RESURRECTION

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”  - Matthew 28:1-8.

1 Corinthians 15:6-8 (The Message) 3-9 The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says; that he presented himself alive to Peter, then to his closest followers, and later to more than five hundred of his followers all at the same time, most of them still around (although a few have since died); that he then spent time with James and the rest of those he commissioned to represent him; and that he finally presented himself alive to me. It was fitting that I bring up the rear. I don't deserve to be included in that inner circle, as you well know, having spent all those early years trying my best to stamp God's church right out of existence.

John 11:25-26 NIV Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Because I think this is such an important subject, I'm doing something I've never done before. I'm posting this on this blog and also on my Charlotte's Weblog blog.  

HE'S MY KING

AMEN!

ABANDONED CASTLES

I don't know about you, but I am totally fascinated by old castles. One of the highlights of our trip to Europe a few years ago was floating down the Rhein River and seeing all the castles high up on the hilltops along the way. When I saw these old abandoned castle pictures on AOL Travel, I decided to share them here.

 Castle of Mesen - Belgium 

This castle is quite the chameleon. Not only did it go from stunning architectural gem to modern ruin, but it's filled just about every role in between. Originally constructed in the beginning of the 17th century for a royal family, after two hundred years of additions and renovations it was sold and used as a factory in the 19th century. It has been home to an alcohol distillery, a sugar refinery, and a tobacco factory.
Here's another shot.

 

Here's an interior shot.

Although most of the interior is in ruins, the lush greenery that intertwines with the building's exterior still makes for some incredible exploration. Don't miss the chapel's stained glass windows that have somehow managed to remain partially intact, even amid extensive damage to the rest of the church.

Chateau de Noisy - Belles, Belgium

Originally named Chateau Miranda, this property was built in 1866 as a summer home for a wealthy count and his family. The family used it for years, but it was taken over during the Nazi occupation and used for military purposes during World War II.

Coity Castle - Glamorgan, Wales

There are a whole lot of ruined medieval castles in Wales. Some are in such disrepair that only a few stones survive, while others are still intact enough to allow people to walk around in them. Coity Castle is somewhere in between. An incredibly old structure, the first version of the castle was built around 1126 by, wait for it, Sir Payn "the Demon" de Turberville (amazing name right?!). Sir Payn was an original member of the Twelve Knights of Glamorgan, each of whom had his own castle built for him.

Lennox Castle - Scotland

After an unfortunate beheading in the family in 1425, the Lennox family lost rights to the land where the Lennox Castle was originally built. After living in a sort of royal exile for eight generations, the family decided it was ready to petition the House of Lords to get their title back. And in 1833 they succeeded, becoming the Count and Countess of Lennox once again. In honor of their royal reinstatement, they commissioned a grand castle to be built on the land of their forefathers. The Lennox castle was completed in 1841, and their previous residence was intentionally partially torn down, planted with ivy, and left as a "ruin." So classy.

Here's another shot of the same castle.

 

Wow, it's hard to recognize this as the same place as the picture above. I wonder if this is a painting.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing these castles as much as I have. I can always imagine them as they were when they were inhabited and wonder what the people were like who lived there. Fascinating I think.

My Spiritual Sundays post for this week is on my other blog. Here's the link:

http://char72.wordpress.com/

SOME INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHTS

Today for Spiritual Sundays I am sharing some quotes on faith. I hope they bless your weekend and the week ahead.  ~ Charlotte

My job is to take care of the possible and trust God with the impossible.
________________________________________________________

Above all else, know this: Be prepared at all times for the gifts of God and be ready always for new ones. For God is a thousand times more ready to give than we are to receive. - Meister Eckhart ________________________________________________________

When we let go of fear, only then can we gracefully move from what was into the miracle of what can be. 

________________________________________________________

Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, faith looks up. _________________________________________________________

Those who have faith need no explanation, for those who have no faith, no explanation is possible. _________________________________________________________

Faith is daring the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see. - William Newton Clark

_________________________________________________________ 

If you have a song of faith in your heart, it will be heard by the look on your face. 

________________________________________________________ 

There are only two ways to live . . . one is as though nothing is a miracle. . . the other is as if everything is. - Albert Einstein 

________________________________________________________ 

Make two homes for thyself, my daughter. One actual home . . . and the other a spiritual home which thou are to carry with thee always. - Catherine of Sienna 

________________________________________________________ 

Anything God asks us to do he supplies us with the energy and grace to do.

________________________________________________________ 

Faith isn't the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It's simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step. - Joni Erickson Tada 

________________________________________________________ 

 

God is the light that shows me the way, for there is nothing that God cannot do.

________________________________________________________ 

No matter how steep the mountain - the Lord is going to climb it with you. - Helen Steiner Rice

________________________________________________________ 

All of the above quotes were found at Inspirational Quotes. You may want to go there for more inspiration. - Charlotte

Thank you to all who came here from Spiritual Sundays. Those who share there are such a blessing to me. We hope you will click on as many of the links there as you can. I'm always amazed at the wonderful posts that are shared there each week. 

GRAND CANYON

I remember the first time saw the Grand Canyon. I couldn't believe it was so huge. I didn't know at that time that someday I would be living in the Grand Canyon state. Now I'm here and so glad to be living in this beautiful state. There was a time when I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to live in the desert. Now I understand. I hope you enjoy this short video. You will need to scroll down to the bottom of the page and turn the music off before viewing the video.

I'M ALIVE

When I read about David Rothenberg being so thrilled that he was alive after what he had gone through, I wanted to share it for Spiritual Sundays. I had heard about him back when the incident happened, but was reminded of it in Tim Hansel's book entitled Keep On Dancin'. Here's the story as told in that book.

But to each of us grace has been given as Christ

apportioned it. Ephesians 4:7

Grace is free but it certainly isn't cheap. You may have read the story of David Rothenberg a few years ago. His father, in a fit of rage, went into David's room, poured kerosene all over the room and all over the tiny boy, and lit him on fire. In God's difficult grace, David somehow lived through it, though ninety percent of his body was covered with third-degree burns. It is estimated that David will have approximately 5,000 operations in his lifetime. Each year they have to open him up so that he can grow. Along with a few saints and poets, David Rothenberg is aware of the greatest miracle of all: LIFE ITSELF. At the age of 7, he had the audacity to say:

I'm alive!

I'm alive!

I'm alive!

I didn't miss out on living! and that is wonderful enough for me.

O Giver of life, how often I take

Your gift for granted. 

Be sure to visit our Spiritual Sundays blog for links to many inspiring posts. Thank you again to everyone who shares there. You are all very special people. You can click HERE to go to that blog.

Follow-up:   After I posted this I decided to see if I could find out more about David. I didn't realize it had been so long ago. It happened back in the early 1980s. Here are a couple of websites if you would like to find out more about it.

http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20093827,00.html

http://crimeshots.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9616 

BATHROOM DIVAS

I had an interesting comment today that led me to a very interesting blog where I found this picture of me and other bloggers who were at the tea last Saturday. I posted pictures of the tea on my other blog. If you haven't seen them, you can click HERE to go to my other blog.

It seems Sheila has a habit of taking pictures of herself in the mirrors of public bathrooms. See that hand holding the camera? Supposedly that's her hand taking our picture here. Oh no. It's the Magical Diva Snapping Fairy. I just thought it was Sheila. How cute. It takes some talent to compose a picture like this. I love it. Now I know I've got your curiosity aroused and you want to know more about Sheila if you are not already acquainted with her. So, click right HERE to pay her a visit. She will be glad you dropped by － and so will you.

BOOK REVIEW

When you read a book that makes you cry one minute and a few pages later you're laughing hilariously you know that book is a winner. We were at a Border's book store that was going out of business and some books had been marked down 60%. I really had no intentions of buying a book. I had just gone there with hubby because he is the "real" book lover in the family. But when I saw Susan's book marked down to $11.00, I couldn't resist it. I fell in love with her along with the rest of the western world when we all discovered what a wonderful voice she has.

Susan tells the story of her interesting life beginning when she was born in a little village in Scotland through all her experiences to become the woman she was born to be. If I had paid full price for the book it would have been well worth it.

My hubby reviews books all the time for different publishers. He has many many books on his sidebar. You can click on any one of them to go to his review of that book. You can click HERE to visit his blog.

 Now I think I'll open up iTunes and listen to some of Susan's music.

SEASONS OF THE SOUL

Spring is in the air. I think people in general are happier to see spring come this year than anytime in the recent years. Maybe it's because winter has been so brutal in many parts of the country. Anyway, I was thinking "Spring" when deciding what to share for Spiritual Sundays this week and decided to share the following poem by Helen Steiner Rice.

The Seasons of the Soul

Why am I cast down and despondently sad

When I long to be happy and joyous and glad?

Why is my heart heavy with unfathomable weight

As I try to escape this soul-saddened state?

I ask myself often what makes life this way?

Why is the song silenced in the heart that was gay?"

And then with God's help it all becomes clear.

The soul has its seasons just the same as the year.

I too must pass through life's autumn of dying,

A desolate period of heart-hurt and crying,

Followed by winter in whose frostbitten hand

My heart is as frozen as the snow-covered land.

Yes, man too must pass through the seasons God sends,

Content in the knowledge that everything ends.

                             - Helen Steiner Rice 

 

 

Please join us each weekend at Spiritual Sundays to share inspiration and encouragement.

Click HERE to go to that blog. 

ENGLISH TEA

Here is a short video of the English Rose Tea Room where bloggers in this area will be gathering Saturday afternoon.

LEARNING FROM GEESE

There is much to be learned from geese. I love the following devotional in the little book called Keep On Dancin' by Tim Hansel.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,

just as in fact you are doing.

I Thessalonians 5:11

There are four things that geese have to teach us.
     One, they rotate their leadership. When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.
     Second, by flying in a V-formation, the whole flock gets seventy-one percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.
     Third, when a goose gets sick or is wounded, two geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him.
     Finally, it's the geese in the back who honk, letting the leaders know that they're following and all is well. If people thought we would be constantly honking encouragement to them, our churches would have standing room only.

Oh God, help me to remember to encourage rather than criticize. 

                                                      -Tim Hansel

As I was thinking about encouragement, it occurred to me how each of us who share on Spiritual Sundays encourage each other. So many of you have told Ginger and me how much you appreciate going there each weekend and sharing. OK. We won't be "honking" but we do want to encourage each one of you and thank you for being a part of this ministry. If you didn't come here from Spiritual Sundays, just click HERE and it will take you there. 

 

BLOGGING WOMEN'S MINISTRY

Today for Spiritual Sundays I decided to share with you a new ministry led by Christie Love. Here are some links to click to get more info..

https://www.facebook.com/LeadHer 

Another link is Christie's web page. Christie Love http://thelovenotessite.com/

We LOVE our LeadHer Bloggers! If you have a blog and are interested in joining the LeadHer blogger pool for special access to our ministry, team, and events you can join at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_154494171271433&ap=1 http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_154494171271433&ap=1 www.facebook.com


Some of you are aware that last week someone set up a fake facebook account for me and invited most of my facebook friends to join. Over 50 of them did join and I've been contacting each one of them to unfriend the fake site but there are still 11 of my friends that haven't taken their names off yet. The fake account even has my picture on it so it is easy to fool people. I'm saying this to say that I have been very careful since that happened to click on anything on facebook. I do believe this LeadHer ministry is legitimate or I would not be recommending it here.

It seems like this will be a good way to share our faith and our blogs with other Christians on facebook. Of course you need to be on facebook to participate in the LeadHer group.

You probably came here by clicking my link on Spiritual Sundays, but if not you can go to that blog by clicking HERE.  Over 300 people are now following that blog and we are so pleased about that.