Introducing Asher

So I know it seems like I dropped off the map, after doing a nice run of weekly posts. But my attention has been elsewhere. I would like to introduce to you all Asher Kelvin, born March 6th 2013.

Many thanks to our good friend Latitia for taking this picture. 

Holy Week 2012 Collection

Sometimes it is just helpful to have everything all in one spot. In that light here is the 2012 Holy Week Collection;

Palm Sunday- A reflection on not missing the grandeur of Jesus and his mission.

Holy Monday- Jesus offering healing and grace in the temple just after he cleared it.

Holy Tuesday- A reflection on giving to Caesar what is his and giving to God what is his.

Holy Wednesday- Is Judas the only one who betrays Jesus?

Maundy Thursday- Reflecting on attending my first Tenebrae service

Good Friday- Are we too busy to take notice of Christ?

Holy Saturday- Today is the day to take time and embrace pain, sorrow and confusion

Easter Sunday- God provided me with some odd weather to help me reflect on the true meaning of Easter.

Thank you to everyone who read one or all of these. I hope they helped you prepare for Easter even half as much as the helped me.

Holy Week-Easter 2012- A White Easter

Today I woke up to what I think was a strange sight. A fresh cost of snow covering the ground on Easter morning. Which was a little odd, but it was great reminder.

First I found it odd because in a lot of ways the snow was at odds with so much of the Easter imagery I am used to seeing.

Holy Saturday 2012 Redux-What Do You Do When Nothing Is Happening?

Holy Saturday. Is there such a thing? Good Friday has come and gone. Jesus was arrested, tired, crucified, has died and is buried. Easter Sunday is a whole day away. So where does that leave us on the Saturday of Holy week? Is there such a thing as Holy Saturday? Or should we just skip over this day entirely and go about our normal lives until Sunday?

Many would do so. I am sure many people go to a Good Friday service and are reminded of the sacrifice of Jesus. Likewise I am sure many people attend a Easter service to celebrate Jesus' defeat of death. But what about Saturday? There are few services to attend, and no obvious action of Jesus to mediate on; is today just a day to ignore?

You could, but if do you'll miss a lot.

Good Friday 2012-Where Would You Be?

I have what I think might be a strange habit. Whenever I read a biblical story, I try to picture myself there. I want to know where would I be in this story. More to the point I want to know who would I be in the story.

The events of Good Friday are no exception. I want to know where would I be and what I would be doing had I been in Jerusalem during Good Friday.

Holy Week 2012 Maundy Thursday- Darkened Night

This blog is late. Sort of.

I should have said earlier that I wanted to wait and write this post after I went to my first Maundy Thursday Tenebrae service. I wanted the experience of 'darkness' well on my mind and in my soul before I attempted to talk about tonight.

Because tonight is a dark night.

Holy Wednesday 2012- All Is Not Well

Holy Wednesday was a quiet day for Jesus and most of his disciples. But not for all of his disciples. It seems that while Jesus and most of the gang were taking the day off Judas was at work. Tradition holds that it was today that Judas reached out to the Pharisees and Sadducees about turning Jesus over to them.

Holy Tuesday 2012-Penny For Your Thoughts

Holy Tuesday contains my favorite sets of passages in the gospels. It is the showdown at the Temple. Picture it with me. Yesterday Jesus spent the morning clearing the Temple and the afternoon healing the sick and blessing the children in the newly freed up space. The religious leaders were fuming that Jesus would dare to come to their city and pull such a stunt.

They wanted him punished. But first they need the crowd to turn against him. And today on what is now known as Holy Tuesday it was time to try and do just that.

Holy Monday 2012- From The Mouths Of Babes

I don't know how I have missed it. I have lost count how many times I have read the Gospels but I honestly felt like I have never seen this passage tucked just after Jesus clears the temple;

The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise'?” Matthew 21:14-16

Holy Week-Palm Sunday 2012

Every time I think of Palm Sunday I have Sunday School felt board flash backs. I remember little felt Jesus, wearing his little felt blue sash riding on his little felt donkey, past the group of 5 or so little felt men. The picture is so vivid that I sometimes have difficultly remembering that this is not just a "children's story."

Holy Week 2012

I've decided.

I have been more or less absent from my blog since the end of November. Since then I have only managed a few sporadic posts. Far less then the once every Monday and Wednesday I had been blogging. I have made no secrete that some things have changed for me lately, and that it has been somewhat difficult sorting through how I feel about them.

Holy Week Collection

During Holy week 2011 I tried to capture a little each day of what Jesus did and said for us to reflect on. This blog is simply a catch all for those 8 posts. If you click on the date it will take you to the blog reflection on each individual day of Holy Week and if you click on the bible pass it will take you to a webpage where you can read the passages themselves.

Holy Week- Easter Sunday- Are You Living In A BC World or an AC World?

***This Blog is Adapted From An Easter Sermon I Gave April 13th 2009. It Is A Little Longer Then My Average Blog Post. Being Easter I Hope You Don't Mind Granting Me Some Extra Space.***

Do to some recent changes in my life, resulting is some altered sleep patterns I have had, let’s call it the opportunity to watch some late night TV. And I have found a few things, first there is nothing good on, and second infomercials can be entertaining. Because of infomercials I have seen a lot of before and after moments. I have watched men exclaim with joy about their new found hair, I have heard testimonials of satisfied customers talking about various products meant to give you more energy for the day, and of course the ever popular before and after our amazing weight loss program. And all of these things made me think about Easter. And while I know that sounds strange at first, after all what does the “mega ab buster” have to do with the most important day on the Christian Calendar?

Holy Week-Saturday-A Very Long Day

Holy Saturday. Is there such a thing? Good Friday has come and gone. Jesus was arrested, tired, crucified, has died and is buried. Easter Sunday is a whole day away. So where does that leave us on the Saturday of Holy week? Is there such a thing as Holy Saturday? Or should we just skip over this day entirely and go about our normal lives until Sunday?

Many would do so. I am sure many people go to a Good Friday service and are reminded of the sacrifice of Jesus. Likewise I am sure many people attend a Easter service to celebrate Jesus' defeat of death. But what about Saturday? There are few services to attend, and no obvious action of Jesus to mediate on; is today just a day to ignore?

You could, but if do you'll miss a lot.

Holy Week- Good Friday- Whats So Good About It?

Today we have reached Good Friday. A dark and hard day to be sure. A day of suffering, a day of pain, a day of death. Justice is abused. Goodness disregarded. Courage evaporates. Friendship fails. Tears and blood are shed. It seems like sin, sadness and death have won. The light of the world was snuffed out.

Given all of this, have you ever wondered why we call today 'Good Friday'?

Holy Week- Maundy Thursday- What's For Supper?

We have now reached Thursday of Holy Week, or as some know it by Maundy Thursday. Today is the day that Jesus shared his Last Supper with his disciples. You know the story right; the night Jesus was to face betrayal, torture, and death he wanted to have supper with his disciples.

Jesus was the host, he made the arrangements, and he had a lot to do any say in a very short window of time. The last supper may well be the most important dinner party the world has ever known. Today we are going to ask with a childlike wonderment, what's for supper?

Holy Week- Wednesday- It's Quiet Too Quiet

For the last few days I have noticed that people have found their way to my little corner of the Internet by asking questions to Google. Something like 'What did Jesus do during holy week Monday/Tuesday?' So you may have found you way here today asking; 'What did Jesus do during Holy Week Wednesday?' I can sum up Jesus' activities in one word.

Nothing.

That's right all is quiet in the Gospels about the Wednesday of Holy week. It seems that Jesus took the day off.

And when we consider the week Jesus was having, and about to have, isn't that interesting.

Holy Week- Tuesday- The Battle Of Words

After Jesus received a kings welcome to town, and created a prophets scene at the temple you can rest assured that the ruling religious leaders were unhappy. They were in charge of one of the greatest temples, in one of the greatest cities, during the most important celebration of the Jewish calendar. But who was getting all the attention; some back woods preacher who didn't seem to have enough sense to know whom he was messing with.

But Jesus wasn't in Galilee anymore he was in their play ground now, and the time had come for them to show Jesus who really ran the religious show in Israel.

Holy Week-Monday Table Flipping Redux

The parade is over. The crowd has dispersed. What will one day be known as Palm Sunday has come to a close. The evening is setting in, and Jesus stops by the Temple before heading back to Bethany for the evening.

Evidently Jesus did not like what he saw.

Holy Week- Palm Sunday

I get the donkey.


By that I mean I understand the symbol. I understand that the kings of Jerusalem road in on donkeys in peace times and in on horses in times of war. So I get that Jesus is declaring both his kingship, and that he is coming in peace.