Yesterday was Good Friday, the day that Christians remember that Jesus went to a very painful and demeaning death, put up on a cross, a slow and inhumane way to take a person’s life back in that day. He suffered for hours. He took on the pain – and He prayed.
Jesus was a man of peace, and a man who led others to live with unconditional love especially for the sick and poor, the widow, the hopeless, and those who were considered in the ‘out group’ because they looked different, or lived in the wrong place.
As we know, Jesus was also God’s son, so although he was a flesh and bone man, he was also divine. Hard for our brains to wrap around that. But after physically dying on Good Friday, he was taken down from the cross, and his body was placed in a tomb with a heavy rock blocking the entrance. His body was ‘prepared’ with oils and cloths.
More to come….
Right?
Okay, before we get to Sunday I thought I’d write about a few other things. In the broadcasting business, that’s called a ‘tease’!
Things of this world:
I am home right now while hubby spends a little time with our daughter, son-in-law, and our granddaughters. He and I are splitting our time so one of us can stay home with our high maintenance pug Miss Daisy. Hubby and I will switch… and I get the better end of the deal because I will be there for Easter Sunday. I’m also going to spend a few extra days with our daughter and her little ones as her husband’s time off ends and he goes back to work.
Since I am here with Miss Daisy, and our kitties, I watched a movie I wanted to see “Nyad.” Annette Benning played Diane Nyad, the woman who in her 60’s swam from Cuba to Florida. She had been a long distance swimmer all her life and this was her biggest challenge. The movie was well done and Jodie Foster was excellent as Diane’s best friend and coach, Bonnie.
New topic: The Francis Scott key bridge disaster. I lived in Baltimore a long time ago, and I went over that bridge a few times. I didn’t use it often because I lived in a northern suburb and I would drive west around the beltway, or through downtown and through the Inner Harbor tunnel. But, Baltimore is a place that still has my heart. I finished college there, lived on my own (with my roomie) after college, had my first real job there, and eventually met my husband there. We married there. I have wonderful memories of “Charm City.” I know the financial hit this will have on so many hard working people, and it will effect travel for many also. But, these people are down to earth and tough, especially those from East Baltimore who work the docks and at Bethlehem Steel. I know it will be a long, hard journey back to normal life. A side note: it is interesting that the 6 lives lost were all from Central America countries, men who came here to America for a better life for their families, and they were working the night shift fixing potholes. God be with their families as they try to move on.
Trump is now pushing special edition “American Bibles” and it is one more despicable thing from him. This one ranks pretty high on the ‘you have got to be kidding me’ list!! Ha. He’s a so called billionaire taking money from his followers. The money is not going to a charity. It is not going to a good cause. It is going in to his pockets to help feed his ego – and keep his campaign going. During Holy Week. Remember how Jesus overturned the tables of those outside the temple trying to take money from people coming to worship, telling them they needed to pay to go in, and buy coins, etc. ??? Need I say more.
On my drive to Charlotte today I plan to listen to the new Beyoncé album, “Country Carter.” I have heard the single that was released a few weeks ago called “Texas Hold ‘em” and I like it, and it has become a linedancing hit. I know Beyoncé sings Dolly’s “Jolene” on the album and has Willie on it also. Those are two big heavy hitters in the country music world. Normally I’m not fond of an artist hopping genres, especially if it seems like it’s for the money (remember Steven Tyler’s country music album?!?! ). But maybe Beyoncé’s music will introduce those who don’t normally listen to country music to it – and that’s a good thing.
As I finish up this Musing, let me take us to tomorrow. Easter. I find it interesting that in general Easter does not get the hype as much as Christmas – in today’s world. You don’t hear Easter songs blasting in the stores. You don’t countdown to Easter morning the same way, and the Easter Bunny is no match for Santa Claus. There would be no Easter without Christmas. But, Christmas would not matter without Easter. As a kid who went to Sunday school, I have heard the story of the crucifixion of Jesus, and the rolling away of the stone to find the tomb empty on Easter morning, many times. I am not surprised by it anymore. But, can you imagine the shock of those back then to see it empty, and then to those who actually saw Jesus walking on earth again? The big picture is that God showed them – and us – that He can conquer death, that physical death is not the end. It is WHY we are Christians. We believe, with faith, that God has a greater purpose, one we can not understand now. Jesus had already taught us about love, and kindness, and peace – but his final lesson was about salvation.
Hallelujah! Happy Easter!!
Marla’s Musings 