Sunday 24 April 2011

He Is RIsen!

Luke 24

Jesus Has Risen
1 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. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 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? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’8 Then they remembered his words.

9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 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.”

40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension of Jesus
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Friday 15 April 2011

Trying Not To Stress Out

So there's a remote chance that Hubby will be transferred for work. Very remote. Like 5% chance. (As far as I know) He told me that he would update me when it got to 25%.

I'm not one who embraces change. (Shocking, I know.) It takes me a good 3 years to settle in. Perfect example? We moved from Calgary to Okotoks (which is 11 minutes SOUTH of our old house in Calgary) 3 1/2 years ago. I am JUST feeling like I'm settling in. No word of a lie.

The funny thing is - the place where Hubby would be transferred to is in England. Right around London, to be precise.
Now, we have lived in the UK before, and I'm pretty confident that I can say that it was a sheer, unmitigated FAIL. I ended up with depression and suicidal thoughts, and Hubby ended up with walking pneumonia.
What a great souvenir.
"I lived in England and all I got was walking pneumonia."
Put THAT on a tee shirt, Snorg Tees! I dare you!

Anyways, I digress...
So part of me is excited. I have missed England. I miss waking up to the rain, and I miss the tea (because NOBODY makes tea quite like the Brits). I miss the chocolate. I miss the feeling that everywhere you go is steeped in history. Canada does NOT have history until you get closer to Ontario and Quebec and the Maritime provinces. Alberta. We have buffalo, wealthy native tribes and lots and lots of rocks. Big ones. Shaped like mountains.
I do not miss other things about England. Like the fact that they get zero sunlight. Ever. I swear. They're a nation of vampires or zombies or something. It's indicative that they have to include things like, "There will be a chance of sunny spells later on today in the forecast...". Where we live right now, sun is assumed. Or snow. But you get my point.
I also don't miss the tv programs in England for the most part. There were some stellar ones like, "Rex The Runt" and "Goodness Gracious Me!", and even Coronation Street and EastEnders to a certain degree. I've gotten very ... particular/choosy in what I watch on telly these days, and to be honest, I'm not watching a whole lot. I did watch 2 episodes of "America's Next Top Model" yesterday, and I did watch some "Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson" on YouTube today.

But then that gets me to thinking... Do you really watch tv when you can just stream it over the internet? Are you really THAT far away that you cannot access it via the Intertubes?

The only other thing I would miss is all of our friends that we have here in Okotoks. You know that feeling of running into people you know at the grocery store? I would miss that.

I think our one consolation would be the fact that we wouldn't be transferred alone. Hubby's boss would go as well, and we are quite close with Hubby's boss, his girlfriend and his kids. Like, we would probably purposely move close to them just for a support system. The girlfriend and I get along famously well, which is wonderful. I think she's delightful.

And then I have a girlfriend in England who I went to school with in Toronto who I haven't seen in a good 8 years.
So we wouldn't be ALL alone, but we would need to kind of jump in with both feet to make it our home. (I'd have to join something just to make friends)

So yeah. Just trying not to stress out over the POSSIBILITY of something happening. Maybe is God trying to shake me out of the trap of being hostile to change? I don't know.

And I am missing Facebook more than I thought I would. It seems to come and go.... I won't miss it for ages, and then (like today) I will miss it like mad. :( Oh well... Nine more days and it's alllllll over.

Saturday 9 April 2011

Is Lent Over Yet?

15 days to go before Lent is over.
What a weird time this has been... One of feeling very 'removed' and 'out of touch' with some people.
I must admit, I don't miss some people's Facebook statuses at all.
But other people - like my good friend Alysa and her sister Joy - I miss talking with them.
I was actually texting with Alysa a week or so ago, just telling her about how I think I'm really gonna get a tatt now, and she said something profoundly wise.

"So, it's an outward manifestation of an inner change. Cool. That's deep."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Maybe this Lenten season was one not unlike when a farmer sows seed in a field - the farmer plants the seeds, and then has to wait for them to germinate and grow.
Maybe this Lenten season has been one of germination in my life. Where God plants new seed in my life/heart/soul, and I get to see it germinate over the next bit of time.
Self acceptance and setting of boundaries is always a good thing. :)

Friday 8 April 2011

Lent Day #31

I am trying to fight off a major case of the grumps (rather unsuccessfully too, I might add). I don't know WHY I'm as grumpy as I am - I just am.
:(

So I thought I'd self-medicate with an extra large decaf 3 cream 2 sugar coffee from Timmy's. Which means I get to ingest a whopping 12 mg of caffeine. Go me!!!

Let's hope it helps....

Wednesday 6 April 2011

Gems That Kids Say...

So my 5 year old and I are driving in my minivan when he asks me a question.
"Mum, am I going to live with you when I am 30 years old?"

I answer him, "Probably not. You'll probably have your own house and your own rules. You'll be a man."

He thinks on that, and then says, "Good. Because I don't want to kiss on the lips. That's gross. Maybe I'll live by myself."

I ask him, "But won't you be lonely?"

He thinks about it, shrugs his shoulders and says, "Yeah, maybe. But that's okay."

Kids. If I ever figure out what makes their brains tick I'll be a genius!