Celebrating My Jesus

Easter Weekend is coming. How do I know for sure? Well, I've had email conversations trying to figure out both sides of our family's free times for meals, suggestions about Easter Egg hunts and looking forward to a long weekend with Danny home with us. But beyond that, why is Easter special? I don't participate usually in the Good Friday service or early morning sunrise on Easter morning. I love my Jesus. I am not the most faithful in reading the portions of Scripture surrounding this special story, but I do love to do that. I love my Jesus. I used to look forward to the once a year Cadbury eggs and Mini Eggs that were only available during this season (but thankfully are available year round now :) I love my Jesus.

Why do I keep saying "I love my Jesus"....????

Well, recently in conversations there has been a concern of how to truly experience Jesus in authentic ways that are TRUE and RIGHT and GOOD. I really don't like bashing a certain background or church division or denomination. I love seeing people who are acknowledging Jesus in their lives. I don't even like the pressure people put on church attendance, as if that is the only place to learn about God. It makes me cringe when people are so tough on big names in our Christian community for being "too new age" or ---for goodness sake---a CATHOLIC...their messages really rub people the wrong way, for some reason. Don`t get me wrong,

JESUS' BLOOD AND RIGHTEOUSNESS AND DEATH AND RESURRECTION 

are my foundations, my beliefs and my heart. But it does bother me when people who are ``Christians, and my brothers and sisters in Christ" are hard edged, judgmental and cold not only to the "world" but to each other.

The point of all of this is MY JESUS is the closest entity in my life. I don't just think of Him on holidays or Sundays or during small group, HE is in my heart and mind always. And as much as I love Danny and Malachi, I don't pray to them. I don't cry out to them for all my hurts and pains and sorrows. I don't pray to them for thankfulness that I am alive and that I have been given THEM as gifts. My Jesus is the source of all that is beautiful and good in LIFE. So the messages of Love come from HIM, despite the messenger.  And when I hear those who claim to be God's People deliver messages of judgment and shame, then I don't believe its from God. I don't want to hear what they say when its tinged with hate and fear and coldness.

So this weekend, and right now in this moment, I praise the Lord for the beauty of Easter. I celebrate here in my kitchen. I listen to worship music. I pray with Malachi and Danny. I look outside and see beauty in the snow and in the kindness of my neighbours blowing out the snow in my driveway. I think of Mary looking at her Son on the Cross and think of the sorrow that would cause any Mama. I think of those dear women who did not abandon Jesus. They stayed. They worshiped. They grieved. They rejoiced. They loved Him and SAW Him again. They got to be in the center of the story.

My Jesus is sitting at the right hand of HIS FATHER. HE is ALIVE. PRAISE HIM! Its a story that I don't want to forget or brush over. I want to celebrate My Jesus and think of HIM amidst the busyness or even the laziness of this weekend.

So I will leave with this beautiful hymn:

 My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;
for thee all the follies of sin I resign;
my gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

2 I love thee because thou hast first loved me
and purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

3 I'll love thee in life, I will love thee in death,
and praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath,
and say when the deathdew lies cold on my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

4 In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I'll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;
I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.