Good Friday, is it?!

Holy Week, Good Friday, Resurrection, Rebirth, Renewed, Easter Bunny, Easter Eggs, Laughter, Tears, Rejoice, how was your week!

We got our week started off by welcoming our new family from Baker, Louisiana. The youth from Blackwater Methodist church arrived Friday night, staying at Grace, with Krysten welcoming them. They joined us for our outdoor friends visits Saturday morning. Everybody seemed to be doing fine in the camps. We visited with Turner for a few minutes, Richard was not home, then made our way to see Robert. Robert was working, but we met a new friend staying with Robert. Just as we were leaving Daniel walked up. We then went to see all the guys behind the macaroni factory. As the morning went along, the wind and cold seemed to get stronger and colder, so we ended our visits so the youth could get inside.

Just as we were getting ready to leave for our visits, we had a big group of men, some of their wives and children join us from Barksdale. The men are in a Bible study group at the base and wanted to do some work for us. They tilled the orchard area, they chomped up some limbs, some painted inside the center. What a great group of people.

Meant to share with you all, a couple of Saturdays ago, we had our first baby shower for our community center. One of our family, who helps us with our meals, asked us if she could host a baby shower for one of her daughters. Thought it was pretty cool, they would think of us to host such a special event. One step at a time, as we develop relationships with our neighbors.

Monday morning, Dawn met the youth from Blackwater at the center and more work was done. They began the huge task of getting the library back in order. Some continued painting our doors and trim in the hallway. Some decorated the tables in the fellowship hall for our Easter meal and some trimmed and edged our grounds. They worked all day long. Around noon Lomax joined in on the fun and hosted the group in the afternoon.

Tuesday morning our youth returned to finish up their projects and said goodbye at noon. What a special group of young people, taking their time and their energy, spending part of their spring break with us. Pictures are up on our Face book page.

Tuesday evening, Mr Matt and the men gathered for Bible fellowship. Matt read from Mark 14, talking about when Jesus was arrested and going through his trials, the disciples deserted him. Many times we ask, how in the world could the disciples do something like this, fall asleep when asked to pray, denounce they ever knew him, runaway at the first signs of trouble. During the discussions, we were asked, don't we do the same things now? How often, do we try to do it ourselves, only go to God when we have messed things up, let our pride and egos lead us instead of our humility.

Thursday was our Easter celebration. We got started off in chapel, by hearing the word from Pastor Eddie. He talked about the two on the road to Emmaus. As the two walked back home, reminiscing on what they had seen at the cross, worrying they had lost all hope for their future, not recognizing Jesus as he walked along side of them. Pastor reminded us, when we take our eyes off of Jesus, we will loose our way. When we take our eyes off of Jesus, our storms will overcome us.

Then Joey and his friends from the BCM from LSUS gathered all the eggs from Ms Vickie and her friends from Airline Baptist and hide them around the center. What a blessing to see all the children running and laughing as they were finding their treasures.

We had more friends from Airline Baptist supplying our meal of red beans and rice, salad and cookies for our meal. Ms Vickie brought candy treats for everyone also. Thanks to all for making it such a wonderful Easter celebration.

Don't forget, this Sunday morning, Easter Sunday, we will gather at the center at 6:45, waiting on the sunrise at 7:05 to make our annual Easter egg neighborhood walk. Everybody is welcome to join us. We have lots of eggs to hide, you can bring some if you would like, but come. Usually takes about an hour or so, plenty of time to get to church. 

Continued prayers for the Bollingers, Cari's treatments are accomplishing what the doctors are wanting and hopefully allowing them to move on to other procedures. For Joe and Abbie. You saw Ardis' report on Joe from Thursday night, a long road ahead for them. For William and James as they work together to keep their apartment. New challenges. 

Good Friday, I have struggled with it being called Good. Christ is beaten, spit upon, wearing a crown of thorns, bleeding, and then hung on a cross. What's good about that! I remember one Maundy Thursday service many years ago, seeing a video of the torture Jesus is put through and feeling sick. What's good about Good Friday, Jesus died for us! He did not die for himself, He died for us! With each slashing of the whip was another sin of the world taken away. A sin you and I commit, Jesus took away from us. Unbelievable! God lvoes us so much, He would allow His son to go through all of this for us, for you and me! Remarkable!

Doesn't the sacrifice made on Good Friday, make you want to live your life for Christ? Can't we humble ourselves enough to be the kind of servants Christ wants us to be, especially thinking what happened today so many years ago. Christ died for us, can't we die from our old lives and live for Him?!

Why don't we have Easter resolutions each year instead of New Year resolutions? If we turned our lives over to Christ, all things would be possible even our resolutions! What is holding you back from being the person God is wanting you to be? There is nothing God can't handle. Let it go, let God be in charge. Especially today, especially on Good Friday. This Friday is good because Jesus took away the sins of the world, so that we might have everlasting life. Don't let the torture Jesus went through be in vain. Lvoe Jesus, Lvoe God, Lvoe others! 

See you Sunday. Lvoe your family and friends, especially today! Amen!