Oops ... I posted this in last month's thread; didn't notice the new thread hadn't been started yet, so I copied it in here too!
DON'T WORRY GARY ~ we are REMEMBERING OUR LORD every day this week ... we pray each morning and meal; and in the evening before bed; and with my devotions too.
JESUS is our friend -- faithful and true to the end! We are ever grateful for all He has done for us; He was so brave and courageous. Have been reading daily in my devotions and scriptures (twice a day, I might add) everything that He went through the week before His death.
I really liked the devotion from the Daily Bread today; it was a parallel analogy comparing the diagnosis of cancer (or other serious illness) before, during, and after -- with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. When I got sick about 5 years back that is what it seemed like to me too: the death of our wellness or normality, as we knew it at the time; the burial of our old way of thinking and living; and the resurrection: a new awareness and a better way of living.
There was a huge transformation for me in my spirit and mind -- GOD carried me through it and still is, but showed me so many marvellous things as well: how to be more grateful, and appreciate every second, of every hour, of every day. To stop and smell the roses, to appreciate all GOD's creation, plus all of his beautiful creatures, and of course -- our families and friends. All of this being magnified more than it ever was before ... the grass was greener, the sky bluer, and I noticed so much more than before!
All through those years, the one thing that stands out is that I have been getting even closer to GOD and the LORD, even though I thought I was very close already. Plus He taught me the true meaning and value of Praise; and He showed me this: that GOD is our only true, pure, Abba Father ... and JESUS is our one, true, faithful friend and brother (like no other)! No-one and I mean N0-0NE ~ can compare to them in my eyes now!
You know, I was thinking that our weightloss journies could fit into that analogy too -- the diagnosis: realizing the old way of eating/living was not healthy for us, and making the necessary changes: death to the old ways of thinking and living; the burial: of all our old bad habits; and the resurrection: to a healthier way of eating and living, leading towards restored health ... and instead of leaning on food, trusting and leaning on GOD and the LORD for everything!
Well, didn't mean to write a sermon, but we are ever mindful of all the LORD has done for us at this time ...
We had a busy day, but did take some time this evening to go for a nice drive to the country and enjoy viewing the beauty of GOD's creation here. It was very, very hot here but with a terrific wind so it was nice to go for a drive in the cool of the evening too!
Hope all our friends here had a good day too!
Happy Resurrection Day tomorrow ... or HAPPY EASTER SUNDAY!
Oh, btw ... my flowers are coming up in my garden today, so I gave them a bit of water too! Rosebud
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