Death to life, living in the season of Easter

Acts 3:12-19, Psalm 4, 1 John 3:1-7, Luke 24:36b-48

Third Sunday of Easter

In this Season of Easter (and a little prior), I have been meditating on the phrase "all things new."

I think about it as I let chicken bones sit in a slow-cooker of water for a day or two. I think about it as we take eggshells that we normally would have thrown away, and fill them with soil and plant seeds in them. I think about it as we throw food scraps in a bucket for compost. I think about it as we are at a time of transitioning from one field of work into another. I think about as we see buds and blooms and other signs of Spring as the weather warms up and the days get longer.

What was thought to be dead and done is being made new! Jesus was dead in the tomb, and on the third day he rose from the dead. He is alive! 

Each of the passages today talks about the forgiveness of sins. The world is broken because of sin. People are broken. But take heart, Jesus is making all things new! He will fix our brokenness and redeem us. We will be a new creation! Much like a plant is no longer a seed, and compost is no longer scraps of things you were going to throw away.

I was reading an article about composting (I am a newbie), and I was struck by how it is so very parallel to Easter. You throw your food scraps (and coffee grounds, and lint, and shredded paper, etc) into the bucket (or pile, or wherever you keep your compost), and let time pass as it decomposes and decays and finally turns into the most wonderful, life-giving dirt. Not only is it important to have in your garden, it is essential for giving your soil nutrients and life! Compost, in death, brings life. Boom. Easter.

                  Compost bucket

As my family starts this new adventure of gardening and composting, and continues on our journey of living simply and minimally, I look forward to the ways it helps me to read, meditate upon, and understand Scripture.

Happy Third Sunday of Easter! Jesus is alive!

Palm and Passion

Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday
Palms 
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 | Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16
Passion
Isaiah 50:4-9, Psalm 31:9-16, Philippians 2:5-11, Mark 14:1-15:47

Today we stayed home from church to rest as a family. It had been a pretty full week, with new things in the schedule and sickness, and we opted to stay in and read through all of today's Scriptures.

What stands out today is the difference in feel between the Palms Scriptures and the Passion Scriptures. In just a short amount of time, people go from celebrating Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, to not being able to stay awake one hour, betraying him, mocking him, beating him, crucifying him. Happy and hopeful, to doom and gloom. I'm glad we know the end of the story, but it doesn't make it any easier to endure.

Another thing that stuck out to me today is the amount of women at the cross. Jesus's disciples were both men and women, and Mark went so far as to even name some of the women. I think it is pretty significant.

What stood out to you in today's readings?

On inns and adventures and essays

A few days ago I learned about an essay contest where the winner would be given a historic bed and breakfast in Maine to run. Excited by the idea, I began crafting my (under 200 word) essay in my head. After all, we like adventure, have skills in hospitality and caring for people, and are at a time of transition in our life anyway. Might as well transition to being innkeepers in Maine, right? Plus, the essay had to have proper structure and grammar, and concisely convince the current owner that I have what it takes to run a bed and breakfast. I could pull that off.

But also true to myself, I really thought through the implications of winning. Our little family would have to uproot and move (AGAIN), to completely unfamiliar territory. And for how long? The stipulations say that the person who wins must run the place as a bed and breakfast for at least a year. This is appealing because we are aching to live anywhere more than temporarily. But do we want to settle down and dig deep roots in a tiny town in Maine? And being there are kids involved, would we opt out of living in the one-bedroom apartment on the top floor of the bed and breakfast where the current innkeeper lives? Where would we go to church? Who would be our community? These are the sorts of questions we'd ask no matter where we'd move, and the more I looked into it, the more I realized that the most exciting and realistic part of this whole endeavor would be writing the essay. And why spend $125 to write an essay if you would ultimately end up turning down the prize? I can write essays for free here!

So, someone else will have to win it. And hopefully soon we will be able to dig deep roots and settle down in a way that makes more sense for our family.

Here are some links for more information if you are interested in this essay contest.

http://bangordailynews.com/2015/03/11/living/take-a-look-inside-the-historic-maine-inn-to-be-given-away-in-essay-contest/

http://wincenterlovellinn.com

http://www.centerlovellinn.com/

They also have a Facebook page.

If I had a million dollars I'd still...

...want to live in a small house

...bake my own bread

...line-dry clothes when possible

...cook from scratch

...attempt a garden

...check books out from the library

...not watch much tv

...make my own soap

...try to walk to places before driving (when realistic/within walking distance. I'm not Forrest Gump)

Lectionary Thursday

Ok. Ok. I can't promise something from the lectionary on a regular basis. Lectionary Thursday just has a ring to it.

Today's readings are: Psalm 62:5-12, Jeremiah 19:1-15, and Revelation 18:11-20

I'm posting from my phone and not sure if I can or know how to hyper link you over to read the verses on Bible Gateway. Sorry. You'll just have to look them up!

What stood out to me is Psalm 62:5: 

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
    for my hope is in him.

Oh, hi!

Hi dear reader,
If it seems like I have forgotten about this blog, it's because I mostly have. Sorry. Loads has happened since the last time I posted, ages ago. It's not that I haven't thought of blogging, it's just that over the past couple of months we've unexpectedly transitioned out of a job, had a baby, and moved temporarily (again). And in the midst of trying to figure out what is next for our family, we still don't have the internet. But I do so desperately want to write and reflect again on a regular basis. The hardest part is no internet. This post is coming to you from my phone, typed with one thumb. Sob story aside, our little family is doing alright. Enjoying each other and the simpler things of life. Someday (hopefully) soon I will get back to regular blogging. Until then, here are a couple things to hold you over:

Lately when I get down to the bottom of a jar of honey, instead of rinsing it out I will save it for a cup of tea or coffee. I don't want to waste a single delicious drop. This morning I poured a little milk and a lot of coffee in the nearly empty honey jar. Perfect.

Also this morning, I mistakenly assumed my 2 year old wanted a banana (he usually does, for breakfast). After it sat on the table for quite some time and I realized he wasn't going to eat it, and I realized I wasn't going to eat it, I looked up a recipe for banana bread and cut it in half. In an act of impulse and inspiration, I also added 2-3 scoops of (natural, only peanuts) peanut butter. The result was what you'd get if banana bread, peanut butter cookies, and biscotti all got together and made a tasty baby.

Anecdotes aside, here is the recipe for the bread. I hate when bloggers make you read a story before giving you the recipe you're looking for, don't you?

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2-3 tbsp peanut butter
1 egg
1/4 tsp (a splash, really) vanilla (vanilla beans in vodka)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 cup milk
1 banana
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Mix. Pam a loaf pan. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes and then at 300F for 7 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean).

Bible Study -- Ecclesiastes

Lesson 12

Departing thought: How does a life “under the sun” compare to a life centered on God? Pray that the Lord would give you the wisdom to fear God and keep his commandments, that you would love your neighbor as yourself, and that you would do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.