Janet's Blog

I love Easter, and everything it brings. I love dying Easter Eggs with my grandkids. I love to watch them find hidden eggs outdoors on Easter morning, or inside when the weather doesn't cooperate. I love gathering with our extended family to celebrate with an elaborate meal and fancy china. I really love gathering with my church family to worship together, to celebrate Jesus' resurrection. I love to hear the sound of a full congregation, lifting voices together in harmonious praise of our glorious God, who took our punishment, and then rose again on the day we commemorate as Easter Sunday. None of those things will happen this year. Because of our COVID-19 social distancing guidlines, we will be forced to celebrate Easter differently than we ever have before. Levi, Victoria, and I may dye a few eggs, if they want to. We plan to hide some candy-filled eggs in our yard on Friday, before the predicted snow arrives this weekend, and watch from a safe distance while the grandki...

There is a green hill far away, outside a city wall, Where the dear Lord was crucified, who died to save us all. We may not know, we cannot tell what pains he had to bear, But we believe it was for us He hung and suffered there. He died that we might be forgiven, He died to make us good, That we might go at last to heaven, saved by His precious blood. There was none other good enough to pay the price of sin. He only could unlock the gate of heaven and let us in. Oh, dearly, dearly has He loved! And we must love Him too, And trust in His redeeming blood, and try His works to do. Cecil Francis Alexander, 1818-1895 Click here to listen to this beautiful old hymn. The above hymn, simply called "There is a Green Hill," is one that I learned and memorized at a very young age. I sang it, every year, with the children I taught in Lutheran Kindergarten and preschool, because it tells the story so well. Yet, I've always thought that those first fe...