365 Project - Day 159

"You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26

Easter - the foundation of our faith ... Christ has lived. Christ has died. Christ is risen!

I wanted this photograph to illustrate the focus of Easter, our risen Lord, while highlighting the celebration. I hope I made the point.

Blessings!

Today's Photo: He is Alive!

Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
- From "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" by Charles Wesley





EXIF: Nikon D7100
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365 Project - Day 156

Happy Easter !

My photographs are a few days behind the date, therefore, I'm sorry to say that today's posting, doesn't match the theme, precisely. You could call it poor planning on my part.

I offer this from the song, "Forever" by Kari Jobe

The ground began to shake
The stone was rolled away
his reckless love could not be overcome
Now death where is your sting?
Our resurrected King
Has rendered you defeated

Forever He is glorified
Forever He is lifted high
Forever He is risen
He is alive, He is alive!

We sing Hallelujah
We sing Hallelujah
We sing Hallelujah
The Lamb has overcome

Resurrection Blessings

Today's Photo: Easter Bunny Food?

"Don't be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here! For He has been resurrected, just as He said. He is risen!" Matthew 28

"Christ the Lord is risen today," Sons of men and angels say. Raise your joys and triumphs high; Sing ye heavens, and earth reply." Charles Wesley







EXIF: Nikon D7100
ISO 160
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365 Project - Day 155

I read a link to a blog on Twitter recently in which the blogger described Jesus as a great man who was persecuted for being outspoken about his beliefs. They discussed their research and wrote that they admired Jesus' inquiries into understanding the nature of man, shared their belief that the Bible is inaccurate and also wrote that they could not grasp the focus of Christians on the cross.

I want to be clear ... Christianity is focused on the RESURRECTION. To be a Christian, you have to understand the death on the cross. It is there that Christ bore our sins and suffered death on Friday, in our place, for those sins. But that was not and is not the end. This is where the blogger was confused. I can certainly understand that confusion. However, Jesus rose on Sunday and that is what we celebrate on Easter. Our focus is on the risen Jesus, not the suffering. Had He not arisen on the third day he certainly would have been, as this blogger suggested, just a great man. His suffering matters because He arose. And, the light simply always overtakes the darkness.

The fact remains he suffered, he died ... he arose. Wearers of the cross remember that their sins are forgiven, but can only truly be forgiven by the risen Lord.

Happy Easter!

Blessings!

Today's Photo: Light Trumps Darkness!

"Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still 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 24:1-7








EXIF: Nikon D7100
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365 Project - Day 151

"The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people's disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken." Isaiah 25:8

I love that. No wavering. No doubt. Just simply - "The Lord has spoken."

Today was one of those crazy, mixed up days. I went out for a walk, finally. I haven't been able to do that for months, largely due to "the incident", but also due to the weather. And, then it snowed. It's 40 degrees outside and it snows. Will this winter ever end? Photos coming up, I promise, but I had hoped to post photos of birds and signs of Spring, not snow!!

I then felt fantastic about completing a project I've been working for some time. Only to discover that not everyone is as pleased. I'm quite happy with the end product, but you cannot please all of the people, all of the time!

The photo below was taken on Palm Sunday. I looked for palm branches and couldn't find any. So the combination of these amber colored calla lilies and the greenery will have to do. I laid them down to resemble the branches I imagine might have fallen from the hands of the crowd as they assembled upon Jesus' arrival into Jerusalem. Palm branches strewn about in the streets. I laid them on a silver platter that reads "Give me this day my daily bread" (though I know you cannot see the inscription). I also believe it is fitting that this photo falls on this day ... as a reminder that while the situation may not seem to go as I have planned, it is not over until God says it is over. And, His ending is typically quite spectacular. That's what I'm counting on. How about you?

Warm blessings!

Today's Photo: Beginnings and Endings

"In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.' " Isaiah 25:9