Happy Easter

But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.  He was beaten so we could be whole.  He was whipped so we could be healed.  All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.  We have left God's paths to follow our own.  Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all!  Isaiah 53:5-6

Jesus did die!

A good man named Joseph, a member of the Jewish Council went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.

Luke 23:53-54  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.  It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.  

 

This was a very sad time for so many!  However, little did they know, this was not the end!  It was the Beginning!

In Luke 24:1-7 we read:  

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus!!  While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?"  He is not here; he has risen!  Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:  'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again'"

 

Jesus returns to his Disciples.  He returns and says "Peace be with you."  They were all startled and frightened! 

Can you imagine what they must have felt?  They had just witnessed the death of Jesus and now he has come back and is standing with them once more!  

He said to them, "Look at my hands and my feet.  It is I myself?  Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." Luke 24:39 

 

Jesus tells his Disciples to go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation!  Whoever believes in Him will be saved!

 

Then when it was time Jesus ascend in to Heaven!

Then Jesus led them to Bethany , and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them.  While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven.  So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.  And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

Luke 24:50-53 

 

I am not a writer...sometimes I just don't know what the perfect words are to say.  In this case I don't know how to describe with words the feelings I have about our Lords death and resurrection!  I don't feel I deserve such great love and compassion.  I am so imperfect!  I am flawed in every way.  I am a sinner!  

I am incredibly thankful for what Jesus did for us.  He went through complete agony and pain for all of us.  He died and rose again for all of us.  

All we have to do is believe!  Believe in Him with all our hearts and bring Him into our lives.  In return we will live with Him forever in Heaven!

 This is His promise and I am so thankful to be apart of it! 

 

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.  And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

Romans 3:22  

 

 

His is Risen!

He is Risen Indeed!

Our Easter Eggs this year!

God Bless you all and I pray your Easter was great!

Remember to reflect on what this Easter has meant to you and your family.

Spring into the Knowledge of Jesus

Spring weather here can be so confusing! One minute raining, the next beautiful and sunny, and then down comes the hail! After all that, right back to sunny! I love it though. Love to see spring creeping in with grass growing, birds chirping, kids running and the dog rolling! Good times!

Hen ladies out enjoying the starting of the green grass.  Even if a light hail came down!

The Big Boy Bison enjoying the kids, chickens and sun!

Crazy kids saw the hail and went out to lay in it!  It was super sunny at the same time! 

It lasted only 3 or so minutes.  Kids!

Our sweet youngest daughter is our chicken master!  All the hens like her and she likes all of them!  Even our new baby chicks love her!  She has a way with the animals.

I love chickens!  Have I said that before?  I just love them!

Here is a professional chicken catcher!  She did get her too! 

So, I know we are in a time with Easter bunnies, baskets, eggs and candy.  What I really want to know is what does Easter really mean to you?  Have you sat back a taken the time to know what all this is about?  What is Easter?  Why do we celebrate it?  

I don't mind the egg dyeing, candy, baskets and bunnies, but I fear we are completely losing what this time is about!  I love that kids do Easter egg hunts and stuff like that, but my desire is to have our kids know what the true meaning is.

JESUS!

Should I say it again?  

JESUS!

JESUS is the reason we celebrate Easter!  Whether you know it or not, JESUS is the reason!

I know the Bible series on the History Channel has been a huge success and I highly recommend you watch it.  Yes, they haven't covered everything in the Bible, but it sure gets you thinking and talking and wanting to learn more!  Please, watch tomorrow nights show!  The Bible Series on History Channel, 8pm/7c.

Tomorrow nights show will be of His Crucifixion ( means:  The execution of a person by nailing or binding them to a cross.)  

JESUS was a humble man.  He did no one harm or wrong and yet He was a huge threat.  Even the chief priests and elders went against Him; Matthew 27:1-2.  One of his disciples betrayed Him.  One denied Him.  He was mocked, spit on, beat, flogged.  They made him wear a crown of thorns, shoved on His head to make Him bleed.  He was made to carry His own cross.  

Read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John...each man records the details of JESUS' death.  

Luke 23:44-46:  It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining.  And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."  When he had said this, he breathed his last.

I hope that we can reflect on what this all means.  Jesus knew He was going to die.  He knew that He was going to be nailed on the cross for a greater purpose.  He did this all for US!  Yes, US!  Jesus was the final sacrifice.  For all us sinners.  For you and me!  So, that now we are saved by Grace.  We don't need to do any payment for our sins.  They have been washed away by His blood.  If we should believe in Him with all our hearts and ask forgiveness of our sins, we will live in eternity with Him!

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, He gave His one and only Son.  That whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life!

But just wait...this isn't over here!  NO!  Jesus died, but He also rose up!  There is more to this story.  I hope to write more for tomorrow.

...to be continued. 

Update

I have no idea why I struggle to keep this blog updated! At least once a week is what I was hoping for.  I seem to let "life" get in my way! There has been a lot going on, but mostly just regular life! Here's a recap:

We have been working hard at school!  Here my daughter was reading Laura Ingalls Wilder: A Biography.  It was a very good book.  She has long since finished it and is onto reading Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright.  So proud that my girls love reading.  I struggled with it as a kid and I prayed that the Lord would help our girls to love it...and they do!  
Always lots going on during our Homeschooling.  So happy with how the year is going.  Love our Heart of Dakota curriculum for Olline.  Melina is doing super well with her studies, but we are looking forward to a change for next year.  Still praying as to what curriculum we will be using!  Possibly the one from My Fathers World.  She also finished her Science project she had to present infront of her peers and teacher.  She did her report on popcorn!  She did a super duper job!  Aced it!  Yeah!!!

On this day the girls had fun making Valentine cupcakes!  YUM!  They were delicious!

This was the start of February!  Look at that snow.  However, the glorious sun came out and it was a great time to throw a toy for our Bison Boy!  He has grown up so fast!

Olline loves to hold the chickens!  These girls are so sick of the snow and we all can't wait for some green grass!  (Update: Snow has melted, the grass is seeing the sun!  Can't wait to get into that garden!)

Come on Bison!  Bring it!  Bring it!  Good BOY!  Good Dog!  I love you buddy!

This was on Feb. 9th.  Our poor Hen...named Duck!  (I know...isn't that crazy?  My husband named her!  She lays big huge eggs like a duck too!)  She got egg bound.  Her egg was stuck inside her.  The scary thing is they continue to produce eggs even if one is stuck.  So we tried to give her a water bath.  Melina sat with her for a while to dry her off.  Today, she seems to be better.  She still isn't laying, but she is eating and drinking and seems full of life.  Hmmm?

YEAH!  This picture I just took today.  We decided to get new chicks!  We got them on March 6th!  EIGHT of them!  Two Rhode Island reds, two Barred Rocks, and four Buff Orpingtons!  WE LOVE THEM!  They have grown like crazy and they are only two weeks old.  Their cute little feathers are coming in and they are the most active critters ever!  LOVE THEM! (I think I already said that, but I just love them!)  The only sad part is, we are going to have to cull our other girls.  This will be my first experience with this!  I am nervous.  I just can't have 15 chickens in my backyard.  Plus our hens are not laying, but maybe two eggs here and there.  So it's time.  Not sure how I feel about it though!

My husband and I just finished our Bible study group last Sunday as well!  It was the most wonderful thing we have done.  I am so thankful we joined that group.  We have met the greatest people.  We have learned so much as well.  Learned a lot about ourselves and about God!  The Holy Spirit has guided us in growing closer to our Heavenly Father and I am so excited to see where He takes us next.  We will have a Life Group starting on April 7th here at our home!  This is really stepping out of our box!  I am a little nervous, but mostly super excited.  To actually watch and see how God works in all our lives is the most thrilling thing someone can go through!

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.  Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.  Galatians 5:24-25