The Beautiful Garden

There is a beautiful garden.
The most beautiful garden in all the world.
The sun never stops shining and love and joy will forever grow.
The tears have been shed, The bloody sweat poured out.
The work is finished.
It is ready for all to enter.
The price is free.

All are welcome into this garden.
It is a place where all hearts find True Love and Joy!
Forever!
Happiness forever!
Joy forever!
And it's for YOU!
All sins have been washed away by the Gardener~
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

"The hour in Gethsemane I never shall forget,
When Christ alone the battle fought,
In grief and bloody sweat.
Gethsemane, Gethsemane, 
I must remember thee,
Where God's eternal Son I saw
In pray'r on bended knee."

"When I among the solemn trees,
In spirit gazed around;
I saw the burden of my sin
On him with judgment bound.
Gethsemane, Gethsemane, 
I must remember thee,
Where God's eternal son I saw
In pray'r on bended knee."

"I saw Him tempted to despair,
By anguish, grief, bent low;
The depth of pain He suffered there
No man can fully know.
Gethsemane, Gethsemane,
I must remember thee,
Where God's eternal Son I saw
In pray'r on bended knee."

"If ever. Lord, my love to Thee
Should cold and fruitless be,
O show me in Gethsemane
Thy suff'ring there for me.
Gethsemane, Gethsemane,
I must remember thee.

Where God's eternal Son I saw
In pray'r on bended knee."
               Author unknown

The story of our Lord's agony in the garden can be found in Luke 23:41-44.
Be happy!
There is no need to fear! 
The agony turns to Joy on Easter morning where the angel at the empty tomb proclaims:

"He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."  Luke 24:6, 7

Grief turned to JOY!
The promise of that Beautiful Garden!

May all Hearts be filled with Neverending Love, Joy, Praise and Thanksgiving this Easter!
You are all So Loved!

*All drawings done by my children

An Easter Wish

I know it's been awhile since I've written. 
For a while I thought maybe it's already been written somewhere else.
Do I have anything worth sharing that hasn't already been said?
Deep in my heart I feel a tug to continue writing on this bit of space.
Maybe some tiny word will bring a bit of light to someone's heart!
Maybe.
I am willing, though slow I am. (tiny sigh)

But my heart feels happy!
Easter is here!
Such a beautiful story God has written with the blood of His precious Son!

Our little home school had each child read aloud an Easter poem.
Michael Hague's Family Easter Treasury is a beautiful book with beautiful illustrations and wonderful stories and poems of Easter.

Here are a few we read:

An Easter Wish
Anonymous

May the glad dawn
of Easter morn
Bring joy to thee.

May the calm eve
Of Easter leave
A peace divine with thee.

May Easter night
On thine heart write,
O Christ, I live for thee.


Easter's Coming
Aileen Fisher

Through the sunshine,
through the shadow,
down the hillside, 
down the meadow.
little streams
run bright and merry,
bursting with the news
they carry,
singing, shouting,
laughing, humming,
"Easter's coming,
Easter's coming!"


The Gospel According to St. Matthew 28:1-6:

 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.  
And behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

May your hearts be filled with hope and happiness this Easter!

Sheep and Lambs

I took the children to the petting farm yesterday and we fell in love with the lambs frolicking in the farmyard.

Our one-year old squealed with delight! We were all squealing with delight!

They were so adorable~frolicking without a care in the world!

We were just so happy to be there at the farm on a sunny Spring day watching these darling little animals play!

A mama sheep was in labor! We will be heading back to the farm today to see if her babies were born!

I came across this poem as I was looking for something appropriate for Easter. It is from an old book I picked up from a used book sale years ago~"Poems for Red Letter Days"

Sheep and Lambs by Katharine Tynan Hinkson

All in the April morning,

April airs were abroad;

The sheep with their little lambs

Pass'd me by on the road.

The sheep with their little lambs

Pass'd me by on the road;

All in an April evening

I thought on the Lamb of God.

The lambs were weary, and crying

With a weak human cry,

I thought on the Lamb of God

Going meekly to die.

Up in the blue, blue mountains

Dewy pastures are sweet:

Rest for the little bodies,

Rest for the little feet.

All in the April evening,

April airs were abroad;

I saw the sheep with their lambs

And thought on the Lamb of God.

Have a beautiful Easter!

A Happy Easter To You

Easter is such a precious time of year!

Hearts filled with hope of an even more precious Heaven!

How lucky we are that we have a Saviour that 'laid down his life for his friends'!

There is no greater love!

Easter is a beautiful reminder of That Love!

A Love that covers all sins, delivers hope to the downtrodden, strength for the weary!

O Happy Day!

O Happy Day!

O Happy Day!

The Day Before Easter

What do you do on the day before Easter?

Lenny and I had some nice poached eggs on toast this morning (fresh eggs from wonderful neighbors).
I put a pan of Pannukkaku in the oven along with a pan of Baked Oatmeal to feed all of the extra kids that happened to spend the night last night.
I am going to run to Target as soon as I get off of this computer to pick up a few last minute treats.
And then to Kroger for some aluminum pie tins for the pies I will bring to church tomorrow.

Bake the pies.
Strawberry-rhubarb for church, banana cream pie for home.

Last minute sewing.
Happens every year.
I sew for the little girls and our 3 teenage daughters sew for themselves.
A little hemming, maybe a zipper to help with.
We always say we will get them done earlier this year, but, alas, the same 'ol story!

I made a big pot of chili last night so dinner is done for today.
Lay out the clothes, hair stuff, etc. for morning church.

I will force myself to boil a cup of tea and enjoy it on the front porch so I can reflect on this beautiful time and just take in this lovely weather!

Plan on going to church services tonight and leaving the younger children home so they can get to bed early.


I better get going!
Have a great day!

Joyous Easter

Easter is my favorite holiday!

A time of love and hope,

Believing that all our sins are forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood!

He died on the cross for all!

Oh, how our hearts are full of thankfulness!

Here are but just a few precious words from a few of my favorite hymns:

"Easter is our day of great festivity,

When the Lamb was offered for our sins to free

Through His precious blood which flowed on Calvary,

Clothing us with righteousness and purity.

Dearest Jesus, Praises

sing my tongue and soul to Thee,

Sing, Hosanna, Amen."

"My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine,

For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;

My gracious Redeemer, My Saviour art Thou,

If ever I loved Thee, My Jesus 'tis now.

I Love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,

And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;

I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I'll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,

And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;

And say when the death-dew lies cold on my brow.

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,

I'll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;

I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now."

~May you all have a blessed Easter, knowing our Dear Saviour, Jesus Christ died for you and that all sins are forgiven in His Name and Precious Blood!

Oh, what a joyous time!