Archive | March 2013

alleluia!

Mar31

risen

Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!
Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly king, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!
But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
Now above the sky he’s king, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!
Sing we to our God above, Alleluia!
Praise eternal as his love; Alleluia!
Praise him, all you heavenly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Alleluia!

Author: Lyra Davidica
Tune: Easter Hymn
1st Published in: 1708

commandment

Mar29

cross

“For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. “No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

John 10: 17, 18

one in Christ

Mar27

Flesh

There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28
As a child I never thought about that little crayon with the “flesh” label on it. I never questioned whose flesh it was supposed to represent. It wasn’t until I did my student teaching at Martin Luther King School number 9 in Rochester, NY that I first thought about that crayon and how odd it was that the crayon maker chose one color to represent“flesh”. My story goes back to that inner city classroom in which children were asked to draw a self-portrait. One little girl was looking at the crayon labels and raised her hand. “What does this one say?” she asked holding up a crayon. “It says flesh” I said.“What’s that mean?” she asked? I stated that your flesh was your skin. “She looked at me and laughed, “Huh, that’s not my skin color. I need a different crayon.” She threw the crayon in the bin and rooted around until she came up with a pretty light brown. She held it up and said, “That looks like my skin color.” and she happily got to work on her portrait.
I had not thought of that incident in years but the other day I spotted the attached picture on a Facebook post and it brought the story back to me. After seeing the picture I discovered that they have boxed sets of multicultural crayons these days. I knew that years ago the flesh crayon in the box of 64 was renamed apricot. I’m glad they renamed the crayon apricot. I’m happy that they now make a variety of skin tone crayons for children to use. I think it’s wonderful that we humans don’t all have the same skin tone. I love the beauty of the people in the world. We are all God’s children. We are different in looks but we are one in Him!
It’s easy to be unbiased when you are dealing with a classroom full of innocent children but none of us are completely free of prejudice. We all have bias and preconceived ideas that can cause us to judge, fear or ignore. If not skin color, we may discriminate based on physical appearance, economic status, education, clothing, language or a host of other characteristics.
God wants us to do our best to treat everyone with dignity, respect, and compassion. We need to remember that each person we meet is someone God created and someone for whom Jesus died. Instead of trying to color everyone with one crayon let us embrace the whole spectrum. Let us strive to see all people through the loving eyes of our Lord who created all flesh.

By Marge McCoy

amazing

Mar24

amazingrace

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
was blind, but now I see.
2. ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed.
3. Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.
4. The Lord has promised good to me,
his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be,
as long as life endures.
5. Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.
6. When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
than when we first begun.

Hymn Amazing Grace by John Newton
Photo by Elizabeth Pike