Family Friday: Easter Fun

EASTER  FUN

            Holidays are fun!  Excitement builds as we anticipate days off from school, possible vacations, family time, or any other number of things we get to do.  This is a great time to focus on some family time and to plan an activity or two together. Sadly, the world has commercialized Easter, and sometimes we forgo any celebration in order to help preserve the sacredness of this special day.  However, we can still do special things that pertain to Easter without making our children concentrate on bunnies and candy.

            Think of things that are possibly associated with Easter, and put a spiritual application to them.  Decorating eggs can remind us to be transformed to the image of Christ.  Baby bunnies remind us that we need to grow in Christ instead of remain baby Christians.  Candy reminds us of the sweetness of His love for us.  Easter baskets remind us to think of others and to be a blessing to our family members.  Tiny chicks remind us of the new life Christ brings.  The possibilities are endless!

            Yes, we need to make sure our children don’t think of Easter the same way the world thinks, but that doesn’t mean that we cannot have any fun traditions associated with it.  Have an egg or candy hunt in your yard, put inexpensive gifts and a little candy in Easter baskets, dye eggs, go shopping for new clothes if God has blessed you with the money to do so, and have fun at Easter! 

Monday's Message: Pride

Monday's Message: Softly and Tenderly

(Source) 

Will L. Thompson was born at East Liverpool, Ohio. His father, Josiah Thompson, was a member of the Ohio State Legislature.

       Young Thompson attended the Boston Music School and did additional musical study in Germany. After a very successful career of writing secular music, Thompson turned his talents to writing gospel hymns.

       His business earned him a sizable income in his lifetime, yet he was always known as a kind, quiet and unassuming Christian gentleman, greatly loved and admired by his associates.

       Thompson was also known for his travels by horse and buggy from one small community to another throughout Ohio singing his songs to people everywhere.

       This particular hymn was one of D.L. Moody’s favorites. It is said that on his deathbed while being visited by Mr. Thompson, Moody feebly whispered:

       “Will, I would rather have written ‘Softly and Tenderly’ than anything I have been able to do in my whole life.”

       This hymn was widely used as an invitation hymn in the great evangelistic meetings conducted by Moody and Sankey throughout Great Britain and in America.

 

       ++++++++++

Softly and Tenderly

      

(1) Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,

Calling for you and for me;

See on the portals He’s waiting and watching,

Watching for you and for me.

 

CHORUS:  Come home, come home,

Ye who are weary, come home;

Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling-

Calling, "O sinner, come home!"

      

(2) Why should we linger when Jesus is pleading,

Pleading for you and for me?

Why should we wait, then, and heed not His mercies,

Mercies for you and for me?

      

(3) O for the wonderful love He has promised,

Promised for you and for me;

Tho' we have sinnned He has mercy and pardon,

pardon for you and for me.

Family Friday: Follow Me

Follow Me

          Everyone is a teacher!  I don’t mean professionally, but we are all teaching somebody something whether we realize it or not.  There is at least one person who copies your actions, dress, reactions, manner of speaking, etc., because that person wants to be like you.

          Some days that is a bit of a scary thought!  Phillipians 3:17 is a good reminder that people are following our Christianity: “ Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.”  Is my Christianity worth following?  Do I give others a clear picture of Christ?  How about my home life?  Do I act one way at church, then act another way at home?  I am always supposed to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, not just when I’m in public.  My children are the ones that are noticing my example the most often. 

          If you are a leader in any area, whether as a Sunday School teacher, bus worker, church musician, Junior Church worker, usher, greeter, or any other area, you have a great responsibility of maintaining a life of example.  If you are a parent, be the right example all the time, expecially at home.  May we be able to say to others, “Follow me, as I follow Christ.”