Saturday, April 11, 2009

WISHING YOU A JOYOUS EASTER

I WANTED TO TAKE THIS TIME AND WISH YOU A HAPPY EASTER. EASTER IS SUCH A SPECIAL HOLIDAY TO ME, MORE THAN ANY OTHER
HOLIDAY. IT IS ALMOST A PRIVATE HOLIDAY TO ME BECAUSE OF MY RELATIONSHIP
WITH JESUS CHRIST. I GUESS IT IS REALLY MORE PERSONAL THAN PRIVATE.
I CANNOT REMEMBER A TIME I DID NOT TALK TO JESUS. I SURRENDERED
MY HEART TO HIM AT AGE 15 BUT IT WAS NOT UNTIL MY 40'S THAT I
GAVE MYSELF TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY TO THE LORD. I WAS DRIVING
HOME FROM A BUSINESS MEETING AND THE SUN WAS BEGINNING TO SET
AND MY LIFE WAS SOOOOOO VERY FULL OF PAIN AND ANGER AND THERE
JUST DIDN'T SEEM TO BE MUCH HOPE. AS I LOOKED AT THE SUNSET, I
GLANCED OVER AND SAW A TELEPHONE POLE AND IT LOOKED LIKE A CROSS
AND I JUST PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND EXPLODED INTO TEARS AND I FELT
LIKE A BEGGAR, A BUM THAT NEEDED THE LOVE AND FORGIVENESS OF
THE LORD. EVEN TO THIS DAY IT MAKES ME CRY. IT MAKES ME SO VERY
GRIEVED TO SEE A PERSON LOST, WITHOUT JESUS. THE BIBLE DESCRIBES A
LOST SOUL AS A "DEAD MAN WALKING". THE PHRASE "A DEAD MAN WALKING"
IS WHAT THEY YELL OUT WHEN SOMEONE ON DEATH ROW IS WALKING
TO THE GAS CHAMBER OR THE ELECTRIC CHAIR. THAT IS A VERY BAD PLACE
TO BE. JESUS SAID THAT IF YOU ARE ASHAMED OF ME BEFORE MEN, I WILL NOT
ACKNOWLEDGE YOU TO MY FATHER. I DON'T BELIEVE IN CRAMMING JESUS
DOWN ANY ONE'S THROAT. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A GENTLEMAN AND HE WILL
DRAW YOU BUT IT IS UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS
AND LIVE THEIR LIFE FOR THE LORD. I NEVER TRY TO PASS UP AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE WHEN I FEEL THE LORD HAS IMPRESSED
UPON ME TO SPEAK TO THEM. MY LIFE IS NOT ABOUT ME...IT IS ABOUT JESUS
AND HOW I CAN BE HIS HAND EXTENDED.
MY PROBLEM IS, AS THE KIDS WERE GROWING UP, I TOOK THE RESPONSIBILITY
TO TEACH THEM ABOUT EVERYTHING...I DIDN'T WANT FRIENDS OR SCHOOL
TEACHING THEM THEIR VIEWS. IF THEIR IS A PROBLEM, I DON'T DANCE AROUND, I
KICK THE DOOR IN WITH BLATANT TRUTH....LET'S CALL THIS WHAT IT IS.
I ALWAYS WANTED TO GET TO THE HEART OF THE ISSUE WITH MY CHILDREN
"IMMEDIATELY", LIKE YESTERDAY.
I OFTEN STICK MY FOOT IN MY MOUTH. I YELL, IF I TAKE THE URGE TOO.
I FALL SHORT OFTEN...IT IS SAD BECAUSE PEOPLE WAIT FOR
CHRISTIANS TO FAIL...THEY THINK WE THINK WE ARE BETTER THAN THEM.
THIS IS NOT SO. I STAND AGAINST PORNOGRAPHY, ANYTHING THAT EXPLOITS
WOMEN IS A RISK TO CHILDREN...ANYTHING THAT EXPLOITS CHILDREN
DRUGS OF ANY KIND...REALLY THIS ISN'T ABOUT ALL THIS.....I'M GETTING OFF
ON A BUNNY TRAIL.....BUT CHILDREN ARE THE MOST PRECIOUS LIVES WE HAVE
BEEN ENTRUSTED TO RAISE IN THE LOVE OF THE LORD...TO PROTECT, TO CHERISH,
TO HELP SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE THE GIFTS THAT ARE WITHIN THEM...
TOO MANY CHILDREN, AND ESPECIALLY PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRLS ARE
BEING KIDNAPPED AND MURDERED. LITTLE 8 YEAR OLD SANDRA CANTO IN
CALIFORNIA WON'T HAVE AN EASTER BASKET...HER MOTHER WILL NEVER SEE
HER GO TO THE PROM OR BE MARRIED BUT HER MURDERER WILL ENJOY EASTER....
LITTLE HALEIGH, LITTLE STACEY, LITTLE JESSICA LUNSFORD, LITTLE DANIELLE,
THE LIST JUST GOES ON AND ON....FAMILIES CHANGED FOREVER...A PRECIOUS
LIFE GONE...........



THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE

GOING A LITTLE FARTHER, HE FELL WITH HIS FACE TO THE GROUND AND

PRAYED, "MY FATHER, IF IT IS POSSIBLE, MAY THIS CUP BE TAKEN FROM ME.

YET NOT AS I WILL, BUT AS YOU WILL."

~MATTHEW 26:39




DURING THE DAYS OF JESUS' LIFE ON EARTH, HE OFFERED UP PRAYERS AND

PETITIONS WITH LOUD CRIES AND TEARS TO BE ONE WHO COULD SAVE HIM

FROM DEATH, AND HE WAS HEARD BECAUSE OF HIS REVERENT SUBMISSION.

ALTHOUGH HE WAS A SON, HE LEARNED OBEDIENCE FROM WHAT HE SUFFERED

AND, ONCE MADE PERFECT, HE BECAME THE SOURCE OF ETERNAL SALVATION

FOR ALL WHO OBEY HIM AND WAS DESIGNATED BY GOD TO BE HIGH PRIEST IN

THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.

~HEBREWS 5: 7-10




IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSMANE, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS HAD PRAYED

SO HARD TO HIS FATHER, OVER WHAT HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO ENDUR HE

SWEAT DROPS OF BLOOD. THAT WAS A MAN THAT EVEN KNOWING HE WAS THE

SON OF GOD, HE FELT EVERY EMOTION WE WOULD EVER FEEL TO PROBABLY

THE THOUSANDTH POWER.

WHEN HIS WORD STATES THAT HE IS CLOSE THE BROKENHEARTED, HE MEANS

IT. WHEN WE FEEL ALL ALONE, HE KNOWS...THE DISCIPLES COULD NOT

EVEN STAY AWAKE AND WATCH AS HE CRIED OUT IN AGONY WHILE HE WAS

HOPING THE CUP WOULD PASS BUT HE KNEW HE HAD TO DO IT.

WHEN WE FEEL BETRAYED, JESUS KNOWS...HE WAS BETRAYED BY JUDAS.

WHEN WE ARE IN TERRIBLE PAIN, HE KNOWS PAIN...HE WAS BEATEN AND

HUNG ON A CROSS BETWEEN TWO THIEVES....AND THEY GAMBLED OVER

THE CLOTH THAT COVERED HIM.........

FRIDAY LOOKED HOPELESS...THERE WAS SUCH GRIEVING AMONG THOSE

THAT LOVED HIM...........

BUT

SUNDAY WAS COMING...THE GROUND TREMBLED...IT GREW DARK......AND

A NEW DAY DAWNED...JESUS AROSE...OH GLORY TO GOD.

NO MATTER HOW DARK OUR DAYS MAY SEEM...OUR HOPE, MY HOPE IS IN

JESUS.

THIS EASTER SEASON WHILE WE ARE WATCHING OUR CHILDREN HUNT

EGGS AND WE ARE SO JOYOUS, SHARE JESUS WITH SOMEONE.

BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY THIS EASTER SEASON.

WE MAY NEVER MEET IN PERSON IN THIS LIFETIME BUT WE WILL IN HEAVEN.

I WANT TO TALK TO JONAH AND ASK HOW HE HANDLED ALL THOSE PEOPLE

THAT MADE FUN OF HIM. I WANT TO TALK TO MARY AND ASK HER HOW

LONG IT TOOK HER TO CONVINCE JOSEPH SHE WAS HAVING A VIRGIN

BIRTH.....TODAY OF COURSE YOU WOULD BE IN RESTRAINTS IN A PSYCH

WARD.

THE BIBLE IS NOT A FAIRY TALE...IT IS OUR BLUEPRINT FOR LIVING.

LOVE

HUGS

debbie






17 comments:

  1. Happy Eater Debbie, may it be joyous & blessed! Oh.. Happy PS too! ;)

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  2. you know what, this time of year brings us to alot of thoughts. our world is NOT a pretty place to be. its full of sin, greed, every disgusting vile thing there is. As mothers we can teach our children, give them what we feel is Gods plan for them. sometimes they will follow, sometimes they wont. personally I have one that isnt following and God told me last week--she is mine, you did your job now let go and let me take it from here.

    I hate living on this earth--but yet i love life...it can be so great at times.

    Easter always causes me to pause and reflect..because of what Jesus did for us and what he wants for us. i cant imagine taking on the sins of the world, but I can imagine his victory over all of it--for us. It gives us hope, to keep fighting the fight.

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  3. Absolutely Beautiful! Easter Blessings to You and Yours...and may Spring bring us all a renewal of the Lord in our Life! Hugs!

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  4. Very nice post, hope you have a nice Easter weekend.

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  5. Wishing you and your family a wonderful and joyous Easter too!

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  6. Wishing you and yours a beautiful Easter. Hugs to you all, Jennifer

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  7. What an inspiring post. It is so nice to find out how many people truly love the Lord Jesus. I pray that you and your family will have a very Blessed and Happy Easter, filled with His presence and grace. Hugs, Marty

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  8. Happy Easter to you dear girl..Prayers and blessings to you and your precious family. Love, Cindy

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  9. I just wanted to stop by and wish you a really Blessed Happy Easter.

    from Roberta Anne
    The Raggedy Girl

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  10. Hello Debbie; Amen; what a beautiful post.

    Have a Blessed Easter.

    Hugs;
    Alaura

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  11. Debbie, I have also come to treasure you as a dear friend. Your post was beautiful and I thank the Lord everyday for finding so many Christian friends. It is someone like you that makes this world a better place to live in.
    Thanks for your friendship and one day we will meet, I am sure.

    Love,
    Barbara

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  12. Debbie:
    I am so touched that you liked the picture I made, please feel free to take it and use it.

    Roberta Anne

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  13. Thank you so much for your sweet comment left at my last post.
    Your post was wonderful such sadness due to my contribution to the suffering of Christ, but such joy for the Resurrection and it's promise.

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  14. I love Him, too, Debbie, and I love that you love Him! Jesus is awesome!

    Happy Easter...

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  15. What touching words, delivered from your heart! Thank you for the love, encouragement and inspiration! I hope you had a blessed Easter Day. In the lives of those who love Him, it's Easter every day!!

    Janice

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  16. A beautiful and astounding post. What power is in your words and the words of the Bible!

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  17. Wonderful post as always....it is funny how when you were drining it all came together for you with Jesus....you just never know when it will happen......
    Hugs,
    Mo :-)

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debbie