Maundy Thursday Reflection

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Easter, Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Michael Card, Why?

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for. Matthew 26:47-50 (NIV)

Why

Written and Preformed by Michael Card

Why did it have to be a friend
Who chose to betray the Lord
Why did he use a kiss to show them
That’s not what a kiss is for
Only a friend can betray a friend
A stranger has nothing to gain
And only a friend comes close enough
To ever cause so much pain

And why did there have to be thorny
Crown pressed upon His head
It should have been the royal one
Made of jewels and gold instead
It had to be a crown of thorns
Because in this life that we live
For all who seek to love
A thorn is all the world has to give

And why did it have to be
A heavy cross He was made to bare
And why did they nail His feet and hands
His love would have held Him there
It was a cross for on a cross
A thief was supposed to pay

And Jesus had come into the world
To steal every heart away
Yes, Jesus had come into the world
To steal every heart away

Holy Week Reflection: Wednesday

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Easter, Holy Week, Michael Card, The Basin and the Towel

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. John 13:3-5 (NIV)

The Basin and The Towel

Written and Preformed by Michael Card

In an upstairs room, a parable
is just about to come alive.
And while they bicker about who’s best,
with a painful glance, He’ll silently rise.

Their Savior Servant must show them how
through the will of the water
and the tenderness of the towel.

Chorus:
And the call is to community,
The impoverished power that sets the soul free.
In humility, to take the vow,
that day after day we must take up the basin and the towel.

In any ordinary place,
on any ordinary day,
the parable can live again
when one will kneel and one will yield.

Our Saviour Servant must show us how
through the will of the water
and the tenderness of the towel.

bridge:
And the space between ourselves sometimes
is more than the distance between the stars.
By the fragile bridge of the Servant’s bow
we take up the basin and the towel.

(chorus)

Holy Week Reflection: Tuesday

Tags

Easter, Holy Week, Michael W. Smith, Secret Ambition

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 (NIV)

[Video has been removed from YouTube]

Secret Ambition by Michael W. Smith

Young man up on the hillside
Teaching new ways
Each word winning them over
Each heart a kindled flame
Old men watch from the outside
Guarding their prey
Threatened by the voice of the paragon
Leading their lambs away
Leading them far away

CHORUS

CHORUS:
Nobody knew His secret ambition
Nobody knew His claim to fame
He broke the old rules steeped in tradition
He tore the holy veil away
Questioning those in powerful position
Running to those who called His name
But nobody knew His secret ambition
Was to give His life away

His rage shaking the temple
His word to the wise
His hand healing on the seventh day
His love wearing no disguise
Some say, “Death to the radical
He’s way out of line.”
Some say, “Praise be the miracle
God sends a blessed sign.
A blessed sign for troubled times.”

Holy Week Reflection: Monday

Tags

Dawn Rodgers, Easter, Eric Wyse, Holy Week, Women of Faith, Wonderful Merciful Savior

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. I John 4:14 (NIV)

Wonderful, Merciful Savior by Dawn Rodger Wyse & Eric Wyse
Performed by Women of Faith

Wonderful, merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb
Could rescue the souls of men
Oh you rescue the souls of men

Counselor, Comforter, Keeper
Spirit we long to embrace
You offer hope when our hearts have
Hopelessly lost the way
Oh, we’ve hopelessly lost the way

You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for

Almighty, infinite Father
Faithfully loving Your own
Here in our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne
Oh, we’re falling before Your throne

Palm Sunday Reflection

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David Crowder, Easter, Here is Our King, Holy Week, Palm Sunday

Beginning today through Easter I will post a short scripture passage and video each day. Regular blogging will resume after Easter.

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna[c] in the highest!”
Matthew 21:9 (NIV)

Here is Our King written and performed by David Crowder

From wherever spring arrives to heal the ground
From wherever searching comes
(The look itself a trace of what we’re looking for)
So be quiet now…and wait
The ocean is growing
The tide is coming in
Here it is…

Here is our King
Here is our love
Here is our God who’s come
To bring us back to Him
He is the One
He is Jesus

And what was said to the rose
To make it unfold
Was said to me here in my chest
So be quiet now…and rest
The ocean is growing
The tide is coming in
Here it is…

Majesty…
Finally…
Here

ID10T Winner: Dude Beats Up Easter Bunny

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stupid criminals

I actually heard this one on the local news tonight. It seems that this afternoon some dude punched out the Easter Bunny at the local mall. His excuse was the bunny got too close to him. I’ve seen that bunny and he is pretty tall but punching out someone in a bunny suit is a little absurd. Hopefully, no small children were traumatized by the incident.

Does the Easter Bunny have a naughty list like Santa?

Conversation

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Education, education myths, school funding, teacher pay, teachers

Last night I overheard a conversation from a couple of college students regarding teaching. It seems that the young lady is an education major. Her friend was loudly proclaiming how teachers were really over paid. He thought that teachers had a very easy job because they only work 8 to 3 with a lunch break and an hour off period. Further teachers get two months off a year. The young man had obviously never been on the other side of the desk.

There are many who think because they have been students that they must know about teaching. Further there are still many misconceptions about teaching. First teaching is not an 8 to 3  job; those are just the hours that students are there. For me teaching was more like 7:30-5:00 and then I took several hours of work home each night. While teachers are supposed to get a half hour lunch and conference period each day there is often so much to do during those time that it is rarely free time. I was always doing good to get fifteen minutes to inhale my lunch. It is ironic that the gentleman thought teachers were being over paid was in the one of the, if not lowest paying counties in Florida. Florida’s teachers are some of the lowest paid teachers in the country.

One of the things that has always frustrated about teaching was that those who made the policies (ie politicians) had for the most part never taught. In our society grown men are paid millions of dollars to play with a ball but teachers barely make a decent wage. In many areas education is so underfunded that teachers must spend large amounts of their own limited resources for classroom supplies. In Florida, the education funding situation is so bad that many school districts are looking at drastic measures to reduce spending including shortening the school week to 4 days and reducing electives.

If we really wanted to improve education in this country maybe we should provide better funding instead of just adding more regulations. Give teachers the respect that college educated professionals deserve rather than always blaming teachers.