Real Life: "Good" Friday

"Good Friday"
It's Easter Season. Spring. I have not put as much thought into the Easter Season this year as I would have liked to. Having a baby at this time of year as kept me busy just mothering. Although, when rocking Ashlyn, feedings, and times of relaxing does give extra 'thinking' time! I have done lots of thinking about Christ's crucifixion and dying. Dying for me! Me! Oh, how that must have been tough for him to do! This morning we read the story of Jesus dying on the cross together as a family. The kids are understanding this more every year and I love the questions and comments that they make! When we read the part of the nails driving deep into Jesus' hands, Mike pressed his finger really hard into each of their hands and when they said aww, he stopped. It gave them a very small feeling of how it must of hurt Jesus when the soldiers nailed him to the cross. When we read the part of when Jesus was dying on the cross and asked John to take care of Mary, Hadassah asked, "Why? Where was Joseph?" The Bible doesn't say much about Joseph after Jesus was born. Even in the last minutes of Jesus before dying and he was hanging on the cross in pain, he took care of those he loved. His mother! Then when we talked about the curtain being torn into two, they asked questions about sacrifices. It's so awesome that Jesus is the real sacrifice for us and now we don't need to kill animals for forgiveness! That would have been such a pain and messy! Sometimes asking Jesus for forgiveness can seem to cause a lot of "pain and can be really messy to clean up our sins", but at least we have the blood of Jesus to cleanse us white as snow!!!! Moving along in our reading, Mike explained how that Joseph of Arimathea gave his own grave to bury Jesus in. Then how the soldiers guarded the tomb for three days. On the third day, the stone was rolled away and Jesus was no longer dead!!!! Alive!!!! Alive forever more! The religious leaders thought they were rid of Jesus. They thought their problems were over with the gospel being spread to all the world! It really was just the beginning. Jesus ministered to those on the earth for a few more weeks before returning to heaven in the clouds. Now it's up to us Christians to spread the gospel. We need to tell the hurting world of the wonderful blood of Jesus! Salvation! Life after death. Heaven. Hell. Eternity.

I've wondered already why today is called "Good Friday"? Being crucified, whipped, spit upon, beaten to death is defiantly not my interpretation of a 'good day'! I suppose that's not the end of the story and we Christians can now years later call it a 'good day' because it took Christ's death to give us salvation. The Easter story is so refreshing to read and gives me another reminder to reach out to those hurting. Tell EVERYONE about Jesus. Be a light everyday. I wish this wasn't so hard for me to do. Being 'bold' in Jesus and witnessing is hard sometimes. In 'real life' I want the whole world to hear about Jesus. Hearing the gospel through me? I hope I can be a witness wherever I am and go! A challenge.
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"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." John 11:25 & 26

"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." Matthew 27:50

"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for the angel of the Lord came down from heaven and , going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.'"
Matthew 28:1-9

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Is. 53:5
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School Projects ...
We are so blessed to have christian schools to send our kids to! They were again taught about Jesus this Easter. Not just about eggs, bunnies, and chocolate! Here are some projects the kids did at school. Hadassah's was a cross made with painted broken egg shells. Matthews cross was made with tissue paper.