1st Easter Edition: The Real Meaning of Easter, Recipes, Springtime, B irds, Blooms
Posted by: jhbreneman <jhbreneman@...>
ENCOURAGEMENT TO WOMEN
Compiled especially for YOU with LOVE by Lois Breneman
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THE RESUME OF JESUS CHRIST
HE IS
THE PARADOXES OF CHRIST
TWO OBJECT LESSONS ON EASTER
GREEN BEANS ALMONDINE
ROASTED ASPARAGUS
ASPARAGUS BACON QUICHE
ONE HOUR DINNER ROLLS
THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL
author unknown
He drives a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement. The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. The victim is now crucified.
As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain - the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet. As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through his muscles, knotting them into deep relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subside.
Spasmodically, he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. Hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-renting cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against rough timber. Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart. It is now almost over -- the loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level-- the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues-- the tortured lungs are making frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air.
He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues. Finally, he can allow his body to die.
All this the Bible records with the simple words, "and they crucified Him" (Mark 15:24). What wondrous love is this? Many people don't know the pain and suffering our Lord, Jesus Christ went through for us. Because of the brutality, crucifixion was given a sentence to only its worst offenders of the law.
Thieves, murderers, and rapists would be the types of creeps who got crucified. Yet, here Jesus is being crucified between two hardened criminals ... What did Jesus do? Did he murder anyone? Did he steal anything? The answer, as we all know, is NO!! Jesus did nothing to deserve this type of death, yet he went willing to die, in between two thieves, so that we might be saved. And there, between the sinners, our Savior was slain for our sins.
Romans 10:9 "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
THE RESUME OF JESUS CHRIST
Address: Ephesians 1:20
Phone: Romans 10:13
Website: The Bible. Key words: Christ, Lord, Savior and Jesus
Qualifications:
I founded the earth and established the heavens, (See Proverbs 3:19)
- I formed man from the dust of the ground, (See Genesis 2:7)
- I breathed into man the breath of life, (See Genesis 2:7)
- I redeemed man from the curse of the law, (See Galatians 3:13)
- The blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant comes upon your life through me, (See Galatians 3:14)
Occupational Background:
I've only had one employer, (See Luke 2:49).
I've never been tardy, absent, disobedient, slothful or disrespectful.
My employer has nothing but rave reviews for me, (See Matthew 3:15-17)
Skills Work Experiences:
- Some of my skills and work experiences include: empowering the poor to be poor no more, healing the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind and setting at liberty them that are bruised, (See Luke 4:18).
- I am a Wonderful Counselor, (See Isaiah 9:6). People who listen to me shall dwell safely and shall not fear evil, (See Proverbs 1:33).
- Most importantly, I have the authority, ability and power to cleanse you of your sins, (See I John 1:7-9)
Educational Background:
I encompass the entire breadth and length of knowledge, wisdom and understanding, (See Proverbs 2:6).
- In me are hid all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, (See Colossians 2:3).
- My Word is so powerful; it has been described as being a lamp unto your feet and a lamp unto your path, (See Psalms 119:105).
- I can even tell you all of the secrets of your heart, (See Psalms 44:21).
Major Accomplishments:
- I was an active participant in the greatest Summit Meeting of all times, (See Genesis 1:26).
- I laid down my life so that you may live, (See II Corinthians 5:15).
- I defeated the archenemy of God and mankind and made a show of them openly, (See Colossians 2:15).
- I've miraculously fed the poor, healed the sick and raised the dead!
- There are many more major accomplishments, too many to mention here. You can read them on my website, which is located at: www dot - the BIBLE. You don't need an Internet connection or computer to access my website.
References:
- Believers and followers worldwide will testify to my divine healings, salvation, deliverance, miracles, restoration and supernatural guidance
In Summation:
Now that you've read my resume, I'm confident that I'm the only candidate uniquely qualified to fill this vital position in your heart. In summation, I will properly direct your paths, (See Proverbs 3:5-6), and lead you into everlasting life, (See John 6:47). When can I start? Time is of the essence, (See Hebrews 3:15).
HE IS
Words by Jeoffrey Benward & Jeff Silvey, ©1994 Star Song
Thanks to Coralie McLay in New Zealand for sending this!
In Genesis, He's the breath of life
In Exodus, the Passover Lamb
In Leviticus, He's our High Priest
Numbers, The fire by night
Deuteronomy, He's Moses' voice
In Joshua, He is salvation's choice
Judges, law giver
In Ruth, the kinsmen-redeemer
First and second Samuel, our trusted prophet
In Kings and Chronicles, He's sovereign
Ezra, true and faithful scribe
Nehemiah, He's the rebuilder of broken walls and lives
In Esther, He's Mordecai's courage
In Job, the timeless redeemer
In Psalms, He is our morning song
In Proverbs, wisdom's cry
Ecclesiastes, the time and season
In the Song of Solomon, He is the lover's dream
In Isaiah, He's the Prince of Peace
Jeremiah, the weeping prophet
In Lamentations, the cry for Israel
Ezekiel, He's the call from sin
In Daniel, the stranger in the fire
In Hosea, He is forever faithful
In Joel, He's the spirit's power
In Amos, the arms that carry us
In Obadiah, He's the Lord our Savior
In Jonah, He's the great missionary
In Micah, the promise of peace
In Nahum, He is our strength and our shield
In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He's pleading for revival
In Haggai, He restores a lost heritage
In Zachariah, our fountain
In Malachi, He is the sun of righteousness rising with healing in His wings
In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, He is God, man, Messiah
In the Book of Acts, He is fire from heaven
In Romans, He's the grace of God
In Corinthians, the power of love
In Galatians, He is freedom from the curse of sin
Ephesians, our glorious treasure
Philippians, the servant's heart
In Colossians, He's the Godhead Trinity
Thessalonians, our coming King
In Timothy, Titus, Philemon, He's our mediator and our faithful pastor
In Hebrews, the everlasting covenant
In James, the one who heals the sick
In First and Second Peter, He is our shepherd
In John and in Jude, He's the lover coming for His bride
In the Revelation, He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords
The Prince of Peace
The Son of Man
The Lamb of God
The Great I Am
He's the Alpha and Omega
Our God and our Savior
He is Jesus Christ the Lord
And when time is no more
He is
THE PARADOXES OF CHRIST
author unknown ~~ submitted by Barb Campbell in Mississippi
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Grove/6932/paradox.html
He was the Light, yet He hung in darkness on the Cross.
He was the Life, yet He poured out His soul unto death.
He was the Rock of Ages, yet His feet sank into the deep waters.
He was the Son of God, yet He died a felon's death.
He was holy, undefiled, separated from sinners and knew no sin,
Yet He was made sin when He took the guilty culprit's place
and suffered in his stead.
He bade the weary to come to Him for rest,
Yet not on earth could He find rest until He said, "It is finished,"
and gave up His life to God.
He was the Mighty God,
Yet He became a man and was crucified through weakness.
He was the Image of the Invisible God,
Yet His visage was marred more than any man.
All the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him,
Yet He took on Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men.
He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast;
Yet He humbled Himself and became obedient - even unto death.
He was the Desire of All Nations,
Yet He was despised and rejected of man.
He is the Fountain of Life, yet upon the cross He cried, "I thirst."
Can you understand these mysteries?
These are the things that angels desire to look into.
The heavens cannot contain Him, yet He died for us.
TRIUMPHAL ENTRY — THERE WAS AND THERE WILL BE
There was a time when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem in a most unusual way. John 12
There will be a time when He comes as the Righteous Judge. Revelation 19:11
There will be a time when He comes to conquer and make war. Revelation 19:11
There was a time when palm branches were cast before Him. John 12:13
There will be a time when crowns will be cast before His throne. Revelation 4:10
There was a time when people proclaimed, “Hosanna.” John 12:13
There will be a time when people proclaim, “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him.” Revelation 5:13
There was a time when the local crowds cried out His praises. John 12:13
There was a time when a multitude saw His triumphal entry. John 12:12
TWO OBJECT LESSONS ON EASTER
by Debbie Klinect, a special "Heart to Heart" friend in Florida - Used by permission
This month we are concentrating on Easter and ways to teach our children about the wonderful holiday. The Lord has been very gracious to us in giving us two ways to show our children what He has done for us.
Role playing is a very good way to help a child understand what it is that you are trying to tell them. When talking to a child about how sin has separated us from God, it can be very hard to communicate this to them. Here is a way for you to role play this. Have either an adult or an older child stand on one side of a room. Have your child stand on the other side of the room. Talk about how when God created Adam, there was no sin in the world. Then talk about how sin entered the world. Now, place a big piece of blue cloth or clothing, like a pair of adult jeans between your child and the other person. Explain that now, because of sin, we are separated from God. Also have the other person turn their back on the child for God cannot look upon sin. Have another person represent Jesus and have this person stand next to the person playing the part of God. Have “God” talking to “Jesus” saying he wants him to come to Earth to live there, teach the people about God and to die for their sins. Have “Jesus” come and stand next to your child. Have “Jesus’ tell your child how much God loves them and that he wants them to be his child and to live with him forever, but that they need to know that their sin has separated them from God and that he (Jesus) is going to die so that they can have their sins forgiven. Have “Jesus” die after being beaten by your child, for it was because of their sin that Jesus was beaten and died. Then have Jesus rise up after being dead and lay on the blue cloth acting as a bridge for your child to be able to go be with God. Explain to your child that Jesus did all this for them and that when we see our need for him and for our need for God to forgive us, we can be reunited with God.
The next activity is using eggs. Show your child a regular egg out of your refrigerator. Have your child look carefully at the outside of the egg. Then have your child crack open the egg and put the contents into a bowl. Explain to them that when we are born, we have sin in our lives. Our hearts are not good, they are filled with foolishness and evil. Then take another egg and boil it. Talk to your child about what Jesus did for them. After the egg has boiled and cooled, have your child crack open this egg. Talk about how when we come to Jesus and ask for forgiveness and make him the Lord of our lives, he makes us a new creation, different from what we were. Talk about how the outside of the egg was the same whether or not it was fresh or boiled. Then talk about how the outside of us doesn't change, but our heart and lives do change when the Lord is our Savior.
I hope these activities will help you in guiding your children to an understanding of their lives with God.
Debbie Klinect is a wife and mother of six children, still homeschooling three of them.
GREEN BEANS ALMONDINE
1-1/2 pounds fresh green beans cut into 1-inch pieces (6 cups)
3 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons butter, melted
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Cook fresh green beans in a covered saucepan, with a small amount of boiling water for about 12 to 15 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, stir together lemon juice and melted margarine in a small bowl. Toast almonds in a small skillet over medium heat until golden, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour lemon mixture over green beans; toss to coat. Gently stir in toasted almonds. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.
Make-Ahead Tip: Up to three days ahead, toast nuts, or keep already toasted nuts in your freezer.
ASPARAGUS BACON QUICHE Recipe courtesy of MomsMenu.com http://www.momsmenu.com |
1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell 1 lb. fresh asparagus, cut into 1" pieces 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled 3 eggs 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese 1 1/2 cups Half and Half 1 Tbsp. sliced green onions 1 tsp. sugar (or stevia) 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper pinch of nutmeg Line unbaked pastry shell with a double layer of heavy duty foil. Bake at 450º for 5 minutes; remove foil and bake 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside. Cook asparagus in a small amount of water until crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain well. Arrange asparagus and bacon in the crust. Beat eggs; add cream, 1/2 cup cheese, onions, sugar, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Pour over asparagus. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 400º for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350º for 20-25 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 6-8 servings. |
Contributed by Chet's Crock http://chetday.com/healthyrecipesmenu.htm
A slow cooker recipe that equals the onion soup in fancy restaurants and smells great as it cooks. You may substitute beef bouillon cubes according to directions in place of broth.
1/2 cup butter 10 slices French bread, toasted
60 - 65 ounces condensed beef broth, undiluted Shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup warm water (110-115 º)
2 cups unbleached flour (You may want to substitute whole wheat or spelt flour for 1 cup)
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. shortening (Coconut oil would be a healthier choice)
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients and cut
in butter with pastry blender or a fork until butter is blended into small bits. Add yeast mixture and mix well. Turn onto floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times. Roll out to 3/4 to 1-inch thickness. Cut with biscuit cutter. Place on greased baking sheet and let rise about 45 minutes. Bake at 450 º for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Yields 6 to 8 rolls.
Clean and cut fruit and place in separate bowls if you want the kids to make their own Rainbow Ribbons. Place fruit on skewers in order listed to make a rainbow.
Assorted fruit in the colors of the rainbow:
Red - watermelon balls, strawberries, or cherries
Orange - orange sections, cantaloupe balls, mango, or papaya
Yellow - pineapple cubes or banana slices
Green - green grapes, honeydew melon balls, or kiwi fruit slices
Blue - large whole blueberries
Purple - purple grapes or cubed plums
SPRINGTIME RABBITS AND EGGS
During the 1970's the bluebird population was almost destroyed with a drop down to ten percent, possibly due to the use of DDT as well as the invasion of house sparrows destroying baby bluebirds by pecking them to death. There has been an effective crusade among many to bring back the bluebirds and it has worked. In recent years thousands of bluebird boxes have been set in place along highways, in meadows and in countless yards.
The iridescent blue of these strikingly beautiful birds makes anyone who has them nearby feel honored by their presence. The boxes are easy to make or you may find one to purchase in a hardware, garden or department store. It is helpful to know that these birds prefer unpainted or unstained boxes, unless they have already been weathered. They also prefer the boxes at a height of a fence post in a meadow or open area, spaced at a distance.
It is fascinating to watch bluebirds waiting for their next meal. We have often seen them sitting on our tree branches, not moving a muscle and staring intently down at the ground. Then all of a sudden they would swoop down on their prey, helping to cut down on the bug population. In a few seconds they were back up on the branch waiting for the next course of their meal.
Try making a homemade mixture of lard (or shortening), cornmeal, flour, and raisins to lure them to your area or buy meal worms for them, however they have honored us with their presence by using boxes alone. Seeing the newborn baby bluebirds pop out of the boxes was especially exciting for our family! Survival is good if cats are not roaming your neighborhood. One year we noticed that cats had gotten all five babies from one box, which was really sad.
We can enjoy early blossoms from fruit trees, forsythia and spring flowers by jump-starting them even before they bloom outdoors! Use pruning shears to cut ends of branches from trees after buds appear and are about ready to pop. Try cutting branches of forsythia, azaleas, dogwood, plum, crab apple, pear, apple, peach or whatever is about ready to bloom in your backyard. If these blossoms are already blooming in your area, mark it on the calendar for next year.
EGG CRAFTS
FOUL SUSPICION
Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for this one!
After the egg hunt on Easter Sunday, the young farm boy decided to play a prank. He went to the chicken coop and replaced every single egg with a brightly colored one.
A few minutes later the rooster walked in saw all the colored eggs, then stormed outside and killed the peacock.
by Julie Druck, York, PA, editor of the A Heart for Home Newsletter- Julie's blog: http://www.lifeinskunkhollow.blogspot.com/
Source unknown ~ Thanks to Annamarie Kresge in Virginia for sending this!
In Florida, an atheist became incensed over the preparation for Easter and Passover holidays and decided to contact the local ACLU about the discrimination inflicted on atheists by the constant celebrations afforded to Christians and Jews with all their holidays while the atheists had no holiday to celebrate.
The case was brought before a wise judge who,after listening to the long, passionate presentation of the ACLU lawyers, promptly banged his gavel and declared, "Case dismissed!"
The lead ACLU lawyer immediately stood,objected to the ruling and said, "Your honor, how can you possibly dismiss this case? Surely the Christians have Christmas, Easter and many other observances. And the Jews--why,in addition to Passover,they have Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, and yet my client and all other atheists have no such holiday!"
The judge leaned forward in his chair and simply said, "Obviously your client is too confused to know about or, for that matter, even celebrate the atheists' holiday!"
The ACLU lawyer pompously said, "We are aware of no such holiday for atheists. Just when might that be, your honor?"
The judge said, "Well, it comes every year on exactly the same date -- April 1st! -- The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." - Psalm 14:1, Psalm 53:1
The purpose of the Heart to Heart Newsletter is to encourage women and build biblical values into daily living through practical creative ideas for the Christian family regarding marriage, children, homemaking, and much more. Receive this free bimonthly newsletter by sending your name, city, state, e-mail address, and name of your referral person to Lois at [email protected]. New subscribers will receive a "Start-Up Kit."
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