Have you ever wondered why this is called "Good Friday"? Why the day that Jesus was mocked, betrayed, tried, beaten, battered, taunted, tortured, nailed to a cross and murdered is called GOOD?! I have. I have wondered often.
I have also given it much thought.
We call the day He died good. We design jewelry, home decorations, t-shirts, window decals and bumper stickers around the implement of His death. We make the cross pretty and call this day good. Why? How?
I have heard that it was first called "God Day" and at first thought, that makes so much more sense. Actually at second, third and ... well, MILLIONTH thought that makes more sense. So, when did it become good?
I have decided that it became good the moment it was conceived in the heart of God. Good, because all of His plans are good. And right. And Perfect. It was a moment of ugly on the timeline of creation that led to the greatest good of all. HIM.
It is the ONLY way to Him. What is "gooder" than that? Where would we be without it? WHAT would we be without it? Surely not forgiven. Surely not saved. Surely not HIS.
I remember the day very clearly when I looked at the cross anew. I was raised in a Christian home and surrounded by Godly people all of my life. But THEIR faith could not save me. Knowing who He was could not take the place of knowing HIM. I was Blessed to be able to attend a Billy Graham crusade when I was 18 years old. He made me see that the cross wasn't just for us, it was for ME. If it was only me that needed the saving, He would have gone to the cross JUST FOR ME.
Do you know - really KNOW - that He would have done it just for YOU?
The cross was different that day. I had looked at the cross in the front of that church my whole life, but that day... that day it was bigger. It meant more. That day I FELT the cross.
I felt it watching "The Passion Of The Christ" too. I remember that I was literally unable to move when the movie ended. I don't know that I have ever in my life felt anything that strongly before. His death resonated in me. His suffering became part of me.
Isn't THAT what Good Friday is about. Making His suffering and death - that was taken FOR us - part of us? If it is not part of who we are, do we really know Him? Do we really KNOW what He did for us? Do we really ACCEPT what He did for us. Do we accept it for what it is - a free gift of love? A gift that says "I would do this to be with you forever". A gift that says "NOTHING is too much for me. NOTHING can keep me from you. Nothing but YOU."
Only you can keep you from God. He has done everything it takes just to get to you, but you have to let Him in. He walked the entire way to the cross, you only have to turn around and see Him.
THAT is what makes Good Friday GOOD. We are not good enough, but He is. We cannot be clean enough, Holy enough, right enough. But HE can. He is. He is GOOD enough. And the cross is good because it was NOT the end - just the beginning. The enemy thought he had won, but God is good. The priests thought they had ended it, but God is GOOD. The world thought it was over, but GOD IS GOOD.
Friday is good, because Sunday came. His reign did not end, it was not over and the enemy had not won. Sunday came and proved that. He is ALIVE - and that is GOOD. THAT, my friend, is the very "GOODest"!!!
This is the Body, this is the Blood
Broken and poured out, for all of us
In this communion, we share in His love
This is the Body, this is the Blood
Come and share in the communion. He invired you over 2,000 years ago. He invites you today.
Share in His LOVE.
OK, unless I hear an outcry of dissatisfaction, this will be the last of the "new bloggy name" discussion. Most of you liked the first picture but the words of the third one. Still not a sold answer on the actual name, but since I like the verse that went with "Everything That Has Breath" and the name "Sweet Abundance" was popular with the public, I went for the combo idea. And seeing as how "Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord For His Sweet Abundance" seemed a little long, I opted for a version that included the theory of each.
So, the winner is ...
Abundant Worship
And I am liking it a LOT. And Kate, from the very beginning you told me no matter what to keep that picture (way back when I was re-doing my layout after the holidays) and apparently, you were right.
So, I kept it.
Just for Kate.
(And all of the rest of you that voted for it.)
Thanks for your help, my bloggy buddies!!!
Let me know if it all looks OK - or not.
Blog at ya later!!!
OK, the new bloggy name that has gotten the most response is "sweet abundance". I have been searching for a new image for the header and found a cool one that had me leaning towards "Everything That Has Breath" so now I am in a new quandary...
SO, because I trust the valued opinion of my bloggy buddies I am gonna show you some of the headers I have come up with:
No. 1 - Sweet Abundance (not sure I am happy with the scripture choice ...?)
No.2 - Everything That Has Breath
No. 3 - Abundant Worship (a combo of the two)
I can change the font and text colors and stuff cause I am using photoshop stuff, so let me know about that as well. What do ya think?
I also found a cool black and white image:.jpg)
but it doesn't really go with the brown scheme of the layout, I can change the layout if I must ....
YIKES - help me!
please!
OK, I do believe that I have finished the editing. I took out all references to this state as well as the last state we live in. I also removed my name as well as the Hubby's name. I feel a little safer now.
HOWEVER - I still need a new name. Only a couple of you have made suggestions (actually they voted for my suggestions and NOT the same ones. I still need me some HELP!!!!!
New name?
Anyone?
Please?
Blog at ya later!
PS - I have a new header all ready to go - just need a NAME!!!!!!!
Hello fRamily! You may have noticed a new name up on the header... yep, we are making some changes. The URL itself will not change, but we do need to change a few things.
First, an explanation - Most of you know that our sweet Hattie was adopted (for more info see this post). What you may not know is that there was a time when her birth family knew how to get a hold of us. They began to actually harass us - calling at all hours and demanding to see her, etc. - but by this point we had come to see there were some pretty major dysfunctional type behaviors going on. Stories were not adding up, Hattie had been mistreated, frightening stuff I must say. For Hattie's safety we decided that it was better to get her away from them. We started this blog to keep in touch with fRamily and keep them up to date on the girls. Along the way I have been Blessed with some new bloggy buddies and siestas. So, we don't really want to change the way we do things as far as going so private that you must be invited to visit. Even though I TOTALLY respect that choice being made by some!!! But we DO want to change SOME things. Removing our last name and where we live is first. Her name was not Hattie when she came to us, so we feel comfy calling her by her name, but seeing as how they know our last name and they know me, I could be easily found. So I am going to go back and take out all references to our last name and such. I may actually remove the post about Hattie's adoption, as well, if I cannot edit to my satisfaction.
In the mean time I have tweaked the name a little bit, but I am not happy with it. I want to come up with a creative name that says who we are without naming names.
AND, this is where YOU come in, I am taking suggestions. WHat would you name this little bloggy space? I have come up with a few, but none really "speak to me". Here is what I have thought of so far:
Sweet Abundance
Walkin' The Walk
Praise Dancin'
Our Little Heaven On Earth
Worshiping The One
Everything That Has Breath
What do YOU think? I am SINCERELY looking for opinions and ideas. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE help me out here!
Blog at ya soon!
*****I am halfway through editing old posts - This is harder than I thought... We (Hubby and I) decided that we would take OUR first names out as well as any reference to our last name and where we live. It is taking longer than I thought it would!!!!!
Remember the Charlie In The Box from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer ...
... well, it's double the fun at our house!!!
Some of my best friends live in my computer!
