The young kids in our church paraded in with palms today. This is tradition for us as we read and reflect and enter into Holy Week for all Christians. Jesus rode in on a unbroken donkey into Jerusalem. Our pastor pointed out saying a farmer once said riding an unbroken donkey with waving branches and palms in front of it is the greatest miracle Jesus ever performed. I’ve never rode a donkey but I can about imagine!
Nathan and I talked about waving the palms and Jesus riding the donkey after church with the pre-school aged children. Then we discussed His death and why we celebrate Easter.
The kids taught me more than I taught them today. The Bible stories are black and white to them. They believe whole-heartedly. I realized I need to remember believe whole-heartedly.
This week is time for self-reflection for me, a time I remember than those closest to Jesus betrayed and denied him. It reminds me human weakness is in all of us. Admitting we all fall short and are weak in our daily lives is difficult to do sometimes. But this week, I am setting aside more time to reflect, admit my weaknesses, seek forgiveness, renew my spirit and rejoice in my faith.
Because I am surrounded by blessings that I don’t want to take for granted. I want to be the best I can for them.
(On a completely different note: The outfits the girls wore to church were springy attire that we normally couldn’t pull of on the first of April but it’s been very warm here. My mom made the outfits. Aren’t they adorable?)
Teenager Hunter was home less than four hours with us today. He has gone from State Science Fair, where he won numerous awards including first place in our region, to a basketball tournament that my parents took him to onto State FBLA (future business leaders). I keep telling him it’s track season! I am awaiting a track meet soon but thankful he loves to stay active, even if he doesn’t love my favorite sport, track and field. Just keeping tracking of his schedule and washing his laundry wears me out most weeks.
Today after church we had Chicken Marabella, which is a recipe from my friend Nancy aka The Wife of Dairyman.
While we had Sunday School my mom organized the side dishes of rice, roasted peppers and cheese bread and asparagus while the chicken baked.
We came home to a fantastic family meal. I’ll share the Chicken Marabella recipe tomorrow for Hunk of Meat Monday.
Enjoy the week.
The dresses are adorable. Does your mom need two more granddaughters? And I hear you on the absent teen…not that I was home much this weekend, but when I was, he was not. It takes some getting used to.
congrats to your young man on his winnings – smart and athletic. 🙂
Hunter should do GREAT in track (and so should you) as you’ve been “running” since school started! LOL You brought back memories of my Sunday School days and Palm Sunday. What thoughtful considerations for this week and I appreciate you bringing them up. Another I thought of as I read about Jesus and those that betrayed him was that I also need to think about forgiveness to those I feel have betrayed me. Something I need to do more often (never good to hold a grudge).
I had never thought about the miracle of Jesus riding an unbroken donkey and waving palms! That is a miracle. Hope this week is full of reflection and you and your family fill the joy of Jesus and Easter on Sunday!