Paradise

not sure if you know, but Jesus was crucified at the same time as two criminals - I'm going to share scripture quoting a conversation...

Luke 23:39-43

One of the criminals hanging there hurled insults at him:
         "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"

 The other one, however, rebuked him, saying,
   "Don't you fear God? You received the same sentence he did.  Ours, however, is only right, because we are getting what we deserve for what we did; but he has done no wrong."

  And he said to Jesus,
         "Remember me, Jesus, when you come as King!"

 Jesus said to him,
         "I promise you that today you will be in Paradise with me."
Even at the end of his time here on earth, Jesus was saving people.  This man, that led a criminal life, was saved right before he died.  Think about that for a moment... do you still feel unworthy of Jesus' love? too bad to be saved?  This scene is depicted well in The Passion - brings a lot of feeling to it.  Click here for a link to the youtube of the movie - the scene I am referring to begins at 1:39:00 - if you don't want to watch the entire movie, at least fast forward to that part.

Today is Thursday, April 5th - three months ago on Thursday, January 5th, Joe and I began our last week together.  Beginning with tomorrow's post I will reflect on each day, as there are some vivid memories from that last week -

June 24, 2011  |  our home

We were newlyweds, having just returned from our honeymoon, now working on our very own house!  Joe was very proud of everything that we had accomplished.  He was very persistent, having an idea and being sure to get it done.  I love that we did everything together, with the help of others.  The floor- we put it in.  The walls- we painted them.  The ceilings- we pealed and redid (and painted one).  The trim- we took it off, painted it and put it back (most of it).  There are a few simple things left to do, but God was sure to give us the time to get the big stuff done before Joe's time here was over.  I am so thankful for that, and so thankful that we didn't procrastinate - Joe prepared this home for Sweet Pea and I - everything I look at - especially the fridge (it was sitting in our garage when we bought the house... pea green... Joe painted it black) - has so many memories, and I love it.  The perfect blinds that we found for $5 a piece at Restore, the 'nipple' light fixtures that we hated but were in our price range, the orange chair we picked up from a curb in St. Charles, and the list goes on and on...  Sweet Pea gets the hiccups a lot lately (funny, I just remembered that Joe did quite often too), and I was a bit worried; however, the nurse said that it is just a sign of superb lung development!  yahoo, she is going to have a great set of lungs on her - perhaps a singer, Joe and I were hopeful for that.  I love you my Joseph Stanley.

God Bless You

I hope you are thinking of attending an Easter service.  If you don't have one chosen yet, perhaps you will choose Pleasant Valley?  That would rock - 9:00 or 10:45.  I will be at the 10:45.