Good Friday - What Does It Mean?

For years, I would hear the words, "Good Friday" and not understand what they meant. This was, of course, before I was a Christian, and by that, I mean a true Christian. When I would hear those words, I thought it had something to do with the Catholic church. I never understood.

Now I understand. I understand the pain my Lord went through when He took the weight of our sins, past, present and future, of the whole world, on Himself. I understand that He was brutally whipped and tortured. I understand that He was nailed to a cross - unable to fully take a breath - and in agony. I understand. I understand.

My heart can scarcely take it in. When I think on this, as I often do, for it is the great sacrifice, I easily get tears in my eyes and my heart constricts. To be loved so fully that He - God - would allow Himself to be put through this! How can we comprehend this? It's the most loving act that mankind has ever seen, or will see. Through this loving gesture, God gave us the ability to have eternal life! By sacrificing His only Son (John 3:16), He gave us a road to redemption. All we have to do is accept His gift.

I ponder at the reasons why so many do not accept this gift. For me, the gift is a must. For me, Jesus is my everything. Without Him, I cannot live - either in this life and certainly not the one to come. It is only through Him that we have this gift of eternal life. I wonder at those to scorn Him or ridicule Him. I cannot comprehend that someone would not fully rejoice at this gift that He so openly and freely gives.

My heart is full today. I look at all I have been through in this past year and I marvel at His gifts and His timing. I am most thankful that when others abandoned me, He did not. He was there by my side when my heart was breaking and when I felt alone, He made His presence known to me. He worked everything out in His perfect way and continues to do so.

Good Friday is just that. It is the goodness of God in that He loves us so, He provided a way for us to come to Him. I am so thankful for accepting His gift. If you haven't, would you please do so today? If you're not sure how to go about it, please go HERE to fully understand this beautiful, life-giving gift.

Many blessings- Julie

Tears Yet Joy

There have been a lot of tears shed here. Shed over the illness of my beloved, Holly.

Shed over the exhaustion I feel every moment of every day. Shed over the pain I'm still experiencing with my surgeries.

I hold dear to my heart Psalm 30:5...that weeping will remain for a night but rejoicing comes in the morning. In other words, this too shall pass, and my Savior will be holding my hand and comforting me through all this as He refines me for His purpose.

Holly is now just eating rice and fresh, baked chicken. I am trying to help her by giving her easily digestible foods. She amazed me yesterday by playing with a toy with me and I took a video of it so I'll have it. There she was, wearing her cone, playing with a duck the same size as her! These are the joyous moments I hang onto. She doesn't seem to be really sick or anything - if she were, I would be making a different decision, but it is hard to see all those tumors growing on her tummy and knowing her time is short with me. I treasure each and every moment with her. Okay, enough of this or I'll be crying my eyes out again....

I did crochet today! It was so wonderful to pick up a hook again and work on something. I'm doing another prayer shawl for myself and will post a picture as soon as I have more than a few rows done.

I laid down yesterday to take a nap because I was hoping to go to Good Friday services, but I ended up being so exhausted and feeling so sick I slept for 3 hours! I knew I wouldn't be able to go when I got home from my therapy, but I so wanted to and I did try. However, God knows my heart is with Him and I am so thankful for what Jesus did for me. It is because of Him that I can go on.

Blessings - Julie

Good Friday

                                  MARK 15:24-39 24And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews." 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 29 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save yourself, and come down from the cross!" 31 So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe."Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.33 And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 35 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, "Behold, he is calling Elijah." 36 And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down." 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"   Today we remember our Lord, Jesus and how He gave up His precious, blameless life for us so that we could have eternal life. Oh, how my heart is so full that our Lord cared and loved us so much that He suffered, yes suffered, and died for us. Thank you, Jesus, for giving your life.  Thank you, Lord, for giving your son.  My life is yours.
God bless you - Julie