Thursday Thoughts

I've actually never heard of Maundy Thursday before.  But this week, I have been able to focus a little more intently on what this week must have felt like for Jesus - knowing what He was in for.

I think of times when I have something not so great to look forward to.  Something that might make me nervous, stressed, scared.  Something like the dentist.  A dreaded doctor's appointment.  A job evaluation.

None of that can compare to the dread that Jesus must have felt leading up to this Friday.  I think about Him heading into the last supper.  KNOWING that Judas would be there. . . ready to betray Him.  Sitting beside Peter - who He knew would deny Him three times.  Sharing the passover meal with His disciples - men with whom He had spent most nearly every day with.  But men who had no idea what was to befall Him just later that week.  Men who knew He was the Messiah.  Men who walked with Him day and night.  Men who saw Him do miracles.  But men who really didn't KNOW who He was. 

I imagine Jesus at that last supper.  Sitting there with those men.  His brothers.  Knowing that in less than 24 hours He would be paying the penalty for all their sins.  For MY sins.  What dread.  And we see it in His prayer at Gethsemane.  It's not like Jesus didn't know what was ahead.  HE DID!  He went to the garden to pray.  To BEG God to make it any other way. I cannot begin to imagine the agony He must have felt.  And then to turn around and find His disciples sleeping.  I cannot imagine the hurt.  The disappointment.  Knowing. . . . what lay ahead. . .

And He did this all for me.

Below is a video that reminded me of all Jesus did. . . . FOR ME!!!!


We are the Reason video (Avalon)

M M M M M M Monday

Yup, Monday's moving a bit slow today.  Can hardly let the day roll off my lips because it's so tough to get going.

BUT WHY NOT????  It's spring break!!!  Keith and the kids are home, and there is a whole day head of me. 

This weekend I planted some of my seeds for my pots this summer.  I have some seeds for the girls from the preschool as well, and they are growing wild.  They planted carrots, radishes and onions for the kids to see "Roots" so it motivated me to get sowing as well = even though there is still 3 feet of snow or more outside.

So I planted petunias.  Lots of petunias  96 to be exact!!!  They are all in egg cartons under my grow light.  These specific petunias I planted have the seed laying on top.  Not covered with any soil just laying bare out on the soil. I have to mist them every day, and they have to stay fairly warm, and it looks like it could take a bit of serious care to make sure they germinate and then to actually get them to grow and eventually bloom could be another task!

As I was spraying them this morning, I was thinking about how much care these little guys are gonna take to provide me with some beautiful flowers.  They are just the size of a mustard seed, and of course my mind wandered to the Bible verse.  I was thinking about the amount of care I was going to have to pour into these tiny little seeds and got to thinking about how much care God is pouring into me.  Obviously tons more than what I am doing for these seeds.  But it made me wonder:  with all His perfect care - His perfect waterings, His perfect soil, His constant watchful eye over me, feeding me when I wilt, propping me back up when the breeze gets too strong, what sort of flowers am I going to yield for Him?  Am I going to make His garden beautiful? 

Today is another day.  Another day to please my Lord.  Another day to show those around me what it means to be a child of the King.  My prayer for you and me today is that we will allow his gentle care to grow us into the beautiful image of Himself!!!!