Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.

Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I’m come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.

Thank you for sticking with me through this week.  I know it has been tedious at time, and boring or confusing or maybe even offensive for others.  While I am sure I have read each and every account of Holy Week at some point, never before have I read them all at the same time, pouring through all of the gospels to create a time line.  It has meant a great deal to me to be able to do this, especially to end with Christ’s triumphant resurrection.  Happy Easter, and tomorrow back to our regularly scheduled mommy blogging.

Luke 24:1-12
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Luke 24:36-43
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

John 18-19
Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”  “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”  Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”  “But we have no right to execute anyone,” the Jews objected. This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”  “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”  “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”  Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”  “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.  Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”"What is truth?” Pilate asked.

With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”  They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck him in the face.  Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”  As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”  But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”  The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”

When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”  Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”  When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour.

“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.  But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.  “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.
Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

Luke 23:26-49
As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then ” ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”  and to the hills, “Cover us!” ‘For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.  The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”  The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”  There was a written notice above him, which read THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”  But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”  Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.  Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Luke 23:50-56
Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.  The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Matthew 26:17-29

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Mark 14:32-42

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”  Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”  Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.  Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Mark 14:43-15:15
Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.  Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him. Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.  “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?  Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” Then everyone deserted him and fled.

They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together. Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.  The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.  Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.’ ” Yet even then their testimony did not agree.

Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.  Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”  “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”  They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.

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art credits: 1, 2, 3 I won’t argue about the inaccuracies of the art, because, well, it doesn’t matter. 

Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
Matthew 26:14-16

We don’t know what Jesus did on Wednesday–perhaps a day of prayer and rest to prepare for the coming days?  But we do know what Judas accomplished on Wednesday.

Jesus was really getting around that last Tuesday, to the temple, to the temple courts, to some teaching through parables, to Bethany for dinner……The last Tuesday according to Matthew.  All of this is word for word from Matthew 21-26, but I did leave out some of the parables since I am trying to just show  a time line of Jesus’ last week.

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Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, ” ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers. (Hey You’s P.S.  I think this actually happened on MONDAY, but I missed it and am adding it to today since it is so important.)

Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

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He is getting tired of us I think.   He just seems to be overall angry on Tuesday.  Who am I to try to read the emotions of the Lord?  I just think it helps ME understand better when I project those human emotions on Him, he is, after all, still very much a man at this point.  Your thoughts?

The Scriptures are  a little vague as to what Jesus did on his last mortal Monday.  All we know is this:

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

Matthew 21:18-19 (King James Version)

Eh.  I don’t really like figs anyway, except in their natural Newton form.  Go here and read this Read ShoeShe’s comment (the first one) for a much better explanation about why Jesus cursed this tree.  Do any of my bible scholar friends have other theories?

That is all we know he did on his last Monday, but he has a huge to-do list for Tuesday, so he may have just been resting up for what was to come.

This year we will be observing Holy Week here at the Huckablog.  I am going to try to post something different for every day of Holy Week, and will start off with Jesus entering Jerusalem.  Hosanna!

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.”

They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.

When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Mark 11:1-10

Does anybody have any Palm Sunday memories to share with us?  Me either.  Why is that? Did all of the sugar at Easter make us forget?

But.  The thing about churches are that they are made up of people.  Not saints.  Not perfectly versed and always compassionate masses, just individuals who are human and make human mistakes.  If I, and other people, try to pretend that everything is great all the time then it just gives ammunition to those who call us hypocrites.   Call me bossy, and nosy, and lazy–but you can’t say I am hypocritical.  I am a Christian and not a perfect one.

The truth is that I am writing this mad. Mad and upset and hurt and confused and embarrassed.   I should never write mad, upset, hurt, confused, or embarrassed, much less all of them smooshed together–but this blog is my therapy remember?

I went to highschool with this kid named Chad (not really Chad, but close enough) he was my friend and we both went to the same small church, it is still my small church.  Both of us had been members there as long as we could remember.  It was his home church, his family church.  I went away to college and Chad stayed at a local school.   He met this girl, a lovely girl, Corey, who was a little older–and funny, and sweet, and totally dingy, but it was part of her charm.  They fell in love and got married in our church.  They joined as a couple, and life was hunky dory.  But it wasn’t really.  Something stupid happened that hurt feelings and left Corey feeling mad and upset and hurt and confused and embarrassed.  Instead of working it out and forgiving and moving on with this church they were so committed to–they quit.  Just up and quit the church!  Not just the church, but the whole denomination! Chad made it very clear to me that his wife felt very strongly about it, and that he was going to go where she went.

I ran into Corey at a mutual friends house right after they quit.  Never known for my tact, I straight up asked her why, why and how, she could do such a thing.  She explained that she felt like the church was not giving her anything anymore, that she was not getting what she wanted.  I told her that we only get what we put in, that if she was unhappy she needed to work to change it.  She said it was not worth it when there was a whole other better for her church right down the road. I countered that she had made a commitment in joining our church–and was she just going to quit on her marriage when it got hard and there was another guy just as good down the street?  She got mad.  I wonder why?  I seem to have that effect on people when I don’t keep my mouth shut.

That has been over five years ago, and I STILL feel hurt that they would just quit.

There is another storm brewing at our church–no not really, I think it is no longer brewing and has been pounding us hard for some months.   I have not said anything here because I want you to know that I love being a part of a community of faith, that I feel most at home in my pew on Sunday mornings or helping on Wednesday night.

Yet, I am still mad and upset and hurt and confused and embarrassed.  I am unsure what to do.  I feel like I have prayed for months and still do not know the right thing to do.  I saw something wrong and tried to follow my own advice–see something you don’t like? Don’t just sit there, do something about it!  Say something about it!  Well I am sick of it.  I want to take the easy way out.  I want to take my little family and just walk away and move on to another church family because I am tired of fighting for what I think is right.  There are other churches in this town, even other good ones, other good Methodist ones!

Except I won’t leave.  Those other good churches have problems too, because they are made up of humans just like mine.  I won’t leave because I feel like I can turn the other cheek still.  I can lay down my anger, and hurt, and embarrassment and take up another cause at my church. I think I can anyway.  I want to.  I pray that I can move on, that I can remember that my church is a lot more than ugly chairs, misspelled signs, sun shades that dim the brilliance of a stained glass window,  unfinished playgrounds, politics and one bloated egomaniac.  My church is my home, my family, my spot to connect with my Lord.

No, I won’t take the easy way out.  Now, if you will excuse me, I have a sheep costume to make for a certain little church’s Christmas pageant.

I am thankful for my husband.  I am thankful for his love, for his friendship, for his patience, for his hard work.  I am thankful that I get to be married to him for the rest of my life.  I am thankful that he is the father of my child, and that I get to hold him and laugh with him everyday.

I am thankful for my son.  I am thankful I get to spend everyday watching him grow, and learn, and bring joy to all who know him.  I am thankful I  get to be this specific person’s mama.  I am thankful for his energy, and his inquisitiveness.  I am thankful for his kisses, and for his ability to make me proud–always.

I am thankful for my parents.  I am thankful they are my parents, and that they raised me up in the way I should go.   I am thankful they still play such a huge role in my life and that they will always love me-no matter what.   I am thankful  my son has them for grandparents.

I am thankful for my in-laws.  I am thankful that they love me for me, not just because I married their son.  I am thankful I love them for them, not just because I married their son.  I am thankful they raised my husband to be the man he is today.  I am also thankful  I do not have to travel more than an hour to see them, or let them spend time with their grandson–because they are really good grandparents.

I am thankful for JHJ.  I am thankful he is near this year so I have someone to roll my eyes at.  I am thankful he pushes my boundaries, and that he never lets me win.  I am thankful I got to grow up with him, and that we will always have each other.

I am thankful for BiL.  I am thankful he is my friend and in-law, that he makes me laugh, and that he is present.  I am thankful for the love he shows my family, and that we see him more weeks than not.   I am also thankful he is now a kickass Japanese chef.

I am thankful for my grandparents.  I am thankful I am getting to know them as more than just occasional visitors.   I am thankful my son has Great-grandparents that he gets to see so often.  I am thankful for the legacy of love and faithfulness they have given my family.

I am thankful for my Ma.  I am thankful for her love, for her devotion to her family, for her example of care she shows to Gabs.  Next year I hope to say  I am thankful she lives down the street from me.

I am thankful for Nanny, my husband’s last living grandparent.  I am thankful for her vitality, and energy, and example of hard work.  I am thankful my husband and son have her blood in their veins.

I am thankful for Shoeshe.  I am thankful for her friendship, and even more so that she is my son’s godmother.   I am thankful for all the nights I have laughed until I cried sitting next to her.  I am thankful that she keeps me from taking everything so seriously.

I am thankful for Cat.  I am thankful that she remains my friend even though move after move and crazy schedules keep us apart.  I am thankful for not only the amazing history we have, but the future as well.

I am thankful for Ang.  I am thankful that neither of us  wrote off a friendship just because we see each other maybe once a year.  I am thankful for the internet which lets us still be a part of each others lives.

I am thankful for my mommy friends-specifically MOPS.   I am thankful that I am not alone in this adventure, and that I always have someone to share war stories with at the playground.  I am thankful they understand what it is like to have your life rotate around a child–and yet somehow not have it always be about him.

I am thankful for my home.  I am thankful it is warm, and comfortable, and a place we all love to be.  I am thankful for its location, near family, our church, and surrounded by great neighbors (who probably would get their own picture if they would ever let me take it. )

I am thankful I get to live in the most beautiful state in the country. I am thankful that I can always find vistas and nature that let me see the wonder of God.

I am thankful for my country.  I am  thankful for the men and women who worked and fought to make it ours, and keep it safe.  I am thankful I am free to live my life, and say what I want–even publish it.   I am thankful I have the chance to live this American dream.

And finally–and yet most importantly–I am thankful for my God.  I am thankful for all of the blessings He has given me, us, and that I could never count them all.   I am thankful for His love, and grace.  I am thankful for His son.  I am thankful he has given me a thankful heart.

Happy Thanksgiving.  Take time tonight to count your blessings and see what God has done.