SPECIAL SUNDAYS By Sally I. Kennedy

On the first day of the week.......... Luke 24:1

Easter is coming up soon. What a special Sunday Easter is! Sundays, in general, are special to people for a variety of reasons. A day off. Sleeping in. How about food? (I thought of hot fudge sundaes, yummy!)

Maybe it means getting up early, rushing around, getting kids ready, going to church as usual - and looking all calm and happy when you get there.

When I was a child, Sundays meant afternoon outings with my dad. Baseball games, long walks to the park. Maybe ice cream. We didn’t see much of him during the week; he went to work before I got up and came home after I went to bed. So Sundays were special.

With our kids, Sundays has been a family day. When they were little, we did simple things with them, mostly everyone sticking around the house. For years, now, we’ve had a hamburger cookout on Sunday noon. Our kids and grandkids like getting together. It makes our Sundays special.

No matter how great our Sundays might be, the very best Sunday ever was the day we call Easter Sunday. The day Jesus came alive again, after being dead. The day He first talked to people in his resurrected form.

Everyday can be Easter Sunday for us, as we encounter the risen Christ in our daily lives. That, is good news!

WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY? by Arlene Spanos

Christianity means having faith in Jesus as our Savior and Lord. It means to trust in the Bible as God’s Holy Infallible Word.

It is realizing sin separates us from God who is righteous and just; Knowing we can’t be reconciled on our own, so in Christ we trust.

It is understanding we can not earn God’s grace by virtues or good behavior. It is acknowledging we’re sinners who need the atonement of our Savior.

It’s realizing that laws and religion do not have the power to save us. It’s knowing and loving Jesus and accepting the gift that He gave us.

It is believing that Jesus took our sins at the cross for our debt to be paid. It is assurance we have eternal salvation because of the sacrifice He made.

It’s asking for God’s forgiveness and to help us make a fresh start; Asking Him to be with us always, and to fill us in mind and in heart.

It is having faith in God’s sovereignty for He knows what’s best; Thanking Him for all He has done and for how we’ve been blessed.

This is the message of the Gospel; Good News to those who will hear it. And when we accept and follow Jesus we receive the help of the Holy Spirit.

Being a Christian transforms us within and in every part of life; It gives us hope and joy along with comfort in sorrow and strife.

We know we’re not perfect but we want to please God and obey. We continually ask God to mend us and to show us the way.

We understand this is an ongoing process; not just an event. We strive to reflect Christ’s love for it is Him we represent.

We believe God loves everyone and has a purpose for us all. We know He does not want any of us to be lost or to fall.

We seek to know, to serve and to love God more and more; As we find understanding and meaning we did not know before.

If your faith isn’t evident and doesn’t mean this to you, Carefully reconsider and assess, is your faith really true?

If you have any doubts, seek His wisdom and pray. Invite Him into your life; ask Him to show you the way.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have Eternal Life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." John 3:16-17

THREE STRANGERS Author Unknown

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them.

She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.

"No", she said. "He's out."

"Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.

"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"

The woman went out and invited the men in.

"We do not go into a House together," they replied.

"Why is that?" she wanted to know.

One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said, "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"

His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"

Their daughter-in- law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"

"Let us heed our daughter-in- law's advice," said the husband to his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."

Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success:

"I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"

The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!!!!! !"

A PILLOW AND A BLANKET Author Unknown

A long time ago, a young, wealthy girl was getting ready for bed. She was saying her prayers when she heard a muffled crying coming through her window. A little frightened, she went over to the window and leaned out.

Another girl, who seemed to be about her age and homeless was standing in the alley by the rich girl's house. Her heart went out to the homeless girl, for it was the dead of winter, and the girl had no blanket, only old newspapers someone had thrown out.

The rich girl was suddenly struck with a brilliant idea. She called to the other girl and said, "You there, come to my front door, please."

The homeless girl was so startled she could only manage to nod.

As quick as her legs could take her, the young girl ran down the hall to her mothers closet, and picked out an old quilt and a beat up pillow. She had to walk slower down to the front door as to not trip over the quilt which was hanging down, but she made it eventually. Dropping both the articles, she opened the door. Standing there was the homeless girl, looking quite scared.

The rich girl smiled warmly and handed both articles to the other girl. Her smile grew wider as she watched the true amazement and happiness alight upon the other girl's face. She went to bed
incredibly satisfied.

In mid-morning the next day a knock came to the door. The rich girl flew to the door hoping that it was the other little girl there. She opened the large door and looked outside. It was the other little girl. Her face looked happy, and she smiled. "I suppose you want these back."

The rich little girl opened her mouth to say that she could keep them when another idea popped into her head. "No, I want them back."

The homeless girl's face fell. This was obviously not the answer she had hoped for. She reluctantly laid down the beat up things, and turned to leave when the rich girl yelled, "Wait! Stay right there."

She turned in time to see the rich girl running up the stairs and down a long corridor. Deciding whatever the rich little girl was doing wasn't worth waiting for she started to turn around and walk away. As her foot hit the first step, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder, turning she saw the rich little girl, thrusting a new blanket and pillow at her. "Have these." she said quietly.

These were her own personal belonging made of silk and down feathers.

As the two grew older they didn't see each other much, but they were never far from each other's minds. One day, the Rich girl, who was now a Rich woman got a telephone call from someone. A lawyer, saying that she was requested to see him.

When she arrived at the office, he told her what had happened. Forty years ago, when she was nine years old, she had helped a little girl in need. That grew into a middle-class woman with a husband and two children. She had recently died and left something for her in her will. "Though," the lawyer said, "it's the most peculiar thing. She left you a pillow and a blanket."

IF GOD CLOSES THE DOOR by George Prins

There are times in our lives when we experience unexpected sadness and loss. For me this was a sudden loss of a job one Friday evening. The owner gave me my final paycheck. A question I struggle with is how much of it should we tell to our friends and family. Allow me to explain.

We had A Bible Study meeting that Sunday night and I suggested to Sylvia, my wife, that I might mention to the group that I was no longer working.

Our group leader opened the evening with any prayer requests but I deliberated, thinking that if I told them my situation, that would put a slant on the whole evening. After the Bible Study, I finally told them: "At a friend's house this morning, I saw a sign on their wall, 'If God closes a door, He will open a window.' I have to use this sign of hope that God will provide for on Friday, I was told that this would be my last day as business was very slow."

As I was finishing my last statement, a new couple (Tim and Deborah) in our group suddenly raised their arms in jubilation and said, "That's our answer! He can take the position at work!"

In amazement I asked them what they were talking about.

They provided the details: A fellow at Tim's work was 'let go' and they were looking for a new employee. I had quite a few of the qualifications for the job plus some extra ones. They were excited and Sylvia and I were incredulous. They wanted my card and they asked me to provide a resume in the morning as I would be granted an interview with the owner.

On Monday morning I fixed up a resume, flew off to Burlington and had a good interview. The owner would call me.on Wednesday.

On the way out of the city of Burlington, I came to a traffic light and sat their perplexed. I heard someone honking at me and there was Deborah beside my van asking how the interview went. I was totalled. Like in a city of that size I would see our friend from last night right beside me giving me the 'thumbs up' sign. Do I dare say God is so good?

On Tuesday evening, Sylvia and I discussed the upcoming phone call for she desired to have an answer while at school. We figured something out. At 8:15 the phone call came: We would like to hire you. Are you able to report to work tomorrow?

I gave them an affirmative answer. Immediately, I phoned the secretary of the school and asked her to give Sylvia a note: I found the music! The concert begins on Thursday, 7:30.

I am thankful for the prayers and concerns of friends and family. The movement in this story of God's faithfulness happens very quickly. Not all stories move that quickly but God does provide answers in His own time. When He closes a door, He will always open a window. "God's timing is perfectly exact and exactly perfect," wrote a friend.

If God closes the door, He will open a window.