Holy Week

This is the one week of the year I feel closest to God. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas, but sometimes, sadly, baby Jesus gets lost in all the wrapping paper. Not so, the week before Easter. Christ is my focus. I really DREAD this week b/c it means walking the road to Calvary beside my Lord. I often wonder where I would be had I been living in Jerusalem then. Would I have been a follower? Or a doubter? It scares me to think about it!!!! I would hope I would've been one who BELIEVED in Him from the very start! But, there is a chance I wouldn't have. How sad would that have been to have doubted. Even doubted when He returned?? I'm glad I don't have to worry about that! I'm glad I DO know and believe. And this week, as I have been walking at the "Y" and praying, I have tried to imagine this week in my mind. I almost hate to think about Friday and the day alwasy makes me literally sick thinking about when our Lord suffered for me. And  yet we DO have to go through it. We CANNOT skip to Easter!!! I would love to!  I was thinking about just that thing today when I was working out at the "Y". Just like I'd love to skip working out and having weight just disappear from my body! But, to gain the prize, you have to work and struggle and have pain. Not to compare losing weight to dying on a cross, BY ANY MEANS, but as I struggle and huff and puff and think, "I cannot do this another minute", I picture Jesus walking beside me, encouraging me and helping me do what I think I cannot. And I think about how He must have felt falling on the streets with that cross and thinking He couldn't walk another step. But He did. Anything we do that requires a struggle from us, is going to have some pain involved. Physical or mental. Just pushing ourselves, no matter what it is we're trying to do, sometimes is so hard we think we can't get through it. But, we do. I do only because of Christ. I have been in places in my life where I have literally YELLED OUT LOUD and said, "I cannot go on!" and what do I do? I kept on. For women, think about LABOR. Do you remember asking the nurses or doctor, "HOW MUCH LONGER?"  I do! ANd I also remember saying "I can't do this !" But, I did. But nothing prepared me for when I broke BOTH ANKLES at 7 months pregnant and had to have major surgery! I had FOUR children at home , too! I remember crying out to God in the quiet of the hospital room and asking Him, "WHY?! WHY GOD?? I CANNOT DO THIS! I CANNOT!" And what did He do? He sent angels. Lots of them. Some in human form! Some who massaged my feet. Painted my toenails! Brought countless meals. Babysat my other children. Took care of me. And I made it. And I could walk again. I made it through the hardest time of my life. I remember visualizing Jesus walking beside me. So, today, as I WALKED with TWO GOOD ANKLES, I thanked Him again. And I walked some more. Till it hurt. And I wanted to quit. Whether or not it's my own stubborn tenacity or what, I am not a quitter. So I kept on. As I got into my car, I wanted to cry. With pure joy that I kept on despite hurting. Thankfully our Lord kept on, with a pain that we could never imagine for the HIS pain was the PAIN OF OUR SINS. Which I'm sure hurt even more than the nails.
Prayers that you , too, will turn your eyes towards the cross this week.
love u.
jxxoo


For you B'ham readers, I would like to suggest how you can make your Holy Week be even more real and more meaningful. Discovery UMC, for the past 5 years, has done a "Stations of the Cross" where you walk through, by yourself, at your own pace and visit the different stations. I can honestly say that every single year it brings me to my knees before my Lord as you walk through His journey to the cross. I don't want to spoil it so I won't say what all you do/see/experience. But there are many local artists who have contributed to this amazing "stations of the cross". Please go. I urge you to with all my heart! It starts on Wednesday: 4-8; Thursday 9-2 & 4-8; Friday 9-2 & 4-8. I can promise you, that when you finish, you will have a better understanding of the Passion of our Lord. He died for you. For me. For all of us. And to experience the JOY of Easter, we MUST visit the cross first.


Love you all.
jxxoo