General Chat

Good morning :-)


PASSIONTIDE
Heavenly Father, as we follow our Lord Jesus Christ on the way to the cross, help us to pray in faith, sing your praise with gratitude, and listen to your word with eagerness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


It is a thing most wonderful,
almost too wonderful to be,
that God's own Son should come from heav'n,
and die to save a child like me.
And yet I know that it is true:
He chose a poor and humble lot,
and wept and toiled and mourned and died
for love of those who loved Him not.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)


Holy Monday. The second day of Holy Week, the last Monday leading up to Easter.

Jesus had spent the evening of Palm Sunday out of the city, and upon return the next day, he taught in the temple of Jerusalem. He shared parables that used simple imagery to explain the kingdom of God. The Jewish leaders thought he was being blasphemous by doing so and questioned him. Later, as he walked through the temple, Jesus became angry that the holy place of worship had become a place for buying and selling—and taking advantage of the poor. He overturned tables, enraging the stallholders. Then he spent the evening with his friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

HOLY TUESDAY

On Tuesday morning, Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. On their way, they passed the withered fig tree, and Jesus spoke to His companions about the importance of faith.
Back at the Temple, religious leaders were upset at Jesus for establishing Himself as a spiritual authority. They organised
an ambush with the intent to place Him under arrest. But Jesus evaded their traps and pronounced harsh judgment on them.

Later that afternoon, Jesus left the city and went with His disciples to the Mount of Olives, which sits due east of the Temple and overlooks Jerusalem. Here, Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse, an elaborate prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. He speaks, as usual, in parables, using symbolic language about end-time events, including His Second Coming and the final judgment.

After a tiring day of confrontation and warnings about the future, Jesus and His disciples again returned to Bethany to stay the night.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

HOLY WEDNESDAY
Spy Wednesday is the day we recall Judas’ betrayal of Jesus.
Judas was one of the 12 Apostles. He visited the Sanhedrin, who were looking for a way to get rid of Jesus, and they paid him 30 silver pieces. He told them he would look for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them.

It must have been so hard for Jesus, knowing Judas would betray him. The sad thing is Judas’s response when he regrets what he has done, for he despairs and takes his own life.. Maybe Judas believed that Jesus would not love him again? Whatever his reasons, he turned away from Jesus.

Cx :-)

Good morning everyone :-)

MAUNDY THURSDAY

The events of this specific Thursday night changed the course of human history. This was the night before Jesus was crucified. The crowds that cheered for Him days earlier were gone. He was sitting in a quiet, borrowed upper room with twelve men who had no idea their world was about to shatter.

At this Last Supper, Jesus blessed the bread and the wine, sharing them with his disciples.

Jesus commanded that people should love one another and encouraged his disciples to eat bread and wine after his death. This is how His followers would remember him.

He then washed the feet of his disciples as an act of humility and service.

Cx :-)

Dear All

Hello

Hope you are all well and safe.

On what is one of the bleakest days and evenings of the Christian Calendar,

I found this prayer:


"Lord Jesus, I thank You for the ultimate sacrifice You made for me.


Help me to always remember Your love and to live each day
with a grateful heart.


Open my eyes to see Your blessings in every moment of my life.


Replace complaints with thanksgiving and worry with trust in You.


May my life be a constant expression of gratitude, honouring the gift of salvation


You have freely given"

Amen.

Take gentle care
Love EOS
xx

Dear All

Hello

A prayer for Maundy Thursday Night

Let us not fall asleep
Let us keep watch with Jesus

Let us not fall asleep:
Let us pray that we will be kept from hard testing.

Let us not fall asleep:
let us keep faith with those who are suffering now.

Let us not fall asleep:
let us keep watch with Jesus.

Amen.

Take gentle care
Love EOS
xx

Thank you Cynthia for your daily posts about the events of Holy Week. It is good to be reminded now and then. Thank you too Elizabeth for the prayers.

Good morning :-)


Thank you Elizabeth and Vera - it's always good to hear from you both. <3

Such a solemn day today...........


“What makes Good Friday good?” you ask.
A challenge! A rather daunting task.
Some may dismiss it with a shrug and a smirk,
And consider it another day off work.
Others, religious, pious as such,
Take a few minutes for a mournful watch.
Merchants unlock their doors with glee,
Anticipating the pre-Easter shopping spree.
A bunny here, a chocolate egg there,
Symbols of a society that doesn’t care.
“Care?” you say, “Do you mean me?”
“What’s there to care; how can this be?”
It’s the cross, you forget, that rugged wood,
That makes Good Friday eternally good.
What’s so good about the death of an ancient man,
Who died long before my life began?
This man, who on this earth once trod,
Was not only man, but the Son of God.
That wood, that tree, that old rugged cross,
Was the symbol of gain and the symbol of loss.
To those who believe, it is the promise of gain;
The hope that, like Jesus, we’ll rise again!
For the sceptic, the doubter, the meaning is loss;
An eternal gulf, which no one can cross.
Good Friday is good, because of the death
Of Jesus the Saviour, who gave His last breath
So you, friend, and I, could be cleared of our guilt,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb that was spilt.
Mourn not, my dear soul, for the death of the Lamb,
For that cross made the bridge to the Great I AM.
Christ paid the price, rose again to God’s side,
And brought us next Sunday: the Resurrection-tide!
- Alan Allegra


Cx :-)

Dear All

Hello

A Small prayer for this evening:


"Heavenly Father, on this solemn evening,

I come before You with a heart full of awe and reverence.

I remember the suffering of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who was nailed to the
ross for my sins.

Thank You for His obedience, His love, and the gift of salvation that flows
from His sacrifice.

Help me to sit quietly in Your presence, to contemplate the depth of Your mercy,

and to live in the freedom and grace You have given me.

Amen

Take gentle care
Love EOS
xx

IN SILENCE ......WE WAIT.

A happy and blessed Easter Day to all who look in

Dear All

Hello

Hope your day has been a special one.

A very happy and blessed Easter to you.

Take gentle care
Love EOS
xx

Good morning :-)

I know life is hectic, but I can't believe that I missed yesterday! Apologies. As we are still in Eastertide, I can, at least, wish you all a very happy Easter. <3


As Christians, we are well aware that the Bible makes absolutely no mention of an Easter Bunny! However, it’s quite interesting how the fluffy little creature comes into things. There are several schools of thought.

Eggs, just like rabbits, have long been considered symbols of fertility, rebirth and new life, which are all associated with the springtime celebration of Easter.

From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs represent Jesus' resurrection and His coming from the tomb. (Have you noticed how the word ‘Easter’ is omitted on many of today’s eggs?)
The Easter Bunny most likely comes from an early German tradition where, in the 1700’s, a hare would give coloured eggs to children who had been good.
Easter blessings. ??

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

We are still in the season of Easter............

An Easter Prayer

God, give us eyes to see
the beauty of the Spring,
And to behold Your majesty
in every living thing –
And may we see in lacy leaves
and every budding flower
The Hand that rules the universe
with gentleness and power –
And may this Easter grandeur
that Spring lavishly imparts
Awaken faded flowers of faith
lying dormant in our hearts,
And give us ears to hear, dear God,
the Springtime song of birds
With messages more meaningful
than man’s often empty words
Telling harried human beings
who are lost in dark despair –
‘Be like us and do not worry
for God has you in His care.’

Helen Steiner Rice

Cx :-)

Hello all

Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in Springtime.
(Martin Luther King Jnr).

Good morning :-)

So, Easter is over for another year! Let’s all sit back and have a rest. Hang on! That can’t be right! Easter, as with Christmas, is meant to be a way of life, not just a 3-day event! How can we carry the spirit of Easter with us? There are lots of little ways to stay connected with our Heavenly Father.

There are the obvious ways of being kind, considerate, prayerful etc., but how about the not-so-obvious ways we may overlook? One thing is saying grace before a meal, even when we are eating out! It doesn’t need to be turned into a song and dance routine, a simple bow of the head, and a ‘thank you God, for food’. Amen.

Many of us were raised on this ……….remember???
Thank you for the world so sweet
Thank you for the food we eat
Thank you for the birds that sing,
Thank you God for everything.
Amen.



Cx :-)

Good afternoon :-)

Keeping Easter alive
For a lot of people, gardening is a relaxing hobby. Have you ever thought about a Bible garden?
A Bible garden uses plants mentioned in the Bible to create a space that connects you with Scripture in a tangible, living way. Each plant becomes a doorway into deeper spiritual truth. This is a beautiful way to bring Scripture into your everyday life—right outside your door. You don’t have to have an enormous garden to enjoy this – make the most of what you have.
Olive trees are very popular at the moment – they require little care but are an attractive addition to a garden or even a small backyard. Olive Tree – Symbol of peace, endurance, and anointing. “But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God.” (Psalm 52:8)

You could even have a herb garden or window box with herbs based on the Fruits of the Spirit

• Lavender – peace and calm
• Mint – joy and refreshment
• Rosemary – faithfulness and remembrance
• Thyme – courage and self-control
The possibilities are endless.

Cx :-)

Good morning :-)

Keeping Easter alive

Jeremy was born with both learning difficulties and physical handicaps, and by age 12, he was still in second grade. His teacher, Doris Miller, often felt frustrated with him, believing he belonged in a special school. However, when she met with his parents, they expressed their concerns about transferring him, as he enjoyed being in class despite his challenges.
One day, Jeremy approached Doris and said, "I love you, Miss Miller," causing embarrassment in front of the class, but it melted her heart. As spring arrived, Doris assigned the children to bring in something that represented new life for Easter, but she forgot to inform Jeremy’s parents about it.

The next day, when the children presented their items, Doris was surprised to find Jeremy's egg was empty. She assumed it was because he hadn’t understood the project. However, Jeremy spoke up, saying, "Yes, but Jesus’ tomb was empty, too." This revelation moved Doris deeply, prompting her to realize the misunderstanding she had about him.

Three months later, Jeremy passed away, and at his funeral, 19 empty eggs were placed on his casket, a poignant reminder of his insight and impact.

Cx :-)