It Really WAS A GOOD Friday!

I can remember as a child and as a not so youngster wondering why in heaven’s name did they call it Good Friday?  They killed my Jesus?  That’s SOOOO not good.

That being said, the child grew up and learned some things . . . but along with the incredible gift of eternal life won for us by Christ’s death FOR US, I am just realizing that this year (unlike several Good Fridays in the last few years) it truly was a good one.  I felt His love, joy, and peace SO PROFOUNDLY and experienced relief from physical challenges, emotional heaviness, and so many of the “but how can I” situations which are best surrendered to Him in the first place!

I was with people I love, was sharing Him, and was seeing the Light in such wonderful ways.  I hope and pray that as this Holy Week comes to a close and the blessing of Easter is upon us tomorrow, that you all feel profoundly blessed on that day and in the days to come!

Bible Quote of the Day For Holy Saturday

As we make the final preparations spiritually and otherwise for the amazing indwelling of the Holy Spirit which will surely bless our socks off tomorrow, Easter Day, here is a quote that touched me:

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:3-4 NIV

Six Word Saturday

Eagerly anticipating my risen Lord’s return!

Six Word Friday – Fool

Fool for Jesus . . . filled with Joy!

Click the image and join the fun!

Good Friday Is About . . . Bible Quote

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

It Is Finished . . . Or Is It?

It is Good Friday.

I’m preparing to head to  church and as I write this I’m thinking about things and trying to keep things in perspective, but it’s a dark and rainy day and I’m recalling last night . . . just as the service had ended and the church had been stripped of all the beautiful linens and other sacred things  and left bare and plain something remarkable happened.  At that very moment the storm outdoors magnified and as the sanctuary went dark the loudest clap of thunder and lightning was heard as though to wake us up to all that was to come . . .

I know that Easter will soon be here and that beauty and joy will return SPLENDIDLY, but just now I find I’m focused on death on a rough wooden cross.  I am wondering what they did with it after Jesus was placed in the tomb?  Did they cast lots for it to recycle its wood as they did for His clothing?  It was raw wood and surely stained with His blood . . . “it is finished” He said.  It is finished . . . and yet, it truly had only just begun.

Yesterday . . .

Martha L Shaw - Poet, Writer, Author, Artist

“Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.  “Abba, Father,”  he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?   Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.  When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.”    Mark 14:35-40

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I read of the goings on in Jesus day and the choices made by his chosen 12 and I…

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Gethsemane Revisited

What was it like in the garden that day? What was the weather? Was it seasonable? Were there people about Gethsemane? Did they have any idea of what was to come to pass? Were there dark clouds in the sky as though a storm was brewing? Was there an odd stillness in the air? Did they catch their breath in an uneasy sense of “something just doesn’t feel right?” Without radio, television, newspapers, computers and the like, how much was known of what was planned? There was no water cooler down the hallway where “everything important” was shared among those who clustered and whispered there . . . were there children wandering about happily playing? Was it a pretty day with blue skies and sunshine and a gentle breeze? What was in the minds of those who were there?

What was in the minds of Jesus sleepy companions that night? Were they confused? Did they anticipate that “something” was up? When Jesus awakened them and spoke to them “can you not watch and pray with me for an hour” did they have any inkling of something life changing that was to come in just a few short hours? Was it a dreadful night or a beautiful one? Did they sleep well or toss and turn, their souls in an uncertain and undefined distress? Did they think their world was coming to an end? Did they know their friend and Savior was about to die to save them and grant them eternal life with Him? Did they think it was “just another day?”

Martha L Shaw - Poet, Writer, Author, Artist

My precious Godchild was heading out of the country for her next college semester, and asked me to make her a quilt which she could bring with her.  I excitedly got to work on it and of course I wanted it perfect and it’s a really challenging pattern, although I love the technique I was going to be using  – and quilting is  so much fun for me even with all the work involved.  Here are the steps involved:

• select a main objective – the “focus”
• choose materials to support the main objective
• very carefully work with these, cutting and adjusting and perfecting
• move forward without really knowing exactly what the end result will truly look like
• sometimes the way is very very slow and fussy
• sometimes you screw up and can’t change it or fix it
• when the pieces are finally assembled the mistakes no longer matter
• the end…

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Nailed – A Holy Week Acrostic Poem

 

No sin left unforgiven

At the last day

If you but ask.

Let Him fill you with His grace . . .

Eternal life Him.

“Do you love me?” I do.

By Martha L Shaw ©3-26-2013