Easter Blessings

 We celebrated Easter on Palm Sunday this year. Our sons and their families are celebrating with their other grandparents on Easter but thankfully they were able to be with us last Sunday. Easter is our Christian celebration of the resurrection of our Lord & Savior, and truly is celebrated by us with thanksgiving and praise all year long.

 Our home is very small , but the size does not limit us to sharing meals with those we love and care about. We just bring out the portable buffet table and set it up in the living room.

 I set the table with the china my Aunt Ruby and cousin Christine gave me. It was Aunt Ruby's china for many years. She celebrated her 100th birthday in 2017.Ruby's daughter Christine threw an amazing party for her mother, and Aunt Ruby had all her "faculties" and was able to visit with her many loved ones and friends. ( Aunt Ruby has since passed on into eternity and I remember her as a very special blessing in my life.)

 The china pattern is Spode's "Rosebud Chintz" from Copeland, England . I have the teapot and gravy boat too !

 There were only 5 grandkids here for this year's Easter egg hunt.My husband hid the eggs all over our front pasture. I suspect the older children in this picture won't be hunting for Easter eggs much longer, but the youngest little guy in the picture, our youngest grandchild, has a blast hunting for Easter eggs. ( When did our grandchildren grow up so fast ?)

 Easter Eggs !

"I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies,and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die."  Jesus ~ John 11 :25, 26

New Life ~ Goslings for Easter

 New goslings for Easter ! My Sebastopol Geese keep trying to raise a family but the last two years Ella was unable to successfully hatch her many eggs. It was very sad for me knowing all the diligent  care and tending of her eggs laid in a nest in the goose pen was of no use, none hatched. Even sadder was discovering that each and every egg had a fully developed gosling inside that could not break free of its' shell.

This year Ella began laying eggs under the rhododendrons, a place she'd never be able to protect herself or her eggs from predators or our pet dogs. I took her eggs from that beautiful but unwise nesting site and placed them in an incubator. Then I re-located 2 eggs in a nest box made especially for Ella in the goose pen. I kept Ella and Fella confined during egg laying season so she would not choose another site. This last Thursday night and on into Saturday some of the eggs began hatching.

The goslings had poked small holes in their shells but were unable to get out. I peeled tiny bits of their shells off and found even the membrane inside the eggs was too hard for the babies to break free of. ( I DID keep water in the incubator and misted the eggs with water every night .) I needed to be careful how I peeled the shell and membrane away so as not to rip delicate baby goose skin and cause them to bleed to death, so I wrapped each egg in warm , wet washcloths and held them firmly while I slowly began taking pieces of shell off to give the goslings room to move and help me extricate them. I also needed to roll back their membrane covering slowly. It was a long process for each egg but looky here.....

... 3 of the 4 successfully hatched Sebastopol goslings ! One baby was still working herself out of the shell when my husband snapped this pic of me and my new little geese. There are 3 more eggs in the incubator due to hatch in a few days. These little goslings have imprinted on me and get very excited when I say "babies, babies, babies ", just like their parents, Ella and Fella , who get very excited when they hear my voice and follow me around like puppies because they're imprinted on me .

There is new life everywhere here at Cedar Pond. New lambs, baby doves, chicks, goslings, new flowers just beginning to bud. New life here in this world is but a small reflection of the blessing of new life given to all who ask for it from God, and unlike our temporal earthly life and joys, new life from Jesus is eternal, "Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death , in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we might walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4

Easter blessings to you !

Easter Centerpiece for Tea-Time Tuesday

 Last Thursday was our monthly Bible study. The Thursday Ladies came together to fellowship over lunch and continue our Bible study in the book of I Samuel. I set the table with a small collection of Japanese blue lusterware. I used this teacup for last week's tea time Tuesday too, but decided to share my precious teacups for Thursday's lunch. Isn't the gold luster inside the teacup beautiful? The tea set was made in Japan before I was born, which makes it more than half a century old.

 The table & buffet centerpieces were very simple and also a reflection of why our family celebrates Easter. I gathered some moss from outside in our woods, placed it into this domed goblet, added a small plastic ram and made a label on which I wrote an appropriate scripture verse. Genesis 22:13

 One of my sisters is checking out the table as the ladies arrive.

 I try to keep the table settings for Bible study fairly simple, as was lunch. This month it was a 'make your own sandwich' affair. There was tuna, chicken salad and deli meat along with the cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and condiments. Bowls of chips, carrots, plates of deviled eggs. My friend Marlene brought a lovely and healthy salad composed of organic lettuces and veggies. ( Thank-you Marlene). Cupcakes for dessert.

 The table centerpiece reflects the foundation of my faith as a Christian. The resurrection of the crucified Son of God, Jesus. It is moss, with three crosses I made from sticks in the yard and some miniature lilies I had stashed away in a craft box. I placed this on a pedestal cake plate. I will also be using it as our Easter dinner centerpiece.

 Children are welcome to come with their mothers or grandmothers and I set a table for them. The lamb planter was a floral filled gift for our family when our daughter was born. I put a small clump of white pansies in it and candy in the chick.

Mint and Irish Black tea , along with coffee and ice water were the beverages. The true refreshment and sustaining nourishment came from the study and contemplation of the word of God. He is so good to me and I praise him for this opportunity to come together with others who desire to learn more about Him, and also the ability to enjoy Tea-Time Tuesday with you. Thank-you for joining me today. Please check out the links below for other delightful tea-time posts.

• Sandi's Rose Chintz Cottage*
• Terri's Artful Affirmations*
• Bernideen's Tea time Blog*
• Martha's Favorites*
• Antiques & Teacups *

If He Had Stayed

If He Had Stayed

If He had stayed where tender, caring hands had put Him, Wrapped around with linen and aromatic preparations, Stayed enclosed in the cool, dark rock, to sleep on, decayed and forgotten, while eternity rolled away into forever-ness. If He had stayed imprisoned behind the Roman seal, soon to be but another set of bones added to the numberless skeletons bred of earth, If He had stayed down where tradition laid His head, done with sight, and touch, and voice; Oh Beloved ! If He had stayed...excruciating contemplation! Hopelessness behind doom ahead, no gathering here today. Yet here we are, and it can't be said without enough power, not by human voice anyway; No, imagine it ringingly proclaimed by heaven's angelic hosts... ( He didn't stay ) He is risen ! poem by Audrey Yeager

"...and if Christ has not been raised , your faith is worthless; you are dead in your sins." I Corinthians 15:17 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable..." I Peter 1:3

Sorrow Becomes Joy

Our son's 4 daughters were able to travel to this side of the mountains for a glorious week with us and their 4 cousins ( our daughter & her husbands' children) who live close-by. As a grandma who loves to share her faith with them how could I resist spending every day with all 8 of our grandchildren? I decided to have a week long Vacation Bible School here, complete with fun crafts and of course leaving time for the 8 cousins to play together. Our Bible lessons centered on Jesus' triumphal entry on a donkey colt into Jerusalem, His last supper, His betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection. On the day of the Butterfly Tea party ( previous post ) we watched an animated DVD of this Bible story after we had lunch. Above is a picture of one of our sweet granddaughters' reaction to the abuse Jesus suffered just before His crucifixion.

All 8 of the children ( and we adults too) became very quiet at the animated scenes of His crucifixion , some of the children hid their faces...

...but happiness and relief as we remembered He did not stay in the tomb. He's alive !

I taught Sunday School for many years and over those years I noticed the story of Jesus' death began to disappear from the Sunday School curriculum, instead focusing almost exclusively on His resurrection and the delights of spring time . The crucifixion was greatly minimized and sanitized so as to hold little or no importance at all. One curriculum went so far as to explain that we should not disturb the children with such sadness. I ask you, what then is the purpose or point of our faith ? Where is the hope,miracle, and joy of resurrection if there is no death? (Please know I am not speaking of graphic pictures and descriptions for little children, but a knowledge of the Bible story as it reads). ~"Fifty years ago, when some underground Christians in the church in Germany were asking many of the same questions about the cross, a man who would become a martyr asked, "How could something become cheap which cost God everything ?" Dietrich Bonhoeffer gave his life to remind us that the cross of Christ will forever remain the center of our faith. From the greatest of negatives flow all the positives of our new life in Christ : from conflict, peace ; from pain, healing ;from death, life." ~Michael Card- A Violent Grace "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations," Luke 24:46,47 "

Happy Birthday Easter Baby!

Happy Birthday David! You were our Easter present so many years ago, our Easter Sunday baby. Our celebration of the resurrection of Jesus was graced by happy memories of the birth of our first son and caused me to reflect all the more on a Heavenly Father who would allow mankind to crucify His Son in order for His blood to cleanse us from all unrighteousness . Our prayer for you , your brother and sister has always been that you seek God and His ways... God has been gracious and kind to you. He has preserved you through warfare and personal tragedy. He provided for you and your 4 young daughters when there seemed no hope, and He has answered so many prayers in ways that make your heart happy in spite of circumstance.Son, always "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

Easter,Day Of Celebration Because He Lives!

"Jesus said to her (Martha) , "I am the resurrection and the life ; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies , and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die." John 11:25, 26

The Easter Bunny Brought You?

~Oldest son with his four daughters in front of new home.~

~Another birthday for you oldest son! Oldest , but NOT old. Three decades plus do not make you old, but definitely mean you are an adult..and able to do very well for yourself. Well for yourself in spite of what life might have brought others to despair. You are blessed beyond imagination! You have four very lovely and loving daughters. You have the love and respect of your family. You have the knowledge that you have served your country well and loved your brothers in arms well and love your Savior well. You have the knowledge of the Word, that has enabled you to persevere through trials and tribulations that could have brought you so low you would not survive...but you have! Happy Birthday son!!!

~David, our oldest son ( left )~

~You were born on Easter weekend, I spent Easter in the hospital cradling my newborn son in my arms. I remember thinking how very much I loved you and for the first time the beginning of comprehension of the love one has for a son , and the knowledge that God sacrificed His own, PERFECT and BLAMELESS Son for me was truly a sacrifice...I do not think I would sacrifice you for a just man, let alone sinful and undeserving men. Yet, He did. I know I would give my life in an instant to save you, your brother and sister, but to give you up for others? No! ~I remember thinking too , that there was a chance you or your brother would be called to fight in a war...how could I ever cope with that?To have a son who is a warrior..like my father? And then I thought about Mary, the mother of Jesus? She watched her own son, the Son of God, be crucified...what anguish and grief she must have endured. Her son was perfect and blameless...yet I know I love you and your brother and sister so much I would rather die than have such an awful thing happen...And here you were, a Marine, called to battle and war. Your father and I prayed for you and you came home from the battlefield in Iraq to another battle and war. One to save your daughters...and you have remained steadfast for them. Steadfast in your love. Do not ever, EVER minimize your importance in their lives, or the lives of your family. Do not forget Who has spared you and kept you safe. Do not ever cease praising Him who has made you and called you to Him!

~Happy Birthday son ! We love you!~

Blessings: sons, daughters, God's Son, birthdays