In The Refiner's Fire

So, we spent Easter Dinner and most of Sunday afternoon with some very dear friends of ours.  My friend LOVES to cook and it is truly a ministry of hers - having people over for meals, teas, breakfast, snacks, taking meals to those who need it.  (She brought us the most amazing homemade sweet and sour chicken with sticky rice when our children were born!)  She has severe physical limitations for many things but, man, can she cook! I have long since given up on asking if I can bring anything to meals since I know how much she loves to cook and how good she is at it! The thing is, I love to bake. And she loves to cook.  And dislikes baking. So I usually bring dessert. For Easter it's a carrot cake. I usually bake the cake on Saturday and then frost and decorate it on Sunday right before we go over to their house.  I even have a cross-shaped cake pan that I use for things like Easter - decorated with piped icing flowers or, even better, edible fresh flow...

...continued from Good Friday.... Where you there when God raised him from the tomb? Where you there when God raised him from the tomb? Oh,, Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Where you there when God raised him from the tomb? Christ is Risen! He has Risen Indeed! Hallelujah! Thine is the Glory! By Edmond Budry, translated by R. Birch Hyle Tune: George F. Handel, Adapted Thine is the glory Risen, conqu'ring Son; Endless of the vict'ry Thou o'er death has won! Angels in bright raiment Rolled the stone away Kept the folded grave clothes  Where thy body lay. Thine in the glory, Risen, conqu'ring Son; Endless is the vict'ry Thou o'er death hast won! Lo, Jesus meets thee Risen from the tomb! Lovingly he greets thee,  Scatters fear and gloom; Let his church with gladness Hymns of triumph sing, For the Lord now liveth; Death hath lost its sting! Thine is the glory, Risen, conqu'ring ...

Where You There? Negro Spiritual Where you there when they crucified my Lord?   Where you there when they crucified my Lord? Oh, Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Where you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? Where you there when they nailed him to the tree? Oh, Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Where you there when they nailed him to the tree? Where you there when they pierced him in the side? Where you there when they pierced him in the side? Oh, Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they pierced him in the side? Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? Where you there when they laid him in the tomb? Oh, Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Where you there when they laid him in the tomb? ... to be continued on Sunday morning....

Love Consecrates the Humblest Act by Silas B. McManus  Tune attributed to Lucius Chapin Love consecrates the humblest act And haloes mercy's deeds; It sheds a benediction sweet And hallows human needs. When in the shadow of the cross Christ knelt and washed the feet Of his disciples he gave us A sign of love complete. Love serves and willing stoops to serve; What Christ in love so true Has freely done for one and all, Let us now freely do.