Good Friday and Happy Easter

Question: Why is today called "Good" Friday and Sunday "Happy" Easter????

This is not a trick question, just a "I wonder" type question......nothing "good" came about for Jesus. If you read the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John about how Jesus died for our sins. How he was stripped and whipped and beaten up, his beard plucked, nailed to a cross and left to die with people cursing his name.....not a very "good" Friday for him. It is said, that he didn't even look like himself because he was so battered up. Geez, talk about abuse and bullying. BUT GOD, had other plans and Jesus gladly went to the cross, and he rose again, just like he said he would and now today "He Lives"!!!! Now there, is the Happy Easter!!!!

I understand that part!! He arose and so we will also on that day when he calls us all home, whether it be by death or by the rapture ("if we are born again" John 3:7), we get out of this world, never having to die, then we meet Jesus face to face............what a day that will be, what a glorious day for sure!!!!

My memories of living in Ladysmith and living out in the country are still very vivid.......I loved Good Friday and those 3 hours just before 3:00pm. In that little town, everything closed up for three hours, people went home, got changed and went to the catholic church. Me, I went home and went into our 15 acres of wooded forest and communed with God.......read my bible and talked and walked........had some really good times with the Lord. I remember one "Good Friday", I decided to stay in town, was working at the beauty shop at the time and Karen and I sat in the shop and just talked about Jesus and what he had done for us.........suddenly Karen said she wanted to be baptised in the Holy Spirit and just at that very moment my pastor from the Assembly of God, John came knocking at the door..........we let him in and then all three of us were talking about Jesus and Karen mentioned she wanted to be baptised. John said well, we could do that right here..........we all started praying and BAM!!! Karen got baptised with the evidence of speaking in tongues!!!! (Read Acts and get ready!!) Now THAT was a GOOD Friday!!! God was always doing miracles in Ladysmith, I saw some great times in the Lord there..........my faith was built up firmly. I miss those days, but I still have those wonderful memories.

Appleton on the other hand, has been another story.......(the" Good Friday's" are few and far in between).....there's been a lot of struggles from the very get-go. When we got to Appleton, we had not even been here a week and were told "why did you come to Appleton, we never needed or wanted you". Gosh, that was not good for our morel......working at the Salvation Army had a lot of pros and cons, but we managed to stay, JP for 12 years and I for 14 years. We each left the SA for greener pastures (we thought). I started working at the AG church.....as a secretary for two different worship leaders. I really loved my job to both of them (maybe that was the problem, I loved my job, too much). But, I don't think I ever quite fit in with the "click" to say the least, I was always on the outside looking in and never feeling 'apart'. Nope, no "Good Fridays" were there, even though I was in a religious setting! I remember a lot of heart ache and tears......but no "Good Fridays".

Not really sure why I have rambled on like this.........maybe just because it is "Good Friday" and God is reminding me of what Jesus did for me over 2000 years ago. Yes, it's a "Good Friday" after all.....65 "Good Friday's" and every single one of them have been so, so, very different..........which one of them would I choose???????? Don't know, maybe the ones where I felt the presence of God in my life in a special way, knowing he was by my side, leading me and guiding me on to bigger and better "Good Friday's"

Here's to "Good Friday and Happy Easter".......enjoy and let the Love of God surround you this weekend and keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh.........meaning Jesus is coming very soon!!!!

Cheers ~ Louise