This week we are celebrating is Holy Week. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of my Christian faith.
The picture below is a Last Supper sculpture located outside Groom, Texas (near Amarillo). My hubby and I visited the site last fall while we were on a road trip to the American Southwest. The site includes several sculptures that tell story of the Jesus’ crucification and is maintained by the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ Ministries. It turned from a warm to a cold and rainy day when my husband took this picture; but it was worth it.
Let’s take a look at the Last Supper story in the scriptures.
Photo by JT Last Supper Sculpture in Groom,Texas
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Lord’s Supper
17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk.22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.
Jesus didn’t have to go on the cross; but he did it for you and me. He loves us so much that he gave his life for us.
Every time I am at church, my Pastor reminds me that God is for me! and God loves me!
This is a theme that is echoed in Confessions Of A Prodigal Son, a movie that my hubby and I had the opportunity for an exclusive pre-screening. The movie will be released on DVD on Tuesday (March 24, 2015).
The story of the prodigal son, found in Luke 15: 11-32, is told in this modern-day movie that is suitable for ages.
The son Sean (Nathan Clarkson) does not want to follow the guidance and direction of his parents (Kevin Sorbo and Laura Black). He believes that he knows what is best for him and leave home to attend college, in spite of his parent’s love. Does Sean have the right answers? Or will he find out that his way may not live up to his expectations?
While at college, Sean is in a struggle, a tug-of-war with his English professor (Darwin Harris) who questions Sean’s belief that no one should tell anyone what to do and people should make up their own rules. Sean’s so-called friend (Azel James) offers him no direction and is questioning his own life.
Sean becomes smitten with a dancer-in-waiting (Rachel Lee) who wishes that she had the type of life that Sean gave up and looking for that father-figure after her own father left home when she was only three.
After spending two years on his own, Sean appears to have his life figured out. But in a series of events, his life comes crashing down. He is forced to decide what he must do to make it work. How will he play out his own story?
Many times we can get frustrated when people tell us what to do; but these rules are in place to give our life order and foundation. The movie does an excellent job of showing how rules are necessary, especially from the perspective of young man. I recommend that parents watch this movie with their children, and then discuss the topics of independence, rules and God’s love.
Also, with the recent events happening at the University of Oklahoma and Penn State University, this movie also presents very timely topics that all parents will want to discuss with their children about making wise decisions relating to social media.
Confessions Of A Prodigal Son reminds us that God will never leave us nor forsake us, He is always there for us.
Addiction!
You may be one of the many people out there who are battling this demon. You may be suffering in private and on your own. Or you may be someone who struggles with the problem in the presence of friends and family. Many times, you do not know that you are in trouble until someone close to you confronts you with it. You may not know where to turn or what to do. All you know is that you need help. The 12 Step Recovery program is an old idea; but it has stuck around throughout the years because it works.
Life is like a flower. Don’t let addiction destroy its beauty!
You must know deep inside that you need to seek help?
First of all, you must admit to the problem. If you deny that the problem exist, how will you be able to overcome it? Without saying you are you battling an addiction and calling it out by name, the problem will only continue to progress into an even bigger issue.
You must also know that the condition has to be treated. No matter what the addiction is, it is not too small or too insignificant not be treated in some manner. Addictions adversely affects your mind, body and spirit. Like other chronic diseases, addiction is a progressive illness, and, if left untreated, it can be fatal.
Finding the right treatment is your key to overcoming any addiction. There is no ‘one size fits all’ theory when it comes to treatment. What works for one person may not be the treatment that works for you. You must take the time and seek out the right one that will work for you.
You must realize that your addiction not only affects you, but also the people who are close to you. You must realize that you are hurting yourself, but also those who are close to you. It can be very emotional and troubling for them to see you struggle to overcome the addiction.
If you make the effort to complete the treatment that you need, the addiction can be successfully defeated. You can recover! Treatment for addiction is not a quick fix; but rather it becomes the platform for stability and engagement in your own recovery, one day at a time.
God’s word is such a comfort and strength to the soul.
This scripture speaks of peace.
Psalm 30: 2 (NIV) Oh Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.
It’s easy to say, “Get counseling and it will make it all better!”
Our prayer for you is to get the right counseling.
Information for this post has been provided
by Origins Recovery Center <www.originsrecovery.com>.
My hubby and I celebrated 15 years of marriage on September 11th! We are celebrating the whole month.
Wow, 15 years makes me reflect to my wedding day filled with joy and happiness.
JT and Hubby Wedding The rings
This is my daddy and I on my wedding day, he was putting a penny in my shoe for good blessings.
JT and Daddy
My hubby and I celebrated this past week with an awesome road trip. We just got back and I’m getting back to blogging again. We will be writing about the trip to the Southwest, so check back soon for those posts.
I wanted to see what my wedding dress looked like and how it fit after all these years. I pulled it out of the closet and I tried it on. My dress did not cost thousands of dollars; but to me it looked like it did.
My dress was designed by Alfred Angelo, exclusively for JC Penney’s. I was dealing with some physical and medical challenges at the time, causing me to gain weight that I was not able to control.
I know gaining about fifty pounds is not what I wanted when I got married; however I dealt with it and conquered it.
On the day of the wedding, the dress fit me exact. It did not need to be taken in or hemmed.
However, 15 years later, the sleeves are baggy and the wedding dress is loose on me now and hangs.
Side view Wedding Dress
This is a back view of the dress and it’s beautiful, but it looks so different on me now. I decided to wear a cream-colored dress.
When you looked at it up close, you can tell that it is cream. But in all of the photographs, it looks white.
My daddy stepped on my dress after the ceremony was finished. I thought at the time that he had ripped the fabric where I couldn’t reattach the bustle to the back of the dress.
When I tried it on, I found out that the dress wasn’t ripped at all. But, my maid of honor did not attach the train correctly after I walked down the church steps.
I attached the train correctly in the photo.
I thought this wedding dress was haute couture with all the bead work and detailing from the sleeves to the hem.
Back view JT wedding dress
Here’s an up close look of the detail in the bead work; exquisite I must say.
Closeup of detail
My hubby and I planned our wedding and we were on a budget. However, I still wanted it to be a wonderful day of celebration. I still look at the dress and marvel at how beautiful it is with all the beadwork and lace.
I have found that some of my friends are caring for their parents or have loved ones who live independently in their own homes.
This is a very emotional topic for me. My Dad and I took care of my mother in our home while she was battling an illness. We always tried to look for ways that she could be more independent at home. We lived in a bungalow-style, one-level home; so she did not have to go up or down stairs. This made it convenient for her to move around. However, she would need me or my daddy to help her to step in and out of the tub. It would have been ideal to have had a walk in tub from Premier Care Bathing.
Premier Care Bathing
From my experience of taking care of my mother; and then later my Dad, it is so important to make sure there is ease of movement in the home.
I wanted to share with you five tips for your parents to regain their independence in the home if they are dealing with mobility and accessibility issues. Many at-home accidents occur in the bathroom. With the right bathroom configuration and design, that risk can be greatly reduced.
1. Never make your parents feel like a child. Your mother and father will appreciate what you are doing for them if you love them and show them respect and care for them with dignity.
2. See what obstacles your parents might have in their home and find out how they can overcome them. Some times the parent may not know that they are having challenges with everyday tasks. So, it is important for you to observe the situation and take action if necessary. If it is difficult for your parents to get in the tub or shower, a good alternative is a walk-in tub.
Premier Care is a company that really helps with offering ease of getting in and out of the tub and they also offer a free home assessment. Contact Premier Care for more details!
3. Confidence and Independence – For your parent, freedom to take that bath anytime they want is independence beyond measure. It can boost their confidence if they have struggled with the fear of staying by themselves. It is peace of mind, no only for the parent, but also for you if you do not live close by and checking in on them is not easy to do.
4. Security – Being able to safely get in and out of the tub on your own can provide peace of mind for both you and your loved one. A secure home environment that is designed for mobility issues can be just what is needed keep your loved one living in that home. Premier Care has several different bathroom design options available to meet your needs and your budget.
5. Comfort and Ease – It is such a relief to know that your loved one does not need to have any assistance while in the bathroom. To be able to get in the bathtub or shower on their is an empowering thing. Premier Care can make it happen for you and your loved one.
Premier Care Bathing
Premier Care has 25 years experience and they make sure that selecting the walk-in tub for your home is exactly the way you want it.
“Although there is a growing number of manufacturers that try to create a comparable tub, none of them have the 25 years of experience and development that Premier has utilized to perfect this life-changing product. Most other walk-in tub companies cut corners on quality and service in order to offer a lower price. Many also re-sell shoddy imitation baths that are manufactured in China.
If you are looking for the best, highest quality, most reliable walk-in bath that’s made by hand in the USA, there’s only one place to turn to: Premier Care in Bathing!” Premier Bath
If you are in a situation where you feel you or your loved ones may have to make a decision whether your parents may have to go into assisted living facility or a nursing home. Wait!
There are options out there where your parents can stay in their own home and be independent.
Thank you Premier Care for Sponsoring today’s post, the honest opinions are my own.
Learn More About JT Bubbling with Elegance and Grace is a place for life long learners. The Bubbling With Elegance And Grace team was created 14 years ago. A passion for fashion sparked a lifestyle blog for our Elegant Community to enjoy. We are thankful and in gratitude to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for those who have been with us from the beginning and those who have just started riding with us on this lovely journey.
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