Respecting Holy Week

 

source of these flowers
that I bought for myself!

My blogging friend, Jennifer, said in her comments on my last post, 

"I love a 'nice chat with a friend' feel when blog reading." 

I'm so glad she feels that way because that's what I hope to achieve as these words are pecked out on the keyboard. (visit Jennifer's blog at this link: Trading Ashes for Beauty)

All of us need people we can just be ourselves with, those who will listen to (or read) our stuff as we pilot ourselves through the delights and disappointments of life here on earth. And we all have both. 

Contrary to my usual blogging habit, it's not been an entire week since my last post, but I wanted to share some things here before my Easter submission. 

one of many lakes in my
+55 retirement community

The above photo is at one of the two locations where Gary and I always stop our bikes to sip some water before continuing our usual route back home. My friends who know birds can probably make an accurate guess as to what kind of fowl are out there in the water. I know this much, they're not ducks, probably Egrets. So beautiful. Scenes like this are pretty much a constant here, for which I am grateful.

new water softener

Retirement does not guarantee peace. This week there was a disruption to our tranquility (and the checkbook) with the realization that our water softener needed either repair or replacement. Due to its age, we opted for the latter. 

Something I have noticed in recent years, many things in a house tend to need replacement around the 15-year mark. That has proven true here. In the three years that Gary and I have been together, he has replaced the air conditioning system, the floors, painted the exterior, had the roof replaced, had to change out some light fixtures, and updated the landscaping (with more to come in a couple of weeks). That's just a nugget of experience for homeowners among my readers to keep in mind.

flowers from Publix

On Wednesday morning we took flowers to the cemetery to decorate the graves of our late spouses. I know Tom would like this bouquet I carried on my lap as we drove down there, especially the yellow roses that were tucked in there.

markers like this help us find our destinations

With this being a veterans' cemetery, Gary likes to say our dear ones are buried among heroes. I like that.

On an inconvenient note, I shed some tears at the cemetery (not unusual) and had to wipe my glasses dry when I got back into the car. However in doing so, I managed to pull apart the frame and one of the lenses fell out! We were an hour away from home and had plans to enjoy lunch at a nearby Cracker Barrel, so I felt kinda blind for a couple of hours until we could get back to town and make a bee-line for my eye doctor's offices. While my cataract surgery of last summer had improved my distance vision, my reading ability is just about nuthin'!!! without glasses or readers, unless the font is huge. Gary helped me figure out my food choice on the menu and it was all good.

On a more cheery note, I tried a new recipe from Taste of Home. If you subscribe to their website, perhaps you saw it, too. If so, did you think, as I did, that it was a pleasant contribution to the spiritual tenor of this Holy Week?

my version 

Maybe intended to remind us of church stained glass windows, Broken Glass Jello does just that. It is a little labor-intensive and called for using up a lot of pans due to the required number of colors/flavors of jello. But I thought the effort was justifiable for an occasional treat. 

photo from Taste of Home

This picture from Taste of Home looks better than my finished effort, which is still in the 'fridge right now, firming up. I plan to slice into it this evening. In the meantime, you-know-who was given utensils to scrape the bowls before washing up and he gave the impression that the recipe would be a success.

Now to move more fully into Holy Week... Church hosted a Maundy Thursday event with five stations that have been prepared for contemplation, prayer, and communion. Intended as a solemn activity, a printed sheet of instruction is made available at the entrance. People were to progress at their own pace from one area to the next. 

station 1

This first station focused on reflecting on our sins before God, silent confession, and trusting His forgiveness. Then touching a folded towel beside a jar of water, we were urged to remember Jesus' humble service of washing the feet of the disciples, and our need for grace. 

my [plastic, disposable] communion cup,
which I brought home with me

The second station was a remembrance of Christ's atoning sacrifice -- how Jesus paid the price/punishment for our sins. A small plastic chalice was provided that contained the bread and the juice for a very private communion service proclaiming Jesus' death until He comes.

The third station gave the participant scripture to be read either aloud or silently, thanking God for His Word (the Bible). Index cards and pens were provided for writing an especially meaningful verse to take home.

station 4

At station 4, which as you can see, continued with the theme of tasteful decorations illustrating the theme, the focus was praise and worship. We read Psalm 100:4-5,

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

    and his courts with praise;

    give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

The last, station 5, had a cross and opportunity to pray submission to God's will, to whatever He revealed during this process. Again pens and index cards were provided for writing a prayer. The participant could take the card home or leave it at the base of the cross. Assurance was given that no one would do anything with the cards. It was simply an opportunity to "seal the deal" (my wording) on commitments made. 

I am glad to have been able to experience this Observance during this Holy Week to think and thank, so to speak. Just as we go to the cemetery to remember and honor our loved ones who have died, this activity on Maundy Thursday was a pondering of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. 

May we all sing with the Psalmist:

Magnify the Lord with me;

Let us exalt His name together.

Psalm 34:3