That Man of Calvary ~ Good Friday

That Man of Calvary

Fairest of all the earth beside,
Chiefest of all unto Thy bride,
Fullness divine in Thee I see,
Beautiful Man of Calvary!

Refrain

That Man of Calvary
Has won my heart from me,
And died to set me free,
Blest Man of Calvary!

Granting the sinner life and peace,
Granting the captive sweet release,
Shedding His blood to make us free,
Merciful Man of Calvary!

Refrain

Giving the gifts obtained for men,
Pouring out love beyond our ken,
Giving us spotless purity,
Bountiful Man of Calvary!

Refrain

Comfort of all my earthly way,
Jesus I’ll meet Thee some sweet day;
Center of glory Thee I’ll see,
Wonderful Man of Calvary!

Refrain

Words: Mannie P. Ferguson, 1904

Good Friday, the only way to the Resurrection and our gift of forgiveness and peace with God! Praying you all have that peace today…

Washing Feet ~ Maundy Thursday

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.”

A is for Apple Blossoms

I’m going to try to participate in Jenny Matlock’s Alphabe-Thursday this time around. The meme is at the beginning again with the letter A.

A is for Apple Blossoms

Since this is just about Maundy Thursday during Holy Week I’ll tell the truth that these Apple Blossom photos are from last year. My apple tree is behind like everything else this year and is just starting to bud nicely. I’m looking forward to what will come my way in the form of B for next week. Until then Have a wonderful Easter weekend everyone. We’ll be busy around this old house with Good Friday, then Easter baking on Saturday and having a grand Resurrection celebration on Sunday!

Photobucket replaced all my photos with these blurred out versions and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

Ross Bay Cemetery ~ 2

In my 2nd post of photos from Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria, B.C. there are a few photos from the Military Section of the grounds.

To the memory of those who died for King and Country in the Great War 1914-1919

1939-1945

This next Tombstone I found very weird. Not exactly what I’d want watching over my dust.

This angel is a lot more comforting than that bird!

We got some sunshine today and it was such a welcome relief. I did some shopping for our Easter Meal and stopped in at one of my favorite cooking equipment stores. When I got home I was able to mow the lawn and it was so much easier this week than last.

We were very saddened this past Sunday to hear about a devastating tornado that destroyed some military housing and damaged several more military homes at Camp Lejeune, N.C. This is the Marine Base where our son-in-law is stationed. He was not at the base at the time but someone in his unit got the call that his wife was injured and his toddler was in critical condition because of the tornado destroying their home. Please pray for this family as the mom is needing medical attention and the toddler is still in critical condition. Thank you.

Ross Bay Cemetery ~ Victoria B.C.

I mentioned previously that my sister Lana and I really enjoy visiting old cemeteries. The Ross Bay Cemetery in Victoria was one that we were happy to discover.

Ross Bay Cemetery has the oldest surviving formal landscape design in BC and is a superb example of a Victorian-era burial ground. Its profusion of unusual trees and plantings, winding carriageways, graves with intriguing marble, sandstone and granite monuments, all bear witness to the people buried here.

This walk to the cemetery was part of our Sister Weekend. Lana is far ahead with Kathy and Vera trailing…

Many famous Canadians and Americans are buried here, including Sir James Douglas (BC’s first governor), many subsequent premiers, coal baron Robert Dunsmuir (who built Craigdarroch Castle), Sir Matthew Baillie Begbie (the “Hanging judge), Emily Carr (world-famous artist), Billy Barker (discoverer of gold at Barkerville) and Nellie Chapman (the ‘Miners’ Angel who was featured on a US postage stamp).

This is my first of 2 posts from the Ross Bay Cemetery.

This week I’m laying low and considering a challenge to slow down during this Holy Week. I want to reflect on what Christ has done for us. Looking forward to Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday services with a Saturday in between where we have a baking day here at this old house baking our Kulich (Paska) and making our Seerney Paska (Sweet Cheese Spread) for the Kulich (Paska). We’ve decided on our Easter menu and we will have our traditional lamb marinated and grilled, Shish kebabs. We call our lamb kebabs Shashlik.

Hope your week is going well.

Cooking Class at Lepp Farm Market

Last Thursday evening 5 of us from Mennonite Girls Can Cook participated in a cooking class at Lepp Farm Market in Abbotsford, B.C. Unfortunately my camera was on a wrong setting and my photos are dark.

Judy, Lovella and Marg checked over the lists and then we headed out into the store to shop for our ingredients.

Bev and Lovella got ingredients ready for Lovella’s Paska.

Guests who had paid for the class started arriving. Some came an hour before the class was to begin. Bev was at the stove preparing her Green Bean Soup. This was something I was going to enjoy for the first time.

Judy and Marg started preparing their Zwieback. A traditional Mennonite bun.

At the end of the evening it was my turn to present my Paska spread, Seerney Paska. Although I am not a natural at being in front of a crowd everyone was very gracious. This was the first time many of the gals had ever tasted this sweet cheese spread.

Lovella kept us organized and on task and we all worked well together. I think I enjoy being a Sous Chef, behind the scenes, instead of front and center.

At the end of the evening we sat down and enjoyed the fruits of our labor and if I have to say so myself, it was all very good.

Here’s a link for Lovella’s Paska. Here’s a link to Ellen’s Sweet Cheese Spread for Paska, Seerney Paska.

I’ll be linking up with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Blest Jesus, When Thy Cross I View ~ Hymn

Blest Jesus, When Thy Cross I View

Blest Jesus, when Thy cross I view,
That mystery to th’angelic host,
I gaze with grief and rapture, too,
And all my soul’s in wonder lost.

What strange compassion filled Thy breast,
That brought Thee from Thy throne on high,
To woes that cannot be expressed,
To be despised, to groan and die!

For man didst Thou forsake the sky,
To bleed upon the accursed tree?
And didst Thou taste of death, to buy
Immortal life and bliss for me?

Had I a voice to praise Thy name,
Loud as the trump that wakes the dead,
Had I the raptured seraph’s flame,
My debt of love could ne’er be paid.

Yet Lord, a sinner’s heart receive,
This burdened, contrite heart of mine;
Thou knowest I’ve naught beside to give;
And let it be for ever Thine.

Words: Conrad Speece, 1800

Sunday April 17th is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. I am looking forward already to next Sunday and celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus. The most amazing sacrifice in history with the best result for you and me.

Tuckered Out…

I’ll share all about our time at Lepp Farms next week. Right now after my 290 mile roundtrip to Canada and back I’m too tuckered to think straight. Had a wonderful time. Stayed up way past my usual bedtime. Made good memories. On the way to Canada I stopped in Lynden, Washington for lunch before I crossed the line. I’m really glad Debora from Whatsoever Things Are Lovely gave me the heads up on places to eat and to make sure if I ate here…

…to only order a half sandwich. Good thing I got that tip because this my friends is a half sandwich! Now tell me the truth does that look like half a sandwich to you? And yes Lynden is heavy with Dutch influence and population.

Hope you are doing well and the start of your weekend is good. I’m hoping to spend all day Saturday just vegging about with my feet up…

Heading North Across the Line…

I’m taking my sweet cheese spread in it’s mold wrapped in cheesecloth to Lepp Farm Market for a cooking demonstration tonight. I will take it out and present it ready to serve with Lovella’s Paska. I have my cross, X & B to press onto the cheese. This is a traditional Russian Easter Treat so it has the Cross to symbolize Christ’s crucifixion on Good Friday and the X and B are the first letters in Christ Arose or Christ is Risen in Russian, Христос Воскрес! We love to celebrate the Resurrection! The Mennonite Girls Can Cook are putting on the cooking demo tonight. It will be my first experience doing this. I hope I don’t drop anything…

I’ll be gone all day Thursday and into Friday. See you on the weekend!

Dallas Road ~ Victoria, B.C.

Meanwhile, back to our Sister weekend in Victoria on Vancouver Island. Pondside gave me the great suggestion of walking along Dallas Road. We started out on Sunday morning after another fabulous breakfast at the Beaconsfield Inn and headed for Ross Bay Cemetery which happens to be on Dallas Road. Lana and I love old cemeteries and this one did not disappoint. My post with many photos from the cemetery will come on another day. Today here are the beautiful views along Dallas Road which we walked on our way back to the Beaconsfield Inn where Pondside would pick us up for our driving tour of Victoria. That post is coming later, also.

Victoria, BC Dallas Road area is an ideal spot for a walk, marine sightseeing, picnics and in the winter the area is a popular gathering spot for storm watching. The mostly paved waterfront walk way follows the coastline all the way to the back door of Beacon Hill Park and continues far beyond leading to sandy beaches.

Our walk along Dallas Road started at Memorial Crescent and ended at Cook St. where we turned off to head back to the Beaconsfield.

Flying proof we were in Canada!

There are so many great views in Victoria. My sisters and I appreciated being shown and directed to things we would have never seen on our own.

This week is a full busy week. Today I’ll be in the kitchen for a good chunk of the day. Tomorrow I’ll be on the road. How’s your week going?

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage

That Man of Calvary ~ Good Friday