“The RoseBouquet”

I wish you a blessed and very happy Easter! May you take great joy from knowing that Jesus rose again from the dead. This means death’s door is not permanently slammed shut after us either! We can be resurrected!

I suppose you have your Easter plans all in place, right? Sometimes tradition is so ingrained that you don’t have to worry about much planning. You know your family always celebrates this holiday in a certain way.

In years past we used to discuss by phone a week or two ahead, with extended family to see which ones were coming “home” for Easter weekend. In more recent years, it’s just been Dad and me, and since my brother Tom is in a wheelchair, it was less fuss and bother to pack up a good meal and take it to visit him in his apartment in the city. I think that is going to happen again, except that this time it will be just Tom and me.

I’d like to take him for a drive to see my little mint green dream house, but I’m not sure if I dare lift his wheelchair into the trunk yet. My T6 vertebrae might scream up in pain. However, I’m sure the Lord knows a way around that.

In this area we are all - (well perhaps not the kids, and a few other impatient sorts) - grateful that we are having a slow spring thaw. The temperatures are not very warm yet, but even when below freezing at 0 C, and with chilly breezes, the snow is evaporating and disappearing. We prefer that to having it melt too fast, sink down to the water table under ground and come up in our basements.

Dad’s sump pump has done some work, but it seems to need some physical help sometimes. I try to check it a couple of times a day. Just in case.

Last week I had two more realtors visit this house, and the asking price kept rising nicely. I notified the siblings and the votes have come in. However, my lionness sister is still saying that we should not list this house until I have a possession date for mine. Stalemate?

This morning I see definite hints of God at work in a new way to get me there. Praise God, He is never stuck!

The church is not likely to have a fundraiser for me at all now. I’ve been reminded that Revenue Canada frowns on using a churches charitable status for giving out receipts.

I asked the Lord how to pray and was directed to simply praise and thank Him. It is getting easier every day as I focus on Him and not on people. Although I am sure He will use people to deliver the funds. My faith is increasing! I hope to have more definite news after Easter!

Meantime, I’m making progress with packing up room by room. This week I’m trying to tidy up Dad’s workshop so that when the auctioneers come to size up how much is for sale, they will actually be able to see the power tools, wrenches, and screwdrivers. through the clutter.

You are probably getting many links from your friends to special Easter greeting web pages. Some people are really taken with these lovely pages, and others can let them go. I don’t have time to create and send out such a page, and I don’t want to burden those who would rather not bother, but for those who like a beautiful web page with a fine poem or two, you’ll want to try these links.

The first one, if you have the right plugins on your computer, will show you a fine movie; One Solitary Life

The next four are just some of the hundreds of impressive Easter art and inspirational poetry.

Easter Blessings by RuthAnn1

Easter1 at Bonnie’s Place

Easter Blessings by Sunshine

The Pine Tree Crosses (This last one has a unique story that I liked, even though the graphics are not so dramatic).

There are doors we can only see with our spiritual eyes.
Some have locks and keys, with no window at all.
We don’t always know when we are sealed away.
Betimes when a door is opened to us, - we’re surprised.

If only we could see all the doors that stand wide open.
How much choice there is! - We could go peek inside.
Lots of intangible doors stand ajar most welcomingly.
If only we’d notice them, and check them out - hope’n.

Some day we’ll walk through tomb doors and even a wall,
as Jesus showed at Easter time, but for now we learn
to recognize those intangible doors, and discern
which, upon entering, will usher us into a new life’s hall.

Perhaps even yet, we shall learn how to knock or unlock
those more difficult intangible doors of great opportunity,
a spacious place to grow, or just from our dungeon be free.
Oh for spiritual eyes to see the real doors, and the mock!

I know who can help us improve our discerning insight.
He can show our prison door keys, and lead us out.
He will show us which doors bear considerable knocking
and which ones lead to love, joy, peace and healing light.

(c)2007 - Ruth Marlene Friesen

The same day as the above incident with the Pharisees, Sadducees, who taught there was no resurrection, came to question Jesus. The Bible doesn’t say it was a trick question, but it certainly looked like one. The answer they got surprised them, and all who heard it.

Their question came in the form of a dilemma related to their Jewish law; when a man who died without issue (descendants), the next brother must take the woman to wife, to create at least one child on the older brother’s behalf. However, in this story seven brothers in turn, each married this woman (imagine their fear and trepidation when they saw this trend), and each brother died.

What the Sadducees worried about was, assuming there was a resurrection, (remember, they taught there was none), whose wife would she be?

Jesus said they did not understand the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection, when we live with God in Heaven for the rest of eternity, there will be no marriage or family structure. We will be there as individuals, because of our personal relationship and salvation experience with God. There will no need to procreate and care for babies. Rather, like the angels, we will spend eternity worshiping God and fellowshipping with one another.

On the topic of resurrection, Jesus added another great thought. “Haven’t you read,” He asked, “that God says, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ Present tense. He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

This simple logic astonished all who heard it. Sure enough - if God is still God of people who have passed away from this life, then there must be life beyond death! With that the Sadducees had no reason to exist as a theological sect any more.

PRAYER: Ah, You ARE the God of the living! I’m so glad I have heard correct teaching on this point. Even if I had not, reading this should set me straight. I praise You for that resurrection life I will have after death. I want to start praising You more now!

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. What kind of things do you say when someone you know is dying of cancer? Or do you stay away? Ruthe was tense as a violin, but she stayed, and prayed, and the right words came to her! Watch how she handles such situations in the book, Ruthe’s Secret Roses.

The Pharisees were angry enough to send men out in the crowds that followed Jesus, to set traps for Him with questions. King Herod’s men were sent to do the same. Some of them tried to flatter Jesus with compliments, about how He was a great Teacher, sent from God, and He wasn’t swayed by men, then presented a question for His opinion; is it right to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

But Jesus knew their intentions. He said bluntly, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?” Still, He asked them to show Him a coin used to pay the tax. They brought him a denarius. Jesus held it up and asked, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

Jesus came back with His marvelous answer. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

His attackers were amazed and turned away. If we look at this answer carefully we can come away amazed too.

It is our government which produces our money. They have a right to tax us for governing our nation and seeing to our peace with other countries. By the same token, God made us as individuals, as a human race. We owe Him our very lives! Are we as concerned about giving God His due as we are about paying our taxes to our governments at all levels? Just how would we give God ourselves at that? Do we ever think about this?

PRAYER: Lord, I confess, although I have thought of giving myself as a living sacrifice to You, it has not been in a consistent way. I do owe You all of me, for all that You’ve done for me, and even in me since I have believed and received Your great gift of salvation which cost You, Jesus, Your very life. It is really quite fair for You to expect me to devote my life to obeying and serving You. You have not pressured me, but I know it is a fair tax.

I will try to be more faithful in paying it, and with out grumbling from now on. Thank You, Thank You for all You’ve done for me!

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. Oh, how sweet to have a friend who’d drop everything and come when you need her. Ruthe, the heroine of this novel, dashes away from her own grad when her friend Muriel calls. Don’t you wish you had a loyal, caring friend like that? Buy and READ Ruthe’s Secret Roses! e-Book edition Softcover edition.

Jesus told another story to illustrate the kingdom of Heaven. It is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He had sent out invitations, and then sent servants to collect the responses.

But those first servants were ignored. The invitees for the most part, paid no attention. They went about their work. Some of the invitees grabbed the servants, mistreated and killed them.

The king was understandably enraged. He sent more servants, but this time they were to invite and bring in anyone they could find in the streets who would be willing to come to the banquet. The king wanted his halls filled.

However, we learn that they had to have wedding clothes. For when the king came in to see his guests, he spotted one man without the required garb. “Friend,” the king said to that man, “how did you get in here without wedding clothes?”

The man was speechless. Meaning he had no answer.

Jesus added that the king had the man thrown out into a darkness where there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Remorse? He added, “For many are invited but few are chosen.”

Isn’t that odd? First the king was desperate to bring in guests, but then He requires the right attire, and they must be chosen.

I believe though, that it was the custom in that day for wedding clothes to be issued along with the invitation. That man without the clothes had tried to enter by some other means than per invitation.

PRAYER: Lord, that lines up with the teaching in the gospels, that there is no other way to come to the Father, but through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. You want us all to come - but only clothed with Jesus’ righteousness can we dare stand in Your presence.

Thank You for this provision, LORD!

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. What high school grad would skip her banquet to dash away to help a friend in a crisis? Would you? Ruthe does this right at the beginning of this story. She can be quite daring for a shy, small town girl, when it is for others’ sakes. You’ll like her spunk! Get “Ruthe’s Secret Roses.” the softcover at Booklocker.com