Jesus Is My GPS!

Wow, I am blogging 2 days in a row! Doesn't happen often. :-) This has been a great Sunday. My pastor preached an excellent message on the mind this morning, and even got into why we need to be careful how we dress, so as to not cause other people problems, and how we need to be so careful not to let something creep in and destroy us in the end. It was great food for thought.

Kim M had a testimony that encouraged and challenged me to listen more to what God wants, and that He can actually show us what we need to do. I am glad she obeyed the urge to testify.

I guess what started the day off was Sunday School. The lesson was on holiness, and the assistant teacher taught, and did very well. One thing he said really stuck in my mind. He was talking about how GPS works, and that if they can tell us where to drive our car and when and where to turn, than surely God can do the same with us spiritually. I admit I about cracked up because I pictured a bumper sticker that would read "Jesus Is My GPS!" After I got over being amused at that, it really has made me think. How often do I let Jesus be my GPS? All too often, I just keep the GPS shut off thinking I can find my way easily enough, knowing that if I make a wrong turn, I can pull it out and find my way back. Pretty stupid, but I am guilty. How much better to keep our personal GPS going all the time, referring to it constantly, and maybe avoid making a wrong turn in the first place. Thing about wrong turns: most of the time you can turn around and get back on the route you should be on, but sometimes that wrong turn can get you more lost if you keep going, or it can take you into a dangerous part of town. Ditto for the spiritual. That one wrong turn can turn into several, and cause spiritual destruction and chaos.

I really feel I am doing the right thing by moving back to Ohio. My time here in Indiana has been good for me in many ways. Among the ones I can mention: It has made me realize how much I appreciate and love my family. I have made some friends here, and will miss them a lot, but I can always visit. I do feel my GPS is leading me in that direction. I still don't know where all the money is going to come from, and where I will live, and what I will do when I get there, but if I give God control and do what He says, it will work out.

If anyone decides to pass my GPS idea to a Christian company, I get in on the money! :-)

The Comeback Kids (or the Big Take-down)

I had a great week this past week. My boss was on vacation, and though I like him, it was a better week without him. The co-manager was in charge, and he is more laid back, yet gets work out of everyone. He scheduled differerntly this week and next - hope it lasts. Normally, I work 8am-8:30 or 9pm Mondays (truck day). This past week, they sent everyone home at 6 that came at 8. Also, they run one main cashier on Mondays, which means I get used as back-up way too much in light of how much freight I get. This past week, they ran 2 cashiers, and I was hardly used at all for register. I got more done, and wasn't stressed as usual, and got home earlier. It was great!

Today will live in history as the great take-down. Steven, Kristin, Cindy, and I get together to play Rook every couple of weeks, and Kristin and I haven't been winning much. We have a running score of games won, and before today, it was 12 to 7. Well, today that changed. We played 10 total games with the regular team mates, and Cindy and Steven won 1. Kristin and I won 9. Yes, you read that right: we won 9 out of 10 games played, so now the grand total is 16 to 13, Kristin and I in the lead. I'm not sure what happened, but we smoked 'em! There was much weeping and groaning going on. I love to play Rook, even when I lose, but it was a refreshing change to win so many for a change. :-) The Matlock duo has gone down!

We didn't just play Rook. Steven cooked chicken breasts on the grill, and I made a chicken and rice dish that also has peas and carrots and soy sauce in it (very good!) and some veggies to eat on the side. The girls brought some cookies that were awesome. We finished it off with some pizza and chips and salsa later in the evening. I also had bought ice cream to go with the cookies, but forgot about it. :-( (More for us!)

In other news: Benjy, my middle nephew, has learned to ride his bike without training wheels. He is over a month shy of his 4th birthday - June 5. I thought that was pretty early, but found out his older brother, Josiah, did it even a little younger. I was trying to figure out what to buy him for his birthday - he likes camoflouge clothes, but my sister said he loves new clothes of any kind. Seems funny for a boy his age to like new clothes, but he does. His birthday is 10 days after mine (he was due on my birthday, but Pam goes about 10 days past with all her kids), and my youngest niece will turn 7 or 8 on the 3rd of June, and Allison will turn 11 on May 27th, one day after mine, so I will have to take presents home for 3 kids when I go back for my birthday. It falls on Memorial Day this year, so I am going to try to get that week-end off through Tuesday.

I read an awesome book this week: The Grand Scheme, by Kathy Herman. She writes Christian suspense/mystery. She also dealt with forgiveness and repentance in the book in a really good way. What stood out to me the most, even though it is fiction, is one of the main characters, an 8-year-old boy, was able to forgive faster than the adults. It brought to my mind about what Jesus said about children. If we could really be like kids in some ways, this whole Christian walk would be so much easier. Kids forgive easier: they may fight like cats and dogs, but they get over it fast, and are soon back to playing together. They trust easier. That is one where I need a lot of work in. They love easily. We can learn so much from them.

Kids are actually the main reason I am moving back to Ohio. I miss all of my family pretty badly, but it is the nieces and nephews I really miss the most. Thats the best part of going home. They all come running to give Uncle Mark a hug, (well, the youngest doesn't quite run to do it yet) and I know I am loved by 6 of the greatest, and cutest kids on the earth. The oldest, Stephanie, will be a teenager this fall, and it seems she misses me the most. I may never have kids of my own, but I want to live a life that they will see Jesus in, and hopefully help in some small way to help them want to live for God.

Until next time, this is the new Rook Champion signing off.

Booth Brothers and Trusting God 2

Well, last night was an awesome night of fun, and being ministered to. Kristin picked Steven and I up a little after 5. We pulled out on Rt 37 right behind Cindy, her parents, and grandmother - what are the odds? We got to the church shortly after 6 - the concert began at 7 - so we got pretty decent seats, though there were a lot of people there already.

I have several Booth Brothers' CDs, but seeing them in person was entirely different. Even the 2 people in our group who almost detest Southern Gospel and just went along for the fun of it, were impressed, and said the group isn't your typical Southern Gospel group and sound. Michael Booth is hilarious. He goofed of a lot, as did the other 2, but they had their serious moments also. I think the highlight song of the night was "Crucified With Christ", a Phillips, Craig, and Dean song, which in my opinion, the Booth Brothers do the best on.

The second half, after intermission, was more informal, and the guys sat on stools for most of it, even Jim Brady while he sang a solo. They did a focus on marriage and 2 of them sang a love song, Ronnie Booth from his solo CD, and Jim Brady from a new CD of classic love songs he and his wife just recorded.

Of the three, I like Jim's singing the best. I guess last night showcased his talent the most for me - the other 2 have solo CDs, so I was able to better pinpoint their voices on the groups' songs, but last night I was able to see him sing on some of the songs he solos on, and see and hear what an amazing singer he really is. I wish he would do a solo CD of his own. If anyone needs a birthday idea for me, I wouldn't mind the other CD he and his wife did, "Our Love Songs".

Ever been in a church service or something similar where you felt a lot of what was said was just for you? I had that experience last night. I will admit, as much of a Southern Gospel music fan I am, I usually view most of what the singers say, as canned, and most likely repeated every night, at every concert. OK, I am jaded and have a sick view of the world. :-)
Anyway, I don't know how often Michael Booth says some of the things he said last night, but it hit me right behind the eyes. I will admit I was fighting tears at one point.

They sang a song called "Trust His Heart". In essence, the song says because of who and what God is, no matter what is going on in your life, He has your best interests in His heart, and to trust His heart, even when you can't see His plan, or trace His hand. He gave a mini sermon that seemed to have my name written all over it. Statements like even when we don't feel like it, God cares and loves us, even when we don't feel like it, He is in control, etc. That no matter what mountain is in our way, whether we made mistakes and put it there, or it is something we didn't ask for, He is still in control, still loves us, and can get us through.

He also talked a lot about how important it is to get into the Bible, and that is the only way to really get to know God and His character better. I can't recap everything that was said, but sufficient to say, I went away with a lot to "chew on". And it made me realize that I have to try harder, no matter what, for I sure don't feel like God cares and will work things out in my life, but God isn't like us, He doesn't hold grudges, and always has a reason for how he works.

After the concert, we all went to Chili's to eat. Our waiter was cool, and dealt well with having a table of 9 people an hour before closing. He joked a lot with us, and did a great job with our service. We had a pretty hilraious time while there. The evening ended on an embarrasing moment for me. I'm not sure how it happened, but when we got up to leave, my feet got tangled with the chair, and down I went. Other than my leg and side hurting for a while, there were no serious injuries, except to my pride. :-)

Kristin was heading home to Chicago from there, so Cindy, Steven, and I rode back to Bloomington with Cindy's brother David and his wife. David is a doctor, but is by no stretch of the imagination a difnified and serious person - he is nuts, and we had a fun trip home. I am thankful I had the chance to go to the concert and hang out with them all - it was what I needed.

Trust His Heart:
Verse 1
All things work for our good though sometimes we don't see how they could. Struggles that break our hearts in two sometimes blinded to the truth. Our Father knows what best for us he ways are not our own. So when your pathway grows dim and you just don't see him remember your never alone.

Chorus
God is to wise to be mistaken God is to good to be unkind. So when you don't understand when you don't his plan when you can't trace his hand trust his heart, trust his heart. (He alone is faithful and true he alone knows what is best for you).

Verse 2
He sees the master plan and he hold our future in his hand so don't live as those who have no hope for our hope is found in him. We see the presently clearly but he see the 1st and the last and like a tapestry he's weaving you and me to someday be just like him

33 Hours, Amy Grant, and Trusting God

This week has been a bummer of a week so far. First, they changed the schedule around at work from what was originally posted, which messed me up for doing much this week in the evenings. It takes me 2 days to get my freight done: Monday and Tuesday. Then I start ordering for the next day on Wednesday and finish up on Thursday. Well, they had no cashier for Tuesday night, so I got to run register all evening while my freight just sat back there - it is suppsosed to be done Tuesday, but they make exceptions when it is convenient for them. I did manage to get the freight done yesterday, but only got about an hour done ordering, which means that I will need the whole night tonight to order, and if they call me to the register much, I will not get it done on time. I just love my job! I swear, if it were easier to find work, and I didn’t just have a few months left, I would sing "Take this job and shove it........."

I am really looking forward to Friday evening. One of my very favorite groups is the Booth Brothers. I have wanted to see them in person for quite some time, but they have never been close enough. Now they are. So in about 33 hours, I will be sitting waiting for the concert to begin. I can’t wait! Even a couple of friends who don’t like Southern Gospel much, like this group. I can’t understand non-Southern Gospel lovers. Did they miss out on the good taste gene or something?!

Speaking of music, I have found myself listening to someone I never thought I would enjoy: Amy Grant. I have some of her Christmas music, and a hymns project, and have a few other songs like El Shaddi, and suddenly realized I liked any song I ever heard her sing, so I got ahold of some more of her stuff, and am really liking her stuff.

Its sad though, how far she has come. I listened to a collection of her greatest inspirational songs, which is pretty much her earlier stuff, then her later stuff, which has good songs, but no spiritual substance. Her music videos are suggestive and sexually charged, and it makes me wonder where she went wrong. What turned an innocent young girl who sang some really good songs, into a pop star who divorced her husband and married her golfing buddy, claiming that nothing happened between them before her marriage ended. Maybe nothing did, but it looks bad. I watched an interview on DVD she did for her new greatest hits CD. Her reason she gave for changing music styles was that she felt she was doing the same thing over and over. Sad.

Is fame and wealth really worth it, if you sell out? I’d love to have more money. I could sure use it right now! But if a lot of money, and a career that makes you famous, takes you away from God, it cannot be worth it. Now I am not saying Amy Grant is not a Christian, but I remain firm in my belief that if a person is a genuine Christian, it will show. If they are a celebrity/singer, etc, it will show in the songs they sing, the things they act in, etc.Who knows what Amy Grant may have accomplished had she remained a Christian singer, and not moved to the pop genre.

There is a song on one of her older albums that I love. Pretty cool song: "Old Man’s Rubble". You can interpret the song to say what you want, I am sure, but for me, it convicts me that I am just sitting back, being depressed and worried, and not really living. I’m not sure how to get on top of things. I still pray, and all that, but inside there is a giant wall of mistrust and unbelief toward God. I wish I could believe that He would make a way for me to move back to Ohio with the funds I need, but I don’t. If I believed that, I would’t worry so much. I worry about my credit problems. What I am going to do in Ohio, where I will live, how will I afford living by myself, and the list goes on. In a way, I am living in an Old Man’s Rubble. It’s tough to get out of it though.

How do people get to the point of trusting God, even when they lose everything? I don’t come close to having the problems some of those people have had, and it boggles my mind. I can point to the place when I started having the most problems. Don’t get me wrong, it is always been an issue, trusting God, believing He really loves me. A few years ago, I hit a point where I was starting to have financial problems. I tried to find a part-time job to help, but had no luck. This one month, I knew if I paid my tithe, I wouldn’t be able to pay all of my bills, but I paid it anyway, and prayed that God would provide the rest of what I needed. It didn’t happen, and from that point on, my finance problems got worse, til now, I have terrible credit, and have collection agencies after my hide. But even worse, what faith I had has been severely damaged ever since.

Why didn’t God provide? I have no idea.I have heard and read so many stories where He did for so many people. Why not me? Had the money come in, would my faith have been stronger then, and now? Only He knows. I just know that living this Christian life has been rough when I’m not sure I matter to Him.

Well, I didn’t mean this post to go so negative. I do want to make it to Heaven, and if I have to go with money problems, and feeling like I am at the bottom of God’s like list, then so be it, as long as I make it there.

Pray for my friend, Kimmy. Her mom has cancer, and it is looking like she doesn’t have long.

Are you living in an old man’s rubble,Are you listening to the father of lies?Are you walking with unnecessary burdens,Are you trying to take them upon yourself?If you are, then you’re living in bondage,And you know that’s bad for your spiritual health.And are you trying to live by your emotions,Are you putting your faith in what you feel and see?Then you’re living just to satisfy your passions,And you better be careful ’cause you’re being deceived.Are you living in an old man’s rubble,Are you listening to the father of lies?If you are then you’re headed for trouble;If you listen too long you’ll eventually die.Are you living in an old man’s rubble,Are you listening to the father of lies?If you are then you’re headed for trouble;If you listen too long you’ll eventually die.Are you puzzled by the way that you’re behaving,Do you wonder why you do the things you do?And are you troubled by your lack of resistance,Do you feel that something’s got a hold on you?Well deep within you, there’s a spiritual battle;There’s a voice of the darkness and a voice of the light.And just by listening, you have made a decision,’Cause the voice you hear is gonna win the fight.Are you living in an old man’s rubble,Are you listening to the father of lies?If you are then you’re headed for trouble;If you listen too long you’ll eventually die.If you’re living as a new creation,If you’re listening to the Father of Light,Then you’re living in a mighty fortress,And you’re gonna be clothed in power and might.But are you living in an old man’s rubble,Are you listening to the father of lies?If you are then you’re headed for trouble;If you listen too long you’ll eventually die.If you’re living as a new creation,If you’re listening to the Father of Light,Then you’re living in a mighty fortress,And you’re gonna be clothed in power and might.But are you living in an old man’s rubble,Are you listening to the father of lies?If you are then you’re headed for trouble;If you listen too long you’ll eventually die.But if you’re living as a new creation,If you’re listening to the Father of Light,Then you’re living in a mighty fortress,And you’re gonna be clothed in power and might.

My Cup Runneth Over (of bitterness)

How long does it take to get over a cold?! It started 12 days ago, and every time I thinl it is over, it starts up again. I have been hacking all day, and thought it was done last night.
Speaking of last night, we had a singles night out planned with a new twist: a fifth person. Cindy, Kristin, Steven, Vern, aka Randy, Cindy and Steven's cousin, and I, met at the Bedford Pizza Hut, then went on to Cindy's place to play "5-man" Rook. A neat twist on the game we usually play with 4 people. For non-Rook players, I will make this simple. Instead of 2 people playing against 2, it is 2 to 3, but it changes every round, and you have no idea who your team mate will be. Whoever wins the bidding, announces that they want the person with the black 1, or green 14, etc, as their team mate. If the person bid high, you sit there and pray that you don't have the card they call!
Sadly, I lost every game. Individual scores are kept instead of teams, since the teams change every round. Everyone but me won a game or more. It just wasn't my night, and I am very bitter about it. Life is so unfair. :-( Actually, I am a good loser - as I proved last night by losing 6 games of Rook. It would have been really, really nice to h ave won a game, but there is always next time. Crazy thing is, it didn't matter if I played cautiously, or recklessly, I still lost! It was a conspiracy!
The night was not without its amusements. It started with one person having trouble getting to Cindy's because she didn't know right from left, but I won't tell who it was......
Then I did my goof: We were halfway through a round when someone noticed I had one too many cards - there are 2 extra cards when 5 people play, they are laid aside and called the "kitty" - I had only laid one card aside, so we had to start over. I don't feel so bad though, later we were all down to 2 cards, the game was nearing the end, when we noticed that Vern had FOUR cards. At some point he had picked up the cards in the "kitty", and put them with his cards, and didn't notice it. So that round got scrapped too.
Cindy and Steven were their usual unbearably proud and boastful selves when they teamed together - someone does really need to take those two down bad in Rook. :-) Please God, let it be me! We had a lot of fun, and did our share of teasing and bragging - well, no bragging on my part, I was the hunble loser........
I have a new author to try: Joel Rosenberg. He has written fiction and non-fiction, but has a Christian fiction series that I hear is phenomenal, The Last Jihad series. My sister Vicki has called me twice about his books, and last night, Cindy's mother was raving about him and passed on his first book for me to read. I actually possess what I thought was his first book, but found out it is actually #3 in the series. Good thing it was on my list of to-read books that I haven't made it to yet.
I do like the 5-man Rook, but it seems my chances of winning are better with 4 people. Maybe not, and last night was just my night to win. If anyone had to lose every game, I guess it was best that it be me. Cindy and Steven would have been weeping and wailing, and we know what a certain other lady did last time we lost bad - it involved a gas stove, carbon monoxide, and a trip to the hospital.........we wouldn't want any repeats. (No, she didn't do that on purpose, but I did tease her about it later that she didn't need to take our losses that night THAT bad....... :-)
Another week lies ahead of us. I always dread a new week, since Mondays, and lately, on through Thursdays at work reek so, but I am trying to keep a more positive attitude. I do have something to look forward to: April 11, some of us are going to go hear the Booth Brothers in concert in Greenwood, IN. I have wanted to see them for some time, as they rank pretty high on my list, but have never got the chance til now. I can't wait. :-) If one hasn't checked into their music, they should. Even my non-Southern Gospel loving friends like their music.
Random trivia for the day, in case you need one: 50 Bibles are sold every minute.
Well, that is enough for this installment in the life and times of me. Til next time!

Spring Is Here!

Today was awesome weather-wise, hitting about 60 here. After I got out of Dante's Inferno (aka Hobby Lobby), I stopped and got some meat to grill. It was perfect weather for grilling, and all day long the image of chicken grilling on the grill played in my mind. Unfortunately, chicken wasn't on sale, so I got a good deal on some steaks instead, which was pretty good. Added to that was the potatoes I fried with peppers and onions, it was a great Spring day meal!

Now I am sure, we will end up getting more nasty weather before Spring actually arrives, but let me enjoy it while I can. :-)

I am finally recovering from a bad cold I have had for a week. The week-end was the worst, I felt drained and exhausted from it, and had it not been Easter Sunday, would have stayed in bed Sunday morning. I have been accused of passing it on to two people, hope no one else. :-)

My sister Pam is often calling me with amusing things my nephews said. The latest one really tickled me. They are having special revival services at their church and have to keep the preacher and his wife, a young couple they know well, at their house. Tonight after church, Josiah (6) was changing out of his church clothes, and the following conversation occurred between he and his mom: "Mommy, we shouldn't let the company see us without our clothes, right?" Pam said that was right, and Joey said "because it wouldn't be polite?", Pam said "well, not that", trying to think of the right word, Joey said, "cause it would be rude?", Pam said "well, not really rude, " before she could come up with "proper", he sighed and said "Moms aren't as smart as dads - you need to go back to college, Mommy!" Pam was still laughing as she told me on the phone.

Speaking of Josiah, they were afraid for awhile that he may have asthma, so they had him checked out yesterday, and he doesn't have it, thank God. The doctor kept having him blow in some device, and he told the doctor he was wasting his breath. :-) You never know what kids are going to say.

Work still has me down, but I try to leave work at work. I just dread going in daily anymore.

This whole election thing is scary. I always vote Republican, not because I am a hard core Republican, but because I am a hard core conservative, and the Republicans usually stand for what is important to me as a Christian, which boils down to picking the lesser of the evils. This election, the evils are not that far apart. On one hand, you have Hillary. I still firmly believe she and her hubby had several people wacked, such as Vince Foster, and she stands for everything I am against. I don't care what church she goes to, or how Christian she tries to sound, she can't fool me. She is pure evil. And can you imagine her in charge of oiur military? That makes me shudder.

Then you have Obama. When you start to read about his followers, it starts to sound like a cult. He won't put his hand on his heart for the national anthem - do we want a president who won't do a simple patriotic gesture like that? I also think he has more Muslim ties than he wants to admit, and it scares me what he could be capable of if he gets in. Islam could very well be what destroys America, and he could play a hand in that.

And lastly, we have McCain, a Democrat in Republican's clothing. He, along with the other two dimwits, is buying into the global warming myth. He is also weak on abortion and other issues important to Christians, but he is most likely the lesser of 3 evils. He is a patriot, and won't hand us over to another country, or sell secrets to other countries.

Thing is, we are getting closer to the end of time, and things are supposed to get worse. Also, America isn't the wickedest country out there - check out Amsterdam, for instance, but we used to be a Christian nation, and we have fallen hard and far from what we used to be. We kill thousands of innocent babys every year. We are trying to remove God from all parts of life. And Christians have sat back and done nothing. Even worse, a lot of Christians have focused on the wrong things - wars, the economy, etc, and voted in evil men who stand for nothing we believe in.

I didn't mean to get political, but this election worries me. We just could get what we deserve as a country in this election.

On a brighter note, I found a celebrity I am actually impressed with: Kirk Cameron. He is one of a very few people in Hollywood who seems to actually live his faith. I don't mean to judge, but I believe a true Christian will live differently, and people will know. They won't sing just any style of music, write just any kind of book, be in just any kind of movie, etc. Kirk isn't in many movies anymore, but is careful about what he appears in, works hard to evangelize, and is outspoken about his faith. I was on the international movie database today reading up on him, and was reading comments left on the message boards, and there were a lot of vicious things said about him on there. Is it any surprise? If we do live a life pleasing to God, it isn't going to bring applause from the world. How many other celebrities who claim to be Christians who don't live it, do you think draw criticism like Kirk Cameron does? I doubt any. And I am not saying I approve of a Christian being in Hollywood, but if they are, things are going to be different.

Well, I am going to crawl down from my soapbox and find something constructive to do. :-)

Last Night

This past week has been Holy Week, and I have tried in all the trials of life and work - mainly trials of work :-), to focus on that. Maundy Thursday (whatever that means!), Good Friday, and upcoming Easter/Resurrection Sunday.
I had one disapointment this year. I like to take in a Passion Play to help get my focus on the real meaning of Easter, but couldn't seem to find one in the area. You would think that in a town the size of Bloomington that there would be a church somewhere that was having one, but that didn't seem to be the case. Bloomington isn't much smaller than Boardman, Ohio, and there were usually at least two churches there putting one on, even using camels and the like.
Since I had no Passion Play to go to, I focused on my Easter music, and no, not Jeff and Sheri Easter, though they rank among my favorites. :-) I have compiled several songs that have to do with Easter on an Easter playlist. "I've Just Seen Jesus", "Because He Lives", "Via Dolorosa", and several others.
A new one added this year has become a favorite, "Last Night", recorded by Karen Peck and New River - yes, Southern Gospel, but is a really good song.

Verse 1

Last night the disciples had supper with Jesus
Their last meal together before He was betrayed
After prayer in the garden He was arrested
Tortured and questioned until the next day
That day the mob cried out "Crucify Him!
The sweet Rose of Sharon was crushed on the cross
A rich man named Joseph took care of the body
While Mary and loved ones mourned their precious loss

Chorus:

Last night they buried the Rose in the garden
The fragrance of sorrow hung thick in the air
Satan was breathing a sigh of relief
While angels were silently bearing their grief
God knew that His Son would arise with great power
But for now He was waiting and counting the hours.

Verse 2

Mary and Martha spent the third morning
Gathering spices and watched for sunrise
The disciples were hiding, defeated and grieving
Too distraught to remember Christ said He would rise
The soldiers were sleeping outside of the grave
Unaware that their prisoner was stirring inside
The stone rolled away, Jesus stepped from the darkness
The dawning of grace had finally arrived

Chorus 2

This morning the Rose blooms in the garden
The sweet fragrance of victory still fills the air
Last night there was weeping with no consolation
But this morning rejoicing in the God of salvation
Today there is hope in the morning light
What a difference God made between now and last night

Tag:

No matter how hopeless and final the night
It has to give way to the Son of pure light

I cannot imagine the feelings the disiples and others were feeling. Here their hoped for Messiah and Savior was dead, all hope was gone. Talk about your sleepless nights, I am sure there wasn't much sleeping going on that week-end, and as the song says, what a difference in Sunday morning and Saturday night.
This really shows how stupid the devil is. You would think of all that he had seen God do down through the centuries, that when Jesus said He would arise in three days that he could really stop that? Imagine his shock when his evil plans only brought about God's greatest plan: redemption. There could be no redemption had Christ not died and rose again, and do rise, He had to die, something Satan brought about. The very author of evil himself helped to bring about God's greatest work of all - how ironic for him!
I was reading that devout Catholics in the Phillipines are actually having themselves beaten, and some actually nailed to crosses to commemorate Christ's crucifixion. I sure am not going to do anything like that. I will simply sit back, listen to my Easter music, contemplate on the greatest event the world has ever known, and go to church tomorrow to rejoice in a risen Savior - something no other religion in the world can say. Their gods are all dead, but ours lives on forever.