PRAISE FOR THE SPRINGTIME

• Oh, the joy of springtime--it's my favorite time of year when the grays and browns of winter finally disappear. And this winter was a LONG one!
• It made me think of Isaiah's words, "The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus,
  it will burst into bloom" (Isaiah 35:2).
• The plants & trees & flowers that are blooming now in the Northwest are magnificent and everywhere I look, dig, plant & mow I can see His magnificent sense of beauty & design & artistry & praise Him for it. How about you?
• My favorite of His blooming creations are the Prunus Serrulata Kwanzaan cherry trees in front of our garage windows and along our backyard path. And when the blossoms begin to lose their petals, it's the softest, pale pink rain you've ever seen.
• So many reasons to "Bless the Lord My Soul." The song below is one of my favorites from the musical, "Godspell."

BLESSED EASTER

• What a Blessed Easter Sunday to not only hear the foundation of our faith that God has raised Jesus from the dead in acceptance of His Son's perfect life and all-sufficient sacrifice in our place,
• but also to receive His Holy Supper for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith and the joyous assurance that "because He lives, we will live also!"
• Wonderful music, wonderful hymns, wonderful breakfast, lots of guests at our services!
• And then just a little nap with a cozy little fleece blanket made for me by two of our children in the congregation, Jefferson & Serena, before heading to the family dinner.
• Blessings to you all! And Hallelujah! He is King of kings and Lord of lords and He shall reign forever and ever!

RANSOM

• Today ended with our Good Friday Tenebrae service, one of my favorite of the year, simply because through its music, Scripture readings from the Passion of our Lord, and choral selections confronts us with the starkness of our sins and the clarity of God's overwhelming love for us in Christ on the cross.
• Lord, thank You for caring so deeply for a world that strayed so far from You, for me, a servant so unwilling, so proud, so undeserving of Your attention, let alone Your love and forgiveness!
• May Your kindness continue to lead us to repentance before You (Romans 2:14) as we look forward to celebrating Your Easter and living as Your people to share Your Love and Wisdom.
• This song, "Ransom" by Farrell and Farrell says it all.

PEACE & MERCY

• I recently discovered the music of The Priests (self-titled CD).
• "Pie Jesu" has become one of my favorite pieces, and it brings a real peace each time I hear it. May it do so for you too. In fact, we will play it during the distribution of the Lord's Supper this Maundy Thursday evening. Here are the lyrics & translation:
• "Pie Jesu" (Lord, have mercy)
• "Qui tollis peccata mundi" (You who take away the sins of the world)
• "Dona eis requiem" (Grant them peace)
• "Agnus Dei" (Lamb of God)
• "Sempiternam, sempiternam requiem" (Peace everlasting, everlasting)
• "My peace I give you" Jesus says, even in the midst of our world's chaos.

SMELLS & SOUNDS OF NEW LIFE

• Oh! What a beautiful 72 degree Puget Sound day with just the slightest breeze!
• Perfect for yard work, raking (& discovering two garter snakes under a pile of leaves), trimming ivy, planting alyssum & violas at the base of my tree roses, replacing worn-out trellises to hold our climbing roses above the pond, & digging out wild blackberries from the edge of the property.
• And in the few moments of resting, the smells and sounds of spring: the fresh, moist earth; the red peony stalks poking up like new asparagus; the neighbor children playing in their backyard; the rushing water of the cascading fountain; the 1/2" peeper frogs chattering endlessly; the neighbor mowing his yard; another neighbor putting together a swing and playset for his little kids; the robins enjoying the bugs exposed by the leaves having been raked away; a beautiful blue sky w/ just a few clouds; and me, glad to be alive. Are you grateful for His gift of life? For the very air we breathe? Listen to Avalon sing, "Oxygen," from their CD by the same name.
• "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord" (Psalm 150:6).

BELLS CALLING US TO WORSHIP

• Recently we were in So. California to hear Ethan in his spring choral concert, and one day when he was in classes, we drove south to visit San Juan Capistrano, where the swallows return every year, and we enjoyed touring the Mission, parts of which still stand from the early days before our nation was formed. This is one of the original bells that still rings.
• Sad that we've come to the point where the bells no longer call us to worship the Lord. There was a time when they rang, that everyone laid down their tasks and took the priority to enter God's house and hear His Word, to
• "Worship the LORD (not oneself as most often happens in our culture) in the splendor of His holiness (only possible if we're willing to acknowledge and repent of our sin); tremble before Him, all the earth (because although we should be destroyed and eternally condemned for our sin, because of Christ, we are allowed to ENTER His presence and enjoy a relationship with Him" (Psalm 96:9).
• Do you enjoy that relationship yet? What's it like living with Him?

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD

• I'm years late, (what's new?) but I've recently discovered the beautiful music of the Taize Community in France--simple chanting of Scripture passages--a mode of music that has been around since the Church began.
• Its simplicity and repetition brings a focus, a "slowing down," an energy and priority and sense of God's perspective as opposed to our skewed view of things that all too often, sets things awry.
• In the following song, "Confitemini Domino" from the CD, "Songs of Taize--O Lord, Hear My Prayer and My Soul is at Rest--Vol. 1"), the repetition & simplicity of the music did exactly that for me after having a very difficult but but very necessary conversation with another Christian.
• Isn't it amazing that God's Holy Spirit can find us on a parking lot, dry our tears, calm our hearts and even if things don't work out the way we hope, still lead us to speak & sing the truth: "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever!" (Psalm 36:1).
• Was it Meister
  Eckhart who said, "If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘thank
  you,’ it will be enough."
• The Latin words to the song go like this: "Confitemini Domino, quoniam bonus ("Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good) Confitemini Domino, Alleluia" (Give thanks to the Lord, Alleluia--Praise Him!" See if you don't find yourself singing along!
• How has He shown You His goodness today?

WHY DID YOU DO THIS FOR ME?

• I found this beautiful ceramic painting below of Christ in Deruta, Tuscany, Italy and couldn't resist its beauty.
• "If God is for us, (and He is!) who can be against us? (No one! Neither me, my own worst critic, nor eventhe devil himself!) He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? (Indeed, He will! Look at all He has blessed us with!) (Romans 8:31-32).
• Lord, You endured all this for me? The crucifixion, the suffering, the dying, the being rejected by Your Father . . . just in order to save me! What wondrous love IS this that would sacrifice all to bring me, a sinner, back into a relationship with Your holy Father!
• What response can I make, but repent of my sins and desire to live a life that honors You and bring You glory?
• Enjoy this song by Michael Card, "Why?" (from his CD, "Known By the Scars.")