Tatum and I got ready for Easter by making a little craft for our table. We would go to church on Sat. night so we could allow the church to fill up with the ALL who don’t usually go to church.
We are focused while Coopy and Woody occupy themselves. Cooper staring and Woody singing.
Tot focused on the sticky parts.
How fun!
Pastor Jamie shared how we all yearn for answers to our ORIGIN, our PURPOSE and our DESTINY.
Jesus really answers all of it. We have a purpose when we LOVE others: seek justice and walk humbly (Micah 6:8) with our God!
We also know we have no fear of death as we know our destiny.
AMEN!
I love you family! HE is RISEN!
Hi TOT! May you always know your purpose and destiny! (and that you are born out of LOVE!)
Happy Easter and more to come on RESURRECTION DAY!
We usually go to Tempe Town Lake, but this year, we decided to keep it simple, hop on our bikes, and head to Luci’s.
I love our lake! It’s so glorious in the morning, and with the golf course, the colors are so vibrant.
Tot enjoyed some butter. OH, she ordered pancakes, but the butter was the star of the show.
And, we discussed what we were going to NAIL to the cross! Daddy, busyness. Tot, not going with the flow, and me? sometimes, I get very down/angry/sad about my health. Look on the blessings!
Nothing fancy but important. I wanted to have a celebration of the Passover and make it significant for us as believers in the Messiah, Jesus.
I gathered all of the elements (for a formal Seder).
The wine, the unleavened bread (Matzah), the bitter herbs, parsley, charoset, salt water…
We began with prayer and thanksgiving to YHWY, and our first bit of wine (grape juice). This was the cup of sanctification. (I will bring you out!)
Then we washed our hands (should have been our feet as Jesus did) in salt water.
This is a ritual before you partake (and to be clean).
Next, we each took a piece of parsley and dipped it into a dish of salt water (a different dish) before eating. The parsley reminds us of life (it is one of the first edibles to come up in the springtime), and the salt water represents the tears that the Israelites shed in Egypt.
Then, Breaking of matzah. Unleavened bread is eaten during Passover to remind us that circumstances changed so quickly for the Israelites when they were enslaved in Egypt that they didn’t have time to let their bread rise before they left. Remember: DELIVERANCE from slavery. For us Christians, Jesus broke his “body” for us as we partake in communion.
I then read the Passover story in Exodus 12:
Now for our Second cup of wine. The Cup of Deliverance or “I will deliver you.” the Israelites have been brought out of Egypt but still need deliverance to escape their former captors and get across the Red Sea. We must remind ourselves and to celebrate that YHWH is faithful to complete his good works.
Bitter herbs. Let’s. now have some horseradish: reminds us of the bitterness of the slavery the Israelites were under in Egypt, as well as the bitterness of life without Messiah.
Next, we have the Charoset. (I didn’t make this but I bought some apple jelly) This is a smashed apple mixture usually containing honey, nuts, and a splash of wine. The texture reminds us of mortar, and therefore the heavy burden the Israelites had making and laying bricks in Egypt.
Ok, time to eat dinner and read some Psalms. I chose 113 to celebrate HIS goodness! (PRAISE!)
Third cup of wine. Covenant or “I will redeem you.” There is no better time to talk about the Messiah who was killed on Passover for our redemption. Feel free to tell the story of the Last Supper and his death.
Finally, the fourth cup of wine for the promise: “I will take you.” This cup represents the promises to come for us and for YHWH’s people as a whole.
We had so much fun! It shows how much we can celebrate our Lord an Messiah! We have been delivered and are redeemed! (from slavery of sin!) Easter is on its way!
