Illuminating Good Friday Thoughts Come From Unexpected Source

Good Friday is one of the most important days of the year for Christians. Resurrection Sunday (Easter) and Christmas are very special as well.

In the frantic race of writing deadlines, spring break, yard sale, and assorted other obligations and tasks, Good Friday and Easter have somehow just appeared. And here I am, out of time for spending adequate time remembering and anticipating the events leading up to the celebration of the Empty Tomb.

This year, my thoughts and meditations on the meaning of Easter and what Christ had to endure as the sacrificial Lamb were brought to life through a very unexpected source.

I follow several writers' blogs. On one, after commenting, my name was drawn for me to receive a copy of this author's book, The Crimson Cord, Rahab's Story.

With the time lapse of her mailing it (and she did indeed include a lovely note and bookmarks with the package), my personal deadlines, and a few other books I was in the middle of reading, I did not get to read The Crimson Cord, Rahab's Story until this week.

The timing could not have been more perfect. I finished this tale of Rahab (the prostitute who saved spies sent into Jericho and was thereby saved herself from total destruction when the city was obliviated) in two days.

Two days of reading about how life probably looked back before Christ was even born. This story is Old Testament stuff. Jill Eileen Smith uses great detail to allow readers to experience daily living, tasks, challenges, and family events in biblical times. I was transported back to the ancient city and saw Rahab stuck in what I think a very unpleasant vocation.

But somehow, Rahab was drawn to God. She was willing to risk her life to hide Hebrew spies. This led to her being saved when the Hebrew army destroyed all living beings after God caused the walls to fall. God works in mysterious ways.

I won't go into all of the details included in The Crimson Cord, Rahab's Story. It is evident that Smith did her research. As far as the story goes, the most important fact is that Rahab, a woman of the night, ended up believing in the God of the Hebrews, married a man from the tribe of Judah, and is listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

The story was well written and captivating.

What struck me most was Rahab's time in the Hebrew camp after the city was destroyed. That is when she began to learn about the Hebrew God as well as their laws and traditions. That law included the sacrifice of innocent lambs to atone for sins, a necessity in order to be one of God's people and to gain forgiveness for those sins.

The description of Rahab as she viewed her first sacrifice, realizing how many sins she had committed and how unworthy she felt, perfectly tied in to Good Friday. Good Friday, the day we remember how Jesus died on the cross, the Lamb that was slain for our transgressions.

Reading Rahab's story, about Rahab who was included in the lineage of Jesus and was witness to the sacrifices of that day, made me pause and think about the sacrifice given by Christ. How He was the perfect Sacrifice for me. What that sacrifice means and how His sacrifice ended animal sacrifice once and for all. For all who desire it. Freely He gave His life as atonement for my sins. Actually for all sins for all time.

Which would not have worked if the Lamb had stayed dead. But He didn't.

That's what happened on the Third Day. Resurrection. Proof that the Son of God paid the cost for us. No more sacrifices necessary.

Just acceptance of the Gift.


Have a blessed Resurrection Day!


Here is the book I referred to:

The Crimson Cord, Rahab's Story
Written by Jill Eileen Smith
(Revell, Baker Publishing Group, 2015)

Hot Flashes Make Me Thirsty

The first hint I notice when a hot flash is about to encompass my 50-something body is the urge to get a drink of water. NOW.

That rush to the faucet is quickly followed by searing heat, red-hot skin, and drippy sweat. And flying clothes.

Seriously. My new wardrobe of this life stage is pants (for now, until spring is upon us, then shorts or capris), tank tops, and the one-same Goodwill sweater that I match - or maybe not - with every outfit. That is all I plan on wearing for the next few years. The sweater is easily tossed on the floor once the sweat descends. Sleeveless tops cool my neck and arms much quicker than even short-sleeves. The house slippers join discarded items until the heat thermostat that is my body drops back to the normal zone. Whereupon I get dressed. Again.

One day, as that thirst hit . . . Interesting. Just writing about a hot flash has encouraged one to visit me. There go the clothes and the sweaty keyboard. Need a drink.

Back. Sorry. Goes with the territory.

Now, as I was saying, I realized that the sudden and demanding urge to quench my thirst at the onset of a hot flash was in fact, very similar to that same thirst I experienced each time I began to nurse my babies. Simultaneously, they began to suck, my milk let-down, and I needed a drink. All at the same time. I learned to prepare to feed the babies by first placing a big glass of water on the table beside me. It worked.

I'm guessing, though I could be way off target, that hormones are at play here. Back then, pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing stimulated the hormones that made me thirst as I produced and delivered milk to the babies. Now I am not nursing, but my hormones are doing something to make me thirsty. Maybe it is the last dying gasp of estrogen floating out of my body, no longer needed to maintain the body for reproduction.

Someone out there knows. Maybe a female scientist could take this one on and let me know. One thing I am sure of. I am very thankful that I did not have hot flashes while I was nursing! And I am thankful that I am not a nursing mommy now.

Another thought I had was that the thirst I experienced, a (seemingly) life-threatening thirst, must be what the Lord was talking about in the Sermon on the Mount as He spoke with His disciples and the gathered crowds.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

Spiritual hunger and thirst is a life-threatening situation. We thirst and we hunger for the Savior, the Son of God, and His righteousness. But do we let ourselves be filled?

It's as easy as my placing a glass of water at my side or going to the sink to fill a cup. We just have to ask. And we will be filled with exactly what we need.

What are you hungry and thirsty for?


Angie Quantrell regularly disrobes and puts clothes back on as she hot flashes throughout her days. Writing about life and connecting with spiritual truths gives her purpose. Angie lets the Lord quench her thirst.

To Stick or Not to Stick - Sticky Stuff

Sticky is not all it's cracked up to be.

I just finished attaching used, ironed dryer sheets to the top of greeting cards. Sounds odd, yes, but it is a new trend I've noticed in the world of creativity. The dryer sheets give a sort of gauzy finish to card creations.

The problem is to get said dryer sheets to stick to said greeting cards. A component of that problem is that the adhesive cannot be visible through the dryer sheet. I tried many options like adhesive spray, glue stick, double-sided tape, and even a glue pen. There is no going there with those items.

The solution came down to good old Elmer's school glue. A certain small amount of card warp-age is visible, but since it is a negligible amount, that can be ignored.

And then I started considering sticky things.

~ cockleburs (ouch)
~ syrup (yummy)
~ cookie dough (double yum)
~ road tar (ugh)
~ doggy poo (triple ugh)
~ hairspray (necessary evil)
~ peanut butter (sticks to our mouth and our backsides)
~ tree pitch (lasts forever)
~ bubblegum
~ toffee

Some things we like to stick. We enjoy the tasty items, not minding leftover residues of stick.

But other items are on the do-not-like list. Maybe on the downright-gross-don't-let-it-touch-me list.

For those icky-sticky's, we go all out to conquer the stick. We scrape, cut out, scrub, pick, sanitize, and resort to other elaborate means of sticky-removal.

In my spiritual life, I sometimes have the same policy of stick.

I like some things, even enjoy them and seek them out. Singing, reading my Bible, praying, reading good books, spending time in nature, writing, and going to church are just a few activities that impact my personal relationship with the Lord. I let these endeavors stick to my soul.

Life gets in the way. At times, deadlines scrape off my scheduled Bible time. Emergencies peel away my song. Illness and exhaustion wash away my interest in writing. Discouragement picks away at church responsibilities. Tight schedules keep me locked away from nature. Distractions run through my head like mini-video clips and keep me from focusing during prayer.

And sometimes, icky sticky's litter my life. A bit of gossip (not cool), poor language choices (oh, my), whiny and unthankful attitude (yes, at times), forgetfulness (what?), and judging (sorry!) are some negative things that have great stick. I don't want them, but somehow I end up with these sticky nasties.

What I need is to apply that school glue to those habits I want to adhere. I can let the non-essential or negative stickies fall away, but I want to grasp tightly to what is good and pure. My soul desires that I stick to Jesus, rather, stick with Jesus. He is able to keep me stuck together regardless of circumstances.

Maybe sticky is all it's cracked up to be. If one is sticky for the right reasons.

Focusing on Holy in the Midst of Secularism - Attend a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

The Polar Express is one of my favorite Christmas movies. Adapted from a picture book, available in both French and English in this home, The Polar Express shares the tale of a young boy who does not believe. Making new friends as he travels to the North Pole to have his faith in Santa restored, the main character undergoes multiple situations that force him to confront his beliefs. He is often heard saying, "Are you sure?", which echoes his search for truth.

Near the end of The Polar Express, this young man finally confirms his belief and meets the Big Guy. He is chosen to receive the first gift of Christmas. He whispers in Santa's ear, and Santa stands tall, holds up a bell that fell from a reindeer harness, and shouts, "The first gift of Christmas."

For a moment there, I was in my own world, watching a favorite Christmas movie. I both expected and waited for the story about the Birth of the Savior. Many centuries ago, Baby Jesus was the first Gift at Christmas. That's what I was waiting for Santa to proclaim.

So, instead of rewriting my own version of The Polar Express to hear the Christmas news, I will attend our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. I think this is one of my favorite church services of the entire year.

The Christmas songs, the candles, the story of Jesus, a new Baby, unexpected accommodations, animals, shepherds, angels, Christmas greetings . . . The thanksgiving, the worship, the prayers, the celebration . . .

I hope you have a candlelight service near you. Take the time to attend. Experience the first Christmas Gift. It will be worth every second.

Merry Christmas and Peace on Earth.

A Month of Thanks - November 1

It's that time of year again. The month of thanks.

November has become one of my favorite months. First, October is over. I love and adore October. But by the end of the month, I am so done with zombies, vampires, masks, and too much candy.

November 1st arrives bringing fresh appreciation for the late fall season, the pre-Christmas season, the season of family, faith, and tradition, and the season of thankfulness.

This year I resolve to share each day one thing (maybe two, it's still early November, after all) for which I am thankful. I have been so blessed, I should probably do an entire year of thankfulness. In my heart, I do.

Why don't you join me? Let's flood cyberspace with thank-you's.

November 1 - I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the Truth and center of my being.

There are no photos of Jesus. The kind of photos that one can click with a camera. But He gave us a print version picture of Himself. The Bible.

Thank You, Jesus.

If the good outweighs the bad...

I went to a memorial service today for a dear man who has a loving family and many friends. One of the speakers was sharing about the popular theory of life after death, and that set me to thinking.

Many people believe that there are scales for each of us. All of your good and bad deeds are put into the appropriate sides of the scales. At the end of life, if the good outweighs the bad, then you go to heaven. If the bad outweighs the good, then you go south...

I've heard that saying spoken by many people, and hadn't stopped to consider what the saying really meant.

The minister went on.

But in reality, that's not what happens at all when a person dies. After a person dies, and he is standing in front of God, God doesn't look for scales at all. The ONLY thing He looks at is the person's heart and whether or not that person has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

That is the only decision that makes a difference about where a person spends eternity (and eternity is a very LONG, unending time).

Hadn't thought much about that 'scale theory' until today. From now on, I think I will listen more closely to the idioms, metaphors, and analogies I hear people say. Some may be accurate. Some slightly true. But many are way off the mark.

Toss out the scales. Get to the real issue.

You. Jesus.

Peace and Goodwill

I don't always want to offer peace and goodwill to others. Especially if they drive too slow (or too fast), cut me off, smell funny, give me a weird look, dress differently, believe differently, are too loud (or too quiet), live in that house, drive gas guzzling cars (or rust buckets), don't recycle, are late (or way too early)...

Really, there's no pleasing me, is there? Probably depends on the day, the weather, the position of the moon in the night sky, how much chocolate is in my system...But there it is. Right in several Christmas songs..."peace on earth, goodwill to men." Well, you can't believe everything you sing, can you?

What about read? Can I believe everything I read? Well, not all things. Definitely not tabloids or junk mail or spam. But the Bible? Can I believe the Bible?

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

'Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on
whom his favor rests.'" (Luke 2:10-14)

Hmmmm. The angels were even singing about peace to us, upon whom God's favor rests. That's pretty awesome. Us. Imperfect people. A Christmas gift of peace and good will, His good will for us. A baby, just for me. Me and my roller coaster 'can't please me' and 'I sometimes don't feel like extending peace and goodwill to anyone.'

Can I believe the Bible? I choose to believe the Bible as true. I believe it all happened just as it was written. For me. And you.

I guess that means I get the free peace and goodwill and Baby Jesus from God. I guess that means I need to choose to share peace and goodwill with everyone else, even when I DON'T feel like it.

Chocolate or no chocolate.

Peace and goodwill. To you, and you, and you...

From both of us,
May the peace and goodwill of God's love become apparent and real to you this holiday season!

The First Advent - Prophecy

"The people who walk in darkness will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them...

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Eternal Father,
Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:2,6)

Celebrate the first day of Advent by reading again the Scripture in Isaiah. Truly appreciate the prophecy for the Christ child, and the fact that He came, as prophesied. He died on the cross as prophesied. He will come again - as prophesied.

It's true!

Go ahead. Light the first candle. Sing "Away in a Manger," a lullaby for the baby Jesus.