Children’s Holy Week Timeline

Want a simple way to share the Holy Week Timeline with your littles? Here you go thanks to www.sundayschoollessons.com!

holy week pdf

Holy week timeline

I stumbled upon this fantastic Holy Week timeline courtesy of BibleGateway. Enjoy!

Get out you money grubbers!

Then it was time for the annual Jewish Passover celebration, and Jesus went to Jerusalem.

In the temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices, and moneychangers behind their counters. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out, and drove out the sheep and oxen, scattering the moneychangers’ coins over the floor and turning over their tables! Then, going over to the men selling doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Don’t turn my Father’s House into a market!”

Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Concern for God’s House will be my undoing.”

John 2:13-17

The Living Bible

Your daily dose of love…

The Attributes of God

What wonderful energy Priscila Shirer has in this short video about the attributes of God. Have a wonderful day!

Remember to liveHislove,

Missy

A blessing even in death

Aren’t grandparents just the cutest? I’m not talking about “new age” grandparents. I’m talking about grey-haired, perfume wearing, pie making, go-on-a-long-stroll type of grandparents.  This was mom’s parents and they were married for 72 years. They were the most kind-hearted, God-honoring people I’ve ever met. And oh, did I mention, they died 3 days apart and never knew that the other one had passed away.

My grandparents and their young family in the 1940’s

In his youth, my grandfather was a preacher and delivered milk for Purity Maid.  He was retired from preaching by the time I was a youngin’. I remember him as a farmer and I LOVED summers at my grandparents. They grew and sold flowers and people from all over their small county would stop and purchase their grown-with-love plants. Everyone loved my grandparents. I think some people just used buying some plants as an excuse to stop by and say hello. They were those kinds of people.

My cute grandmother who wasn’t too proud to rock hair rollers and sell plants!

The variety of plants for sale at my grandparents house

My grandmother was the ultimate grandmother. She could cook Betty Crocker under the table and sing hymns while doing it. She crocheted. She let me “cook” in the kitchen. She could shoot a BB gun. She gave the best back rubs. She was a champion checker player (in my eyes anyway). She loved picking wild blackberries along the road during our long summer walks. She called me “bubbles” and used to mail me dollar bills when I was in college. I could go on and on and on.  Personally, I like to think that I’m her “mini me”.

My grandparents had their share of adversity in life. Their son, who suffered from seizures, fell out of a tree when he was fishing and drowned when he was 19. I can’t imagine losing a child, but my grandparents held no resentment to God for such pain. They loved Him with all of their hearts. When I would have sleepovers with them, we would all 3 kneel at the bedside to pray (my grandfather would do it). I remember it fondly now, but at the time, I probably groaned in my head. You see, my grandfather was a bit long-winded. To this day if someone says a long prayer before a meal, we’ll say “That was a Bob Stark kind of prayer”.

The years passed and my grandmother suffered from a heat stroke while outside one day in the garden. It affected her gait and required physical therapy for years. We would do exercises with her too with green bean cans as her weights. She was so cute.  It was during this time that the decision was made for her to begin wearing pants and I know it broke her heart. Her speech was also greatly affected by her stroke and it never returned to it’s full capacity. Even through this storm, she kept her positive attitude. I know that she is responsible for planting the seeds of Jesus’s love into the hearts of her therapists, doctors and care takers.

My grandfather, who suffered from heart failure and kidney failure in his later years, would tell his nurses (and anyone who entered his room for that matter) about Jesus.

They died 3 days apart unaware that the other one had died. She was in a nursing home with end stage colon cancer and he was in the hospital with kidney failure. They are a big part my testimony. I don’t think it is coincidence that they died 3 days apart. Jesus was crucified and 3 days later was raised to life. God blessed them even in their last moments on this earth.  Wow.

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Matthew 20:18-19

…They will condem him to death (19) and turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the 3rd day he will be raised to life.

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 I can only imagine what a glorious reunion they had in heaven. I can’t wait to see them again. Their lives continue to be a blessing, even in their death. What tremendous lives they lived for Christ.

My grandparents in 2006 (my grandfather always had his pad of paper and pen in his pocket. So cute.)

-Remember to liveHislove

Missy

Thankful Thursday: Be a Mary (or at least try)

Today, on Thankful Thursday, I am thankful for those close to me: my family.

I find that I tend to neglect my family as life seems to pull me in multiple directions. Laundry, dishes, homework, bills to pay…..there is always something to do!

If I could only be a little more like Mary (believe me, I do try 🙂 )

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Luke 10:38-42 New International Version (NIV)

At the Home of Martha and Mary
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

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So today, I challenge you to be a Mary. Make your God and your family a priority. Call your sister when you normally would just text, hug your brother or take the time away from phones, computers and televisions to have an uninterrupted conversation with your spouse or child. Grab your bible instead of checking Facebook. Pray when you normally would read the paper.  Aren’t those important people and God worth your total attention!?

Go ahead, Mary would be proud.

-Always liveHislove,

Missy

Give yourself a little love!

How can we expect to fully love others if we don’t first love ourselves?

Watch this brief video from Joyce Meyer on that very topic. Enjoy!

-Remember to liveHislove,

Missy

St Patrick’s Treasure

Beautiful Life with Cancer

I don’t really like Pharisees. There are people today that I label with this term, self-righteous, think they are perfect people. Jesus didn’t like them either. (He loved them, as I should, but he didn’t like them). When confronted by the Pharisees, Jesus said he came to heal the sick.

Who is your sick? Silly question, this is what I mean:

St. Patrick’s Day has its history like any other holiday. I love the festivities, green clothes or you get pinched, rainbows with pots of gold, orange beards, and green beer. But I also like to remember this guy that lived a long long time ago and is worth remembering today.

St. Patrick lived in Britian with his family. At a young age, he was captured by Irish pirates and taken to Ireland, where he was believed to live for six years. After six years in slavery, he was returned…

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