Because He Lives...

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.

Come and see the place where he lay.

Matthew 28:6 NIV

Because He lives, we have hope beyond this life. And that is His greatest gift of all...the promise of eternal life to all who trust in Him.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow. I do not need to be afraid. He knows what lies ahead for me...for you. My future will be OK...maybe not always easy, but in His hands.

Today is April 4th...a day that brings many memories. Two years ago today our granddaughter was born...what joy to meet her and hold her. Two years ago today our granddaughter also passed away...what sadness and sorrow we felt. She is not here for her birthday celebration...or for our Easter egg hunt...but she is safe in the arms of Jesus. We know there is hope beyond the grave...and look forward to meeting her again one day.

Because He lives...life is worth the living!

Because He lives...I celebrate Easter.

good friday...

Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

John 1:29

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

~Isaac Watts 1707

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of Glory died

My richest gain I count but loss

And pour contempt on all my pride

See from his head, his hands, his feet

Sorrow and love flow mingled down

Did ever such love and sorrow meet

Or thorns compose so rich a crown

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross

Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross

All who gather here by grace draw near and bless

Your name

Were the whole realm of nature mine

That were an offering far too small

Love so amazing, so divine

Demands my soul, my life, my all

Good Friday is not the end of the story...but it is a part of the journey. Today we remember the cross...the darkness, the suffering and the pain on our behalf.   Good Friday is not just another day...it's a day to thank God for sending a Saviour on our behalf.  It's a day to announce that sin and guilt have been dealt with once and for all. That's why it is good.

and coffee to go...

When you are are invited out for dinner...you don't really expect to have 'coffee to go'!

But when you go for an evening at the home of these particular friends...you never know what to expect. We had a fabulous dinner...which included an heirloom baked bean dish...and then we went to check up on beans of another sort.

Though we aren't really in the importing business...we brought back 30 pounds of raw Kona coffee beans when we returned from Hawaii...at their request. What ever would they do with all those raw coffee beans? Now we know! We had a tour of  our host's backyard coffee roaster...and watched the process of roasting a batch of Kona coffee beans to perfection. We discovered that he imports beans from the coffee growing capitals of the world...and roasts them to perfection in his own backyard. I like this kind of farming...it smells SO good!

What a fun time we had...complete with a freshly brewed cup of coffee!

And as we left for home...they gave us more coffee for the road. There is nothing but the best here this week...freshly ground coffee from Kona or from Mt. Everest.

Come for coffee!