favorite holiday thoughts

Yeah, random thoughts today...I've just been thinking lately about my favorite holiday. I have a few friends who declare Christmas their favorite time of the year - but I find that I can't just bring myself to make that same declaration. I dunno. I mean, Christmas is an awesome season, the emphasis upon the mystery of the incarnation (granted most people are not even aware of this massively essential understanding of the Christmas season) is doctrinally essential, but I find my heart and spirit elsewhere.

I think I've always been more fascinated by Easter. Maybe because there is no material motivation to love it (as there is at Christmas with presents and such), though many still do give gifts during Easter. I think also I see Easter as even more important than Christmas. In my various readings for school and personal enrichment, God's acts of creation and redemption seem to rise to the top as crucial examples of God's glory and power. For the Old Testament Hebrews it was the creation of the world and their redemption out of slavery into Egypt (this redemption also included their conquering and settling the land of Israel according to God's promise to Abraham. For the Christian it is still the creation of the world paired with redemption, but this redemption is rooted in what Christ did on the cross.

As we were worshipping in church today I was again reflecting upon the various holidays I could claim to be my favorite. I can't get past the cross. When I think of something to celebrate, I think of the cross and what Christ did for me there. We sung a song today entitled "It is Finished," and I love the lyrics. Let me share them with you:

It is Finished
Hark, the voice of love and mercy sounds aloud from Calvary
See, it rends the rocks asunder, shakes the earth and veils the sky
"It is finished, it is finished," hear the dying Savior cry
"It is finished, it is finished," hear the dying Savior cry

"It is finished," O what pleasure do these charming words afford
Heavenly blessings, without measure, flow to us from Christ the Lord
"It is finished, it is finished," saints the dying words record
"It is finished, it is finished," saints the dying words record

Finished all the types and shadows of the ceremonial law
Finished all that God had promised, death and hell no more shall awe
"It is finished, it is finished," saints from hence your comfort draw
"It is finished, it is finished," saints from hence your comfort draw

Tune your harps anew ye seraphs, join to sing the pleasing theme
Saints on earth and all in heaven, join to praise Immanuel's name
Hallelujah, hallelujah, glory to the bleeding lamb!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, glory to the bleeding lamb!*


I think I could sing that last line over and over all day long. Yeah, I think its safe to say that Easter is definitely my favorite holiday. Oh, I'll always eagerly celebrate Christmas, but you might catch me in a spare moment with a faraway look in my eyes, thinking of the end for which the incarnation has come.

*Words by Jonathan Evans and Benjamin Francis/Music by Jeff Koonce @2006 Red Mountain Music

King of Glory

Over a year ago, before we left New Life Temple and headed out to Southeastern, Terra and I did "King of Glory" by Third Day. I played it on the guitar and sang it while she signed it. One of my youth taped it and I edited it up...and here it is! (you can find this on my profile on myspace also).

King of Glory

spending a lot of time on myspace...

Yeah, I've been distracting myself from my studies by updating and getting my myspace profile up and running. I've also been blogging a bit on there with random stuff on my myspace blog. Check it out if ya get a chance - it's pretty random. I am also tending to put stuff that pops out at me from my classes there as well. If you want to get a taste of what is going on in my head, check it out frequently.

Don't worry, I'll still be blogging here... Right now I'm looking at the last two weeks of class and praying for it to be over soon. I way over did it this semester....

In other news, Terra and I decorated for Christmas today. I'll try and get a picture or two up soon.