Spring is SPRUNG!!! Last Update: 4/9/8 Would you like music while you visit? Click here Keep reading to see our Spring Page, or click HERE to see the first celebration in March! I can hardly believe we've come to another SPRING!!! What a blessing springtime always is, even in Hawaii, where the weather seemed to be springtime perpetually! There are many special days for us in the spring...several family birthdays and fun days. But the most important part of spring is what most people call "Easter Sunday".... What does "Easter" mean to YOU??? Bonnets? Parades? Bunnies? Colored Eggs? Baskets? Candies? Flowers? Or something MORE.... Our family celebrates spring and spring's holidays a little differently than most people do. Since we began celebrating this way in 2003, we've found it to be VERY special...let me share with you: I have no problem with baskets, bunnies, eggs, baby critters UNLESS they take away from the beauty and sacredness of the glorious resurrection of my LORD & Saviour Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God!!! What we as a family do is, depending on the calendar *_* 1. Celebrate "Happy Spring" on the first day of Spring! (March 20th is the Vernal Equinox...21st - official first day of Spring *_*). We take time to praise God for His creation! 2. Observe God's Passover, which is also a celebration As we know the Passover is pointing from the Exodus to that perfect sacrificial Lamb, the LAMB OF GOD.... (April 19th, 2008, sundown). 3. Observe Resurrection Son Day The day celebrating Jesus' Resurrection from the grave!!! The perfect sacrifice COMPLETE!!! Many calendar years have a discrepancy, choosing to celebrate "Easter" at a different time than during the Bible holy days of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Firstfruits -- as the triumphal entry, the "Last Supper", the crucifixion, and the resurrection occurred historically, fulfilling multitudinous prophecies of Old Testament scripture! So when there is a discrepancy, when should we celebrate Resurrection SonDay? on the Bible holy day of Firstfruits? or on "Easter"? From the online Wikipedia: The English name "Easter" and the German "Ostern" are derived from the name of the Germanic goddess of the Dawn (thus, of spring, as the dawn of the year). This term is for the goddess Easter, Eastre, or Eostre, in various dialects of Old English. "Easter" is observed on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs after the spring equinox. The term "Easter" is in the Bible...one time...mentioned in the context of a heathen king who is about to be publicly eaten alive with worms for his sinful pride (Acts 12). Other false gods are also mentioned in the Bible, including Ashtaroth, Tamuuz, Dagon, and Baal. But does that mean we should change other Bible holy days’ names and celebrations to include their names? In fact, the following verses say quite the opposite: Exodus 23:13, And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. Joshua 23:7 & 8, That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day. Yes, sometimes "Easter" falls on the same calendar date as the Resurrection / the Bible Feast of Firstfruits (to be observed the day after the Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread). When "Easter" and the Feast of Firstfruits do not fall on the same first day of the week, which date should we choose to celebrate as Resurrection Son Day? Search the Scriptures, pray, and choose to act accordingly. *_* Joshua 24:15, And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. THE PERFECT SACRIFICE In studying through the Bible -- God's Holy Word -- we find that God requires a blood sacrifice to cover, to atone for, sin. In the Old Testament, entire books are dedicated to how to present an acceptable sacrifice to God -- who, what, when, where, and how. I don't understand all the whys of it, but that is what God commands. We know from Hebrews 10:4, For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. The Old Testament sacrifices were all pointing to the perfect sacrifice, the sinless blood of the Lamb of God! JESUS CHRIST, God's only begotten Son, died on the cross at Calvary. His death was the perfect sacrifice...the only possible payment for the sin of mankind, foretold and pictured in the Old Testament time and again. Because Jesus Christ died, we can LIVE through accepting His blood atonement for our sin! This is THE WAY God Himself provided for us to be reconciled with Him! What a reason to REJOICE!!! Our sin is forgiven through faith and repentance, and we are acceptable to God the Father through Christ! But what then? Romans chapter 12 mentions another sacrifice...the sacrifice of our own selves: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. It's a "reasonable" thing to give of ourselves to God when He has given His ALL for us. We're told in I John 3:22, And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. What is pleasing in God's sight? Search the scriptures, praying for the Holy Spirit to guide you in the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So when you celebrate Resurrection Son Day this year, think "NEW LIFE"... Not just baby critters and flowers and such, but a NEW LIFE to live...IN CHRIST *_* John 10:10, Jesus said, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. If you'd like to read my testimony, click HERE *_* O Sacred Head Now Wounded Text: Anonymous; translated by Paul Gerhardt & James W. Alexander 1. O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down, now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown: how pale Thou art with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn! How does that visage languish which once was bright as morn! 2. What Thou, my Lord, has suffered was all for sinners' gain; mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain. Lo, here I fall, my Savior! 'Tis I deserve Thy place; look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace. 3. What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest Friend, for this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end? O make me Thine forever; and should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never outlive my love for Thee. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. ~ I Corinthians 1:18 ~ Hallelujah for the Cross ALL our Celebrations!    Happy New Year!    Happy JANUARY, Celebrate LIFE....    Valentine's Day    St. Patrick's Day    PASSOVER    Happy SPRING    Happy MAY *_*    Happy JUNE -- Happy Birthday, USS MARYLAND *_*    Patriotic Celebrations!       Memorial Day       War Memoirs...a work in progress       WWII Blue Star Banners... *_*       Mysterious Fathoms Below - Submarine Page       The Statue of Liberty       Freedom is Never Free       Remember 911...       A Letter to My Fellow Americans       A Letter to the Terrorists       Fear None But GOD       Our POW/MIA Page       Happy Flag Day!       Tribute to Ronald W. Reagan       And, just for FUN...do the DUBYA *_*    Happy Birthday!!!    Happy AUGUST *_*    Happy Harvest!!!       Back to SCHOOL!       A Chick Tract Trick-or-Treat TREAT *_*       Giving Thanks    Christmas *_*       Hanukkah - What Would JESUS Do? Christmas 2003       The Light of the World is JESUS -- CHRISTMAS '99       A Candy Cane Christmas -- CHRISTmas Y2K       A Gingerbread Man Christmas -- CHRISTmas '98       Christmas Music       'Twas the Sub Before Christmas       Christmas Vacation 2000 All About Us! Sew, What's NEW? The Latest Celebration Our Devotionals In Honor of My Mother Sisters' Tea Room God's Plan of Salvation Our Love Story! Our Wedding Album Our Farm Mysterious Fathoms Below: Sub Page! My Garden My Mouse House Hawaiian Cyber-Vacation Our Family Photos My Personal Testimony Our Homepage's Music Our Homepage's Awards Rings & Links Caleb's Country Corner Graphics! Home! Click HERE for our COMPLETE site index! 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