to call upon. I feel sorry for the people out there who do not believe in God or cannot put their trust in Him & let Him have control. When I look around me & see such beautiful flowers, trees, bugs, birds, sunsets, or anything else too beautiful to be man-made I think, "Wow! What a God! How can you not believe in God?"
I will just keep praying for the non-believers & keep giving thanks to my Lord!
For God so loved the world that He gave His one & only son that who should ever believe in Him shall not parish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Today is the day we Christians remember as the day Christ was beaten, humiliated & hung on a cross to die for our sins so that you & I can have everlasting life.
I feel the story of Jesus being crucified is the most memorable story of the Bible. It is hard to imagine how a man could let someone do this to Him without a fight or struggle. To know that you were born to die one day for someone else sin. Who would do that? When I read the story or hear the story at church, it brings to tears to my eyes. We are selfish & hateful & would never give up so much for someone else. As a mother, I would not want to watch my child be crucified for people who are so full of sin.
My question is, how could you not want to give up everything & glorify a God who gave up everything for you?
I want to be Your hands,
I want to be Your feet,
I'll go where You sent me.
This is the lifetime I turned my back on you From now on, I'll go so Send me where You want me to I finally have a mission I promise I'll complete I don't need excuses When I am your hands and feet ~Audio Adrenaline
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
1C Pecans
1tsp. Vinegar
1C Sugar
3 Egg Whites
Pinch of Salt
Zipper Baggie
Wooden Spoon Tape
Bible
Preheat oven to 300 degrees (important to do before you start, not wait until you are half way done).
Put pecans in zipper baggie. Let children beat them w/wooden spoon.
Explain: After Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read:John 19:1-3
Let children smell the vinegar. Put 1tsp. into mixing bowl.
Explain: When Jesus was thirsty on the Cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read:John 19:28-30
Add egg whites to vinegar (Eggs represent Life).
Explain: Jesus gave His live to give us life everlasting. Read:John 10:10-11
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it. Put the rest in the bowl.
Explain: Tears are salty. This represents tears shed by Jesus' followers & the bitterness of our own sin. Read:Luke 23:27
So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.
Add 1 cup sugar.
Explain: The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know this & how to belong to Him. Read:Psalm 34:8 & John 3:16
Beat w/mixer on high speed for 15-22 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.
Explain: The white color represents the purity in God's eyes of those who's sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read:Isaiah 1:18 & John 3:1-3
Fold in broken buts. Drop by teaspoons onto a wax covered cookie sheet.
Explain: Each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read:Matthew 27:57-60
Put cookie sheet in oven. Close the door & turn the oven off. Give each child a piece of tape & seal the oven door.
Explain: Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read:Matthew 27:65-66
Go to bed!
Explain: We may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were sad when the tomb was sealed. Read:John 16:20-22
On Easter morning, open the oven & give everyone a cookie. (Notice the cracked surface & take a bite) The cookies are hollow!
Explain: On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open & empty! Jesus had risen & is alive! Read:Matthew 28:1-9
