St Gabriel Windows

St Gabriel Windows
Photocopy c. 2013 Jamie Laubacher

Monday, March 03, 2014

New Hope & 40 Bags away from new life...

New hope, new hope,
is what we have been given by the Lord,
New hope, new hope,
is what we have been given by the Lord.

Alleluia! Alleluia!  Alleluia...Lord!
Alleluia! Alleluia!  Alleluia...Lord!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


I have been teaching this song to our church youth as we travel into the Lenten season with the memory and hope of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.....in preparation for Easter, and the remembrance of his glorious resurrection!  Life over death... his promise of salvation to all.  This song, along with a Sing Hosanna! song, will crown the end of our Lenten journey.

I give my students many ways, young ways, to prepare themselves spiritually for that experience.  It is so wonderful to belong to a church that gives so much spiritual assistance, and offers so many helps to grow in holiness, and encourages our faith-building journeys. It is so wonderful to be fostering a depth of salvation and spirituality in the young;  I see so many who lack that soul deep grounding and flitter every which way the secular world takes them, where all is shallow and fleeting. Sure, they even call themselves Christian, and read their bibles.  But their actions and words often say otherwise.  One such reason for our home schooling.  We are called to be set aside, light and salt among the others; I am especially disheartened when I see public school ways and practices introduced to our home schooling groups -- I know our family home schools to be free of those kinds of practices and falsehoods that the young are so saturated with these days.

But I digress....and my track is to embrace Lent with HOPE and gratefulness for all Christ has done for us, and to continue to instill in my own children and those I teach, that hope in Christ, that grounding and depth of spiritual nourishment and enrichment that only comes from our great Almighty God.

This year, my own personal challenge includes the 40 bags declutter challenge -- one bag a day for 40 days, beginning on March 5th (Ash Wednesday) and ending on April 19th (Sundays off).  You can read all about the 40 Bags in 40 Days 2014 Decluttering Challenge by clicking on the title in this sentence.  It will take you to:  White House Black Shutters and the adorable Ann Marie.


Whatever you do over the next 40 days as we make way for the celebration of Christian Easters around the globe.....I hope it brings you a change of heart, a change of spirit, the truth, the hope, the love and the salvation that is yours for the asking.

May God Bless You ~

No comments: