As we wait to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ tomorrow we will be busy all day today baking our Kulich/Paska (Russian Easter Bread). Click over to Mennonite Girls Can Cook for Easter Saturday in Ellen’s kitchen.
Good Friday 2016
From C. J. Mahaney’s, Living the Cross Centered Life
Knowing the hour for His death is fast approaching, Jesus has come here in need as never before of His Father’s comfort and strength. Instead, hell – utter separation from God – is thrust in His face.
We hear Him cry out: Father – is there an alternative? Is there any way to avoid this? If there’s a way this cup could pass from Me, would You please provide that to Me?
Silence. We can see it in His face – Jesus receives no answer to this desperate entreaty.
A second time He pleads for an alternative to that horror of abandonment by His Father. If such an alternative existed, the Father would most surely provide it. But the obedient Son’s plea to his loving Father is met with silence. Why?
Listen to this verse again for the very first time: For God so loved the world…that He is silent to His Son’s agonizing appeal.
This is what bearing our sin means to Him – utter distress of soul as He confronts total abandonment and absolute wrath from His Father on the cross, a distress and an abandonment and a rejection we cannot begin to grasp.
In this, our Savior’s darkest hour…do you recognize His love for you?
~~~~~~~~
The following song by Stuart Townend is so fitting in describing what God has accomplished for us through His beautiful Son, Jesus. May God fill all of us full and fresh with these truths this Easter weekend and let us “recognize His love for us”. Blessings on your thoughts of Him! Unlike Jesus’ disciples on this day many years ago we know that the Resurrection is coming and Jesus conquered death and sin for us and He lives today.
How Deep the Father’s Love for Us
by Stuart Townend
How deep the father’s love for us,
how vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son,
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns his face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold a man upon the cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no powers, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Luke 23:44 ~ It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.
Luke 23:49 ~ But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Maundy Thursday
The word Maundy is derived from the Latin word for “command.” The “Maundy” in “Maundy Thursday” refers to the command Jesus gave to the disciples at the Last Supper, that they should love and serve one another. I’m posting this early during this Holy Week instead of waiting till Thursday.
I took this photo 3 years ago at the Monumentale Cemetery in Milan, Italy. Today and this whole week Christians around the world remember the events that led up to the crucifixion of Christ and Christ’s resurrection over 2000 years ago. I always look forward to Easter week which is also called Holy week. Celebrating our risen Savior and what he accomplished for us tops my list!
The Last Supper and the Washing of the Disciples Feet are both remarkable events. While in Milan I was also able to see Leonardo da Vinci’s mural of the Last Supper. The original mural is on a wall of the refectory (dining hall) in the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. No photos allowed.
While in England in 2014 we saw two amazing paintings of the last supper, one in the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist in Windsor and one in the chapel of Magdalen College.
From the Lectern, look down the centre aisle and observe in the West Gallery a painting of The Last Supper. This is a national treasure. The picture was originally presented to the Royal Chapel c. 1660 by Brian Duppa, Bishop of Winchester, Prelate of the Order of the Garter. It was “bought by him beyond the sea”. Another tradition ascribes it to Franz de Cleyn (1588-1658), Rostock, Mecklenburg, Court painter to James I. It was rolled up and buried “in the plumery” (plumbers workshop?) in the Great Rebellion. It hung over the altar at St George’s, Windsor in 1702, and can be seen there in Sandby’s drawing dated 1786.
Above the stalls in the chapel hangs Giampetrino’s remarkable 15th copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, on permanent loan from the Royal Academy. In view of the bad condition of the original fresco in Milan, Magdalen’s copy on canvas is a piece of increasing historic and artistic significance.
This next sculpture of Jesus washing Peter’s feet is at the Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks, California. I took this photo while Dear and I were living in Camarillo.
Excerpts from John chapter 13…
It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
I’m not linking up to memes for the remainder of this week as I concentrate on getting ready for our Easter celebrations and have less time to visit participants.
I was so sorry to see the news reports of the terrorist attack in Belgium and the murder and injuries suffered by so many people by radical Islamic terrorists. People who were just going about their day to day activities were brought down by Isis. Praying the Isis terror cells in Belgium will be found and justice will be dealt. Such a contrast to our Maundy Thursday message.
We Bid Adieu to Great Britain from London…
Wrapping up our 2004 Literary Tour of Great Britain with our daughter Katie with our old fashioned film camera. London was our final stop after a long train ride from Edinburgh and lugging our luggage across the train station to the tube that would take us to our tiny room with 2 beds that covered almost the entire floor minus a 6 inch space between them to walk to the very tiny bathroom. Oh boy! I forgot to mention the 3rd floor we had to haul our luggage up to. We managed to recover from it all and enjoy some great spots in London.
Katie and Dear mastered the tube stations quickly and they always knew the correct trains to catch.
The Tower of London was on the list of places to explore.
We were in London for the Queen’s birthday on the 21st of April we saw and heard the 62 gun salute.
While walking toward Buckingham Palace we were told that a better close up view option of the changing guard would be at the Horse Guards Stables. We enjoyed viewing the Queen’s Horse Guard.
Up close and with a lot fewer crowds around us. I’m thinking by now the word has gotten around and the crowds are probably crazy here, too.
Dear and Katie in Trafalgar Square.
The pigeons decided they were a great perch.
Our favorites in London were the National Gallery and the British Library where so many great literary classics and authors are featured. Katie and Dear toured Westminster Abbey and viewed the small tablet to the memory of Jane Austen in the Poet’s corner of the abbey. We also enjoyed attending the live stage performance of Les Miserables.
Thank you for indulging me as I documented our trip from 12 years ago!
In Honor of Smiling Sally…
I decided to re-post my very first Blue Monday that I participated in back on September 8, 2008 in honor of Smiling Sally and as a tribute to her. Smiling Sally left this earth confident of reaching her eternal home in heaven. We received the news on her Blue Monday post on March 7, 2016. I participated until 2011 but then other things took over my Mondays. The following is my original post.
I’m joining in with Smiling Sally’s new Monday Photo Challenge called Blue Monday. I love the color blue and thought it shouldn’t be difficult coming up with some blue to shoot and post on Mondays. If you want to join in click over here and see the guidelines.
One of the things I like to do besides blogging is to search for treasures at thrift stores. I always complain about the Goodwill’s in Southern California compared to Washington State but I finally found a goody.
This Blue Danube teapot cost me $7.95. Would anyone like a nice cup of Earl Grey?
Choose a cup and I’ll pour…
For more Blue Monday visit Smiling Sally here.
Sally has moved on to her eternal home and she asked a bloggy friend to continue Blue Monday in her absence. Jeanne at Backyard Neighbor is carrying on the meme. Thank you Jeanne.
Here we are on Monday of Easter Week/Holy Week. I love Easter and am looking forward to all that it involves for us and the traditions we carry on. Most importantly worshiping Jesus Christ and being thankful for his sacrifice that has brought reconciliation with God by the forgiveness of our sins. Grace upon grace. So because of that with joy we bake Russian Easter bread (Kulich, Paska). We make our sweet cheese spread, Seernaya Paska. We set an Easter table and enjoy a meal together after an Easter service. At our house the main protein is lamb. This year there will be ten of us around the table. All adults this year so no Easter eggs hunts. But wait…maybe the adults would enjoy a little hunt!? I’m going to reconsider that.
Do you celebrate Easter?
Edinburgh and Monty Python…
This will be my second to the last post on our 2004 literary tour with our daughter Katie. We traveled north by train from York to Edinburgh. We made arrangements at a self catered apartment for our days in the city and beyond.
We walked from the train station to the street where our rental was and found no one there to answer the door. We finally were spotted by some neighbors who happened to have the key to the flat and they let us in. It was nice to have a tea tray waiting for us.
We toured Edinburgh Castle and walked down High Street where St. Giles Cathedral stands.
We ate at the Royal Mcgregor where Katie had her favorite hamburger on our trip.
Our main side trip from Edinburgh was by bus to Stirling with a connecting bus to the little town of Doune where you’ll find Castle Doune. Castle Doune is the sight of some of the filming of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. This was a must stop for our daughter Katie. We were the only people at the castle (it was part of our Heritage Pass). To those of you who are familiar with this film you are handed coconut shells to walk around the grounds with. We were throwing out lines from the movie (Run Away, run away!) and making horse clip clop noises (with the coconut shells). They even take a picture of you here and post it on the official web page for Castle Doune and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Hilarious fun.
From Edinburgh we took the train south all the way to London where we would finish off our literary tour.
We are entering a busy week leading up to Easter. I love Easter and all the preparations that it involves.
Palm Sunday ~ Fairest Lord Jesus
Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.
Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.
All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.
Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.
Have a wonderful Palm Sunday and beginning of Holy Week worshiping the fairest and only one who can save, Jesus.
Sunlit and InSPIREd Sunday…
On our sister weekend as we were leaving Coupeville on Whidbey Island we stopped so I could take photos of this church.
A well kept church with a great belfry!
And my shot to welcome Spring and the beginning of Holy Week taken at Stanley Park in Vancouver B.C. yesterday.
Linking up to InSPIREd Sunday and I believe the last week of Sunlit Sunday.
This coming week will be a busy one as our household prepares for our Easter observances. Cleaning, decorating, getting the guest room ready for our son and daughter in love from Eastern Washington, baking our traditional Easter bread Kulich/Paska, our sweet cheese topping, Seernaya Paska and decorating eggs. Haven’t decided on the main course for our Easter meal but it will most likely be rack of lamb. Are you getting ready?
Birthday Five!
Monday the 14th was my medicare and concessions birthday! When you reach my age you should celebrate for more than a day and as I write this post I’m on my 5th day of celebrating! Today I’m sharing 5 wonderful birthday encouragements I received.
(1) Dear and I were able to celebrate with the B.C. Mennonite Girls and their husbands on Sunday in Bellingham, Washington for brunch/lunch. The British Columbia girls came across the line. It was enough for me to celebrate over a meal but they showered me with gifts, too. These girls have been such a blessing in my life and I thank God regularly for each of them. I received many wonderful encouragements in the cards they gave me.
(2) On my actual birthday we met our kids on the western side of the Cascades for dinner. Our middle son and his bride live 5-1/2 hours away so they couldn’t join us. Dan called me before dinner to wish me a happy birthday. I love the cards I got from my kids with a good page full of words that always mean so much to me.
Josh and Laura gifted me Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life and a Peter Rabbit bunting kit. They know I love all things Beatrix Potter. Katie made that card and wrote a page full of thoughts that blessed me dearly.
This same six were together last year for my birthday. I forgot to take a photo this year.
(3) These two are my youngest brother’s kiddos and they are my youngest niece and nephew. They called and sang happy birthday to me. They live in Texas.
(4) My dear old pop called to wish me a happy birthday. He lives with my oldest sister in Southern California. We talked about the jigsaw puzzles I sent him and I thanked him for the cold hard cash he sent me. This black and white photo is taken in the 50’s during a camping trip probably at Big Bear in the San Bernardino mountains in Southern California. I’m the one with the buster brown hairdo and my oldest sister Kathy is standing. Jigsaw puzzles have become my pop’s favorite thing to do again at 92 soon to be 93 to pass the hours away. He reminded me again that he prays for me every day.
(5) I received many birthday wishes on Facebook and one of my dear old friends from junior high/high school messaged me and her sentiments made me cry. Another dear friend called on my birthday morning and expressed her wishes and love for me and I cried again. Good tears…
I’m writing this post from our hotel room in Vancouver B.C. where Dear and I continue to celebrate my birthday with an overnight trip. Vancouver is about a 2-1/2 to 3 hour trip from our home in Washington State. It’s always fun to cross the border into another country where English is spoken! Tomorrow we will take a ride on the hop on hop off trolley to take in much of what this grand city has to offer before we head home. I’ll come around to visit you all when we get home…
Linking up with Amy for Five on Friday at Love Made My Home and with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for Friday’s Fave Five.
Susanne’s daughter is getting married next weekend so I’m wondering if she’ll even have time to post for Friday’s Fave Five…
Thank you ladies for hosting!
St. Patrick’s Day Table
Kathleen at Kathleen Cuisine is hosting her 8th annual St. Patrick’s Day Blog Crawl today starting this evening and I didn’t want to miss it so I found some green to share.
It was hard to get the kitchen colors to show right in these photos. We have no yellow on the cabinets. The kitchen and eating area are three shades of green.
Pewter seemed like a good choice to add to the table so my chargers, flatware, and tankards are pewter. Maybe those tankards will hold some Guinness tonight. The flowers at the center of the table were a birthday gift for me from the Mennonite Girls Can Cook delivered to my birthday brunch by Anneliese. My milestone medicare birthday was on Monday of this week. I’ll share about my birthday on Friday.
My house smells delicious right now as my corned beef and cabbage meal has been cooking in the slow cooker all day today. Since Dear and I are headed for a little getaway on St. Patrick’s day tomorrow I decided to make our Irish meal tonight. It will be fun for the four of us to sit at the table all decked out for Kathleen’s St. Patty’s Day Blog Crawl.
Here’s a link to a recipe for these light green cookies that would be fun to serve on St. Patrick’s day that I posted this week on the Mennonite Girls Can Cook Blog.
I’ll leave you with this old Celtic blessing and a Celtic Cross from Graceland Cemetery in Chicago.
An Old Celtic Blessing
May the blessing of light be on you –
light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you
and warm your heart
till it glows like a great peat fire.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 