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First, I beg your patience with my inconsistent posting schedule--I am juggling a crazy life (good, but crazy) right now and it just may be this way for awhile, but I love you all and so appreciate your presence here!! Now, more than ever, your comments keep me inspired, so please share your thoughts and feedback with me as you wish!!
We all felt the hum of excited anticipation in the air as 1200 high school students filed in and found seats in the gymnasium bleachers. For once, everyone was on their best behavior (under threat of dire consequences if we didn't behave like angels), and all markedly more attentive than usual for an assembly. It seemed we had all taken a little more care with choosing our clothes that morning and hoped it was something close to a good hair day. We looked around and took in the gleam and shine of the freshly painted, colorful new design on the walls and the near-mirror finish of the highly polished gym floor. The whole school had been cleaned and buffed to a spic-n-span sparkle and everything was ready.
Ready for what, you wonder?
What would cause such attention to detail and such an air of anticipation that morning in 1978 (I think) when I sat with my fellow students, waiting in an unnatural hush?
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Duncan Cameron / Library and Archives Canada / C-46600
Restrictions on use: Nil
Copyright: Library and Archives Canada
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We all watched the door with eagle eyes and finally with an influx of suited strangers and accompanied by stately music, the guest of honor arrived and strode with great dignity into the room. Pierre Elliott Trudeau, then the Prime Minister of Canada, had come to visit our high school! I'd venture to guess that most of us had never been in the presence of a world leader before, and many of us who were there that day have never again been in the presence of a world leader. As teenagers, our knowledge of, and interest in politics was limited, but we knew it was a big deal to be visited by someone as important as the leader of the 2nd largest (by land area) nation on earth! We knew that it was a distinct honor for our high school to be singled out to receive a visit from him, and we did feel honored.
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I thought about that day this past week as I was anticipating Palm Sunday, thinking about what it might have been like to be on the road into Jerusalem that day. In similar fashion to how my high school received our national leader into our midst, the people of Jerusalem received Jesus into their midst.
“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, 'Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!'”
As I alluded to
in a recent post, we (here in America, anyway) are about 236 years out of practice with our king-receiving protocol, but maybe we should refresh our memories. Maybe there is something we can glean from my experience in high school that we can apply to our preparations and attitudes toward
receiving King Jesus. Is it possible that we have thought of receiving Him as a one-time event from which we move on, like the Jews who welcomed Him to Jerusalem did? What if the receiving is ongoing and we need to receive His Kingship daily, to acknowledge His right to reign in our hearts every day as the good and loving King He is. I don't mean that we get saved over and over again--genuine salvation is secure; but each new day brings us a fresh opportunity give Him our rapt attention and to lay our palm branches and cloaks and freshly scrubbed hearts at His feet, reckoning Him too holy to trod on mere dusty ground.
To receive this King is unlike any other! Jesus was the Carpenter-King, the Fisherman-King, the Servant-King. He walked where we walk, in a life of ordinary, and He transcended all that ordinary means. He is utterly trustworthy and wholly true--may you joyfully receive Him this week as we celebrate Him, the King of Kings!
If you have never received Jesus as your King, I pray that this would be the day you do!
If you have received Him, what helps you to receive Him on a daily basis?
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Joining Ann Voskamp in counting His graces for her Multitudes on Monday
I hope you'll join in if you haven't already!
In the counting of the endless gifts I say with C. S. Lewis,
"This also is Thou!"
Counting my next 1000 Gifts, joining Ann in The Joy Dare--like a scavenger hunt for graces, gifts and glory!! Wanna come along? I dare ya!!
The continuing JOY DARE:
#1232-1274 (March 18th through March 31st)
18. 3 gifts red
My simple, un-SMART, scratched-around-the-edges, still-works-for-me cell phone
New leaves on the shrubs that make me sneeze
Frozen cranberries
19. 3 gifts eaten
Eggs for breakfast--my favorite
Cottage cheese with salsa--a yummy, healthy snack
Pasta with meat sauce
20. 3 gifts that made you laugh
Watching silly videos at 4:30 in the morning with Drummer Boy
A funny line in this week's episode of Hawaii 5-0
Precious, adorable, kids-n-their-horses pictures in an email from my Mommy
21. a gift salty, a gift sweet, a gift just right
Lawry's Seasoned Salt
Whipped honey from Canada--I could eat it like candy
Peet's medium lowfat, decaf mocha, double chocolate, no whip with an added regular shot--perfection!
22. 3 gifts found in His Word
"Bear one another's burdens."
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are lovely . . . "
"Sing to the Lord a new song"
23. 3 gifts found in women today
My teammates on my Learning Team who are working so well together
The lady in the passport office, who was sympathetic and helpful in the middle of a surprisingly silly situation
She So Sweet's friend, who has survived so much, and who amazingly looks back and still sees good in people who failed her, and looks forward wanting to give to a world where love is possible.
24. 3 gifts spoken
Gratitude from giggly girls
Assistance from a telephone banker to untangle a tangled up PIN number
"Drive careful," from Hero Husband.
25. a gift sung, a gift written, a gift painted
"O Happy Day"--LOVE that song, especially with Drummer Boy on drums like this morning!
Blessings in emails from my classmate, and that we both know that God is good!
The glorious post-storm sunset (hard eucharisteo in not having my camera with me)
26. 3 gifts almost gone
23rd year of marriage, hello 24th!
The pile of tax-related papers that will soon be out the door and GONE from my desk!
The pain in my knee and foot that have kept me from being as active as I need to be--going, going, GONE!
27. 3 gifts redeemed
Stale cookies made into crumbs for a cookie-crumb pie crust
"Made in the USA" tag that came on my new frying pan--I just like it, so it's hanging above my desk
Time spent waiting turned into time spent productively in school work
28. 3 gifts entwined
My limbs at my first Zumba class
Our lives with a parade of regulars at "our" Peet's
Mixed emotions about She So Sweet going on a fun weekend trip with her Auntie--missing her already, but so excited for the memories they're going to make!
29. 3 gifts of His promises
He will never leave me nor forsake me!
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
No one can snatch me out of His hand!
30. 3 gifts uncovered
Drummer Boy's sense of humor that was hidden under layers of frustration after a difficult day at work
New exercise machine--really hoping this is the perfect tool for me to use!
Basket of fresh eggs from my beautiful neighbor
31. a gift heard, a gift held, a gift hoped for
New song Drummer Boy is working on
Hero Husband's hand
Good grades!
A heartfelt thank you to these generous bloggers
who make these communities available!
