Sunday, April 16, 2006

Happy Resurrection Day

I will be posting a more reflective piece tomorrow, but here is a wish that your Easter was spent not just opening baskets, eating eggs and candy, but also a time to reflect on the historical reality of His resurrection.

He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

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 ye heavenly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son. and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!

God bless and Happy Easter,
Derrick and Tracy

He is risen. He is risen indeed!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

But, opening baskets and eating candy is fun too. :-)

Anonymous said...

Hey, way cool! You have a very awesome balance which very much equates to my earlier comments. There is a church being built just a half-mile from here. I love the Pastor and he is a very loving guy. I would wish to experience this church and so want to be a part of a church family again. Pray for Lori and I to find this.

D.B. said...

We do pray for both of your involvement in solid Bible-believing church. As the man of the household, it is your responsibility to be the spiritual leader. That is a great responsibility and Tracy has to sometimes remind me of my responsibility.

Good luck,
Derrick

Anonymous said...

Being the spiritual leader may have a different history for each family. This is turn, makes each situation truly individual. When Tracy and Melissa were very young, I was the only Christian in the household. I did not ever insist upon my wife to attend church, nor the children. This would create a negative feeling and be counter productive. I witnessed by example. When my wife came to The Lord, there were still situations that required resolution. Not each of our church visits were wonderful. In two of the early churches we attended, children under a ceratin age were told to stay in the child area. This was not a spiritual place. It was a "holding" area for coloring and such. After the service one Sunday, we went to get our very young kids. Melissa was in a "crib" thatshe could not get out of. She also had a large knot on her head from a fall. She was frightened to death, crying like you would not believe. So, this was my last visit to that arena. The consequence was a sour taste in the mouth of my wife and her new walk in early church participation. Church is not a building. It is a gathering of believers. Where it is held, is of no consequence to me. God is everywhere. Then, we found a church very close to home. What do I hear from my die-hard christian family? " The church has a female pastor!" People are people. She was a wonderful pastor. I have stated that I will find a church at some point in time.It must be a church that truly accepts everybody. My spiritual mentor, Dolores, was stared at and talked about because she lived with another woman. These snickers happened in church as well. Still, she proudly attended with her friend. I would like to find a church where she could have been proudly seated as an equal, not being judged by humans, especially in a christian sanctuary. Quite honestly, this will be quite a task. A sin is a sin is a sin. Our experiences gain us much. Our church must be a place where you are anxious to attend on Sunday morning. I find it amazing how many people, in some form or another, have to "make" themselves go to church on Sunday morning. This is an absolute truth for me. I have to admit that. It's not about being disciplined. It's about being excited about your Sunday morning and where you are going to worship. If's about "having" to go in any form, it is not the right church for that individual. I loved Walnut Valley Christian Chapel, back in the late 70's. It is a possibility for me to feel that way again. My heart is not hardened in any way. But, I would feel guilty about attending any church where I happen to glance down at my watch during the service.

Anonymous said...

I seem to think that it is possible to attend a church that you love, but still have to "make" yourself go sometimes. There are many sunday mornings for me that I fight with the idea of sleeping in or going to church. Lets see...get up, get ready, and go to church....or.....sleep in, drink some coffee, read the paper, and get ready at my leisure. Needless to say, sometimes I do "make" myself go. However, I never regret making the choice to attend church instead of being lazy. I am always blessed by my church family and return home glad that I went. If I stopped going to church because I had to make myself get up and go sometimes, I would not attend any church, at all. I could be wrong, but I think that is just part of being human.

Anonymous said...

Tracy, good thoughts and how true. I equated your comments with something as simple as going to work every day. If I chose not to do that because I looked at my watch once in awhile, I'd be living in a box somewhere. How much more exciting to attend church. I suppose that it really is a privelage and honor to be able to go to a sanctuary with other believers to thank The Lord for what he did for me. Now I feel like a heel, but I thank you for it! Quite eye opening for me.

D.B. said...

Russ said...
In two of the early churches we attended, children under a ceratin age were told to stay in the child area. This was not a spiritual place. It was a "holding" area for coloring and such. After the service one Sunday, we went to get our very young kids. Melissa was in a "crib" thatshe could not get out of. She also had a large knot on her head from a fall. She was frightened to death, crying like you would not believe. So, this was my last visit to that arena.

Russ, I'm sorry you had a couple difficult church trips. Particularly with your children. I know I will be protective of ours when they come. However, until a child is at a certain age (cognitively) I would say that kid "church" is about entertaining the kids with coloring and other activities that sometimes have no other purpose than tiding the kids over for the return of the parents. Cookies, candy, crayons...Not much theology is necessary at a young age.

The consequence was a sour taste in the mouth of my wife and her new walk in early church participation. Church is not a building. It is a gathering of believers. Where it is held, is of no consequence to me. God is everywhere.

I agree that the "Church" is not a building and that God is everywhere, but one thing that is important is meeting somewhere. Old Testament had the Tabernacle/Temple, and the New Testament had "home churches", primarily because it was new for them not to be worshipping in the Temple.

Then, we found a church very close to home. What do I hear from my die-hard christian family? " The church has a female pastor!" People are people. She was a wonderful pastor.

This is a debatable topic for many years. It can be a hotbed of controversy. :-)

I have stated that I will find a church at some point in time.It must be a church that truly accepts everybody.

Good luck finding a Bible-believing church that does not make the sinner uncomfortable and, dare I say, convicted.

It is one thing to be friendly to folks (those that make the claim of being a Christian); it is quite another to accept their sin as appropriate and I think the Church has not done a super job wrt church discipline.


My spiritual mentor, Dolores, was stared at and talked about because she lived with another woman. These snickers happened in church as well. Still, she proudly attended with her friend. I would like to find a church where she could have been proudly seated as an equal, not being judged by humans, especially in a christian sanctuary.

I think the Church, particularly in the past, has not handled the sin of homosexuality the best way. It is important to love people and treat them with respect.

I think it is awful how your friend had been treated. Even when we disagree with someone's lifestyle, I think we can still treat them with respect.


Quite honestly, this will be quite a task. A sin is a sin is a sin.

That is true as far as it goes.
Greg Koukl said this, "The Bible gives us some guidance on this. It teaches that not all sins are the same. Some are more egregious than others. This is very clear in the Scriptures. Jesus said to Pilate, "He who delivered Me up to you has the greater sin" (John 19:11). According to Jesus, some sins are greater than others."


Russ, thanks for posting and I hope this does not seem to harsh. I appreciate you hanging in there. I hope you are feeling better.

Derrick