Compassion Sunday

This Sunday, I will be handling the Compassion Sunday event at our church. I am so excited.

This will be the opportunity for members of my community and church family to sponsor a child living in poverty, and to change their lives forever. But you know, I have to say something. I know Compassion is all about changing the lives of children and "releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name." But I don't think that's entirely true. Okay, it's not the whole truth.



Because I would almost venture to say that the lives of our family have been changed even more.

I use a lot of words to say nothing.

I can easily say this has been our laziest, most relaxing Spring Break ever. I have slept in almost everyday (ranging from 7:30am to *ahem* 10:30am), we've hung out by the (dirty) pool and gotten sun, and we've spent 3 hours at the park- in one day. Yes, I can confidently say I am sucking every ounce of life out of this Spring Break.

I have been pretty diligent in my quest to eat well and workout everyday, despite the kids' Easter candy calling my name. And I can say with pride that the only casualties have been every last Mini Robin Egg- and what the kids don't know won't hurt them. Man are those things addicting (the candy, not the kids).

Tonight Big Hunk and I are volunteering with Compassion at the Rock & Worship Roadshow. I can't wait. I don't know if I'm more excited to see bands like David Crowder Band and MercyMe, or to help out with Compassion. I have just become so passionate about Compassion and want to help out in anyway I can. On April 18 I am handling the Compassion Sunday event at our church and I am so excited to see the Lord work. I received my box of CS gear yesterday, and it humbled me when I saw the stacks and stacks of kids looking for sponsors. Such beautiful faces, living in such dire circumstances. One of the boys, probably about 13, brought me to tears. His face just looked so sad and it looked like he had lived such a hard life. He's probably seen things no child ever should.

But I am so thankful for organizations like Compassion that are striving to change the very lives- and eternities- of these children. Giving them a hope and a reason to smile. Just letting them know that they are loved- not just by these families that sponsor them, but also by a Creator that knows every hair on their head. The two boys we sponsor have changed our lives- I so look forward to seeing families in our church changed the same way.

So anyway, I went on a little tangent there- I just wanted to say I am so excited about the concert tonight. ;) I just have a lot of words that jumble it all up.

I'll leave this (somewhat) brief and share a couple photos. Those speak a lot more than I do.

I'll let that visual marinate for a bit

I started P90X (again) last night. Let's just say that nothing motivates you to workout more than seeing your own "before" photos.

An Easter rundown.

*I forgot to add in the link for the crack dip at the end of the post. It's there now. You're welcome. Believe me, you don't want to miss it.*

I don't even know how to function this morning. Being it's almost noon, I think I should figure it out. Case in point: I've had to backspace about 12 times just in these 3 sentences because I can't type right. It's going to be a long day.

We had an awesome Easter. But it always feels like a wedding day- you know when you build-up to holidays and look forward to them so much, then they are just over too quickly?

We had a wonderful Good Friday; I spent it at home with the kiddos (still can't remember where the day went), then service at church that night. It was a POWERFUL night. It was beautiful. Everyone involved with the service was dressed in black, and the stage held a wooden cross with  a purple sash and a crown of thorns. Simple, yet so symbolic of our Lord's last hours. Our pastor always has this way of taking a sermon you've heard a thousand times and getting it to you in a new way. I will never grow tired of the way he does that. He walked out to the pulpit on Friday and started with "My name is Cornelius...." He proceeded to tell the story of Jesus' torture and crucifixion from the point of view of one of the Roman centurions. It was amazing. I can never say enough how thankful I am that God brought us to that church- and I wish He had done it sooner! ;-) I realize now we held onto our old church for a long time simply because of the friendships forged there and the ministries we enjoyed, rather than what we should have been getting.

I cleaned ALL day Saturday- and don't think for a second that I'm not embarrassed mentioning that I needed to clean all day, because I am. I realize now that if maybe, perhaps, I had been cleaning the way I should be, my house would not have needed a complete overhaul the day before Easter company. Quite embarrassing. And exhausting. Between cleaning and preparing side dishes for Easter, I was up until 12:30am, then had to get up at 5am Sunday.

I served in the Easter choir at church and it was so awesome. There is just something about a group of 45 people gathering together with the sole (soul?) purpose of singing praises to the Lord that gets my blood going. Songs that we had rehearsed and perfected every week for a couple months finally found an audience- an audience of One. An Audience that had given His life up on the cross for our salvation, and here we were proclaiming His name and glory to anyone that would listen. It was beautiful. I was so sad when our two services were over and it was time to go home.

We spent the afternoon with friends and my parents. It all went so quickly. We barbecued and watched "Old Dogs" (even funnier when you watch it with someone that laughed so hard they almost peed), and had the hunt for a-gazillion-eggs with 4 little ones. I don't know when I stopped knowing how to count, but even after the kids each had their allotted 18 eggs each, we still had many left over. Not that they were complaining. I'm pretty sure I'll still find eggs out there in June when I decorate for Ikey's birthday.

My night came to an end with this lazy butt falling asleep on the couch while Big Hunk watched "Bean". Let it be known that it is still one of the funniest movies and had nothing to do with my need to pass out. I made it into my bed by 10pm, and proceeded to sleep until 10am while the kids played XBox in the next room. All the running around finally caught up with me.

We are now on Spring Break and I can think of nothing more inviting than spending a full 5 days enjoying my kids' company and having fun with NO school responsibilities. That is, after I finish the dishes from our Easter get-together.

I just need to know how I'm supposed to resist the candy, brownies and crack dip that are plaguing my house now? I'm going to start P90X today and after being completely disciplined with my eating and working out the past few weeks, I let myself have a day off yesterday. Now all I want are those mini Reese's my mom so kindly left (not). BH will be taking those to work tomorrow because I DO NOT need them calling my name anymore. I've been good today. So far.

What Day Did Jesus Die?

I posted this last year, but wanted to repost it. I love to know the whole story about stuff like this, and love when it's explained for me. :) I hope you're having an awesome Passion Week! This is no doubt my very favorite time of year. I can't wait for the Good Friday service at church, and our super cool Easter services. I am in the choir this year and I am so excited for Sunday, where we'll be accompanied by a mini-orchestra. I love Easter!!

Happy Good Thursday! :-)

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"Many people have been confused concerning the day of the death of Jesus. We know it was the day before the Sabbath, because the Jews wanted to get Him off the cross before the Sabbath. So traditionally people have believed Jesus died on Friday afternoon. But He had said He would be dead for three days and three nights, and we know He rose on Sunday morning, so that would only be two nights. Several explanations have been offered, but this passage here gives us a possible clue.

John tells us "that Sabbath was a high day." The day after Passover was the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was always considered a high Sabbath, no matter what day of the week it fell on. It was a special Sabbath day.

So I believe that Jesus was actually crucified on a Thursday, on the Day off Passover, with the next day, Friday, being the High Sabbath, the following day being the normal Saturday Sabbath, and the third day being Easter Sunday, the day He rose from the dead. This makes three days and nights. It also explains why His followers couldn't come to the tomb to anoint His body until three days later, as they couldn't do that on either Sabbath. We still celebrate the traditional Good Friday, but technically I believe it should be Good Thursday. "

Pastor Chuck Smith, Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa
an excerpt from The Word for Today Bible