Dovecote Academy

Mother’s Day was quite different for me this year.  It landed on the end of a survival weekend, which means I was away at the cadet camp.  I spent the morning supervising the cadets as they took down their bivouacs putting the forest back to the way it was before the weekend, and cleaned up the camp and turned in their kit.  I helped inspect barracks and bathrooms, and counted sleeping bags, etc. to make sure all kit had been returned.

We finished shortly after noon and I headed home, exhausted but having had a great weekend with the kids.  My husband made lunch, not the usual Mother’s Day fare of bbq chicken and butter baked rice as that requires some prep work from me on Saturday, but egg bagels.  Simple, but good.  After lunch I went upstairs for a 2 hour nap.  Then I felt human again. 

But the best part of the day was the same as it is every year – hearing my children say they love me.  The little girls had made cards while I was away with the older two, and my 10-yr-old had written me a poem.  She is showing quite the talent in the literary department these days.  So here is my Mother’s Day poem, to share with all you other mums out there.

Mothers
by Kathleen

Mothers are kind Mothers are sweet
Mothers provide you with something to eat.

Mothers are loving and tuck you in bed.
Mothers are gentle and kiss your forehead.

Mothers always show sympathy
When you fall and scrape your knee.

Mothers are Awesome Mothers are Cool
I say they’re the best and I am no fool.

Spring Time
by Kathleen (age 10)

The weather warms though ‘tis not yet hot
The flowers sprout in the flower pot.

As I sit with a breeze in my hair,
Spring is here, I do declare.

I listen as the birdies sing,
Songs of praise to Christ our King.

All is peaceful, all is calm.
Spring has arrived, indeed it has come.

I finally watched the Passion of the Christ.  I say “finally” because we have owned it since it first came out on dvd, but I have not watched it until now.  I get emotional singing hymns about Christ’s death and resurrection, so I knew that seeing it in full colour could be more than I could handle.  However, this year my daughter decided to watch it, and my husband has wanted to see it since he first bought it, so I agreed to watch it with them.  As I suspected would be the case, I am glad I did.

I wish they had stayed closer to what we know from Scripture, but over all the portrayal of the events was quite accurate.  When the movie was finished the three of us sat silent through the credits.  I pondered a few thoughts that had come to me as we watched.

First, when they began to whip Jesus the verse from Isaiah came to mind, “By His stripes we are healed.”  As I watched the blood pour over the courtyard I was reminded that it was His blood that washed my soul.  The women came along later and began to clean the cobblestones, little knowing that what they wiped away was the very blood that would cleanse them.

As they began the walk to Golgotha Jesus stumbled under the weight of the cross.  The cross held the weight of the sins of the world, including mine.  One of the thieves also making his way to Golgotha asked him why he embraced his cross.  He embraced it because He knew that through that cross He would bring redemption to His people.  I embrace it because I am one of those who has received it.

As Joseph of Aramathea came and bore the weight of the cross for Jesus I thought for the first time what an honour and privilege it was for him to help carry Christ’s burden, even as Christ promises to carry ours.   I wonder if Joseph knew what an incredible honour he was given that day.

The next thing that struck me was the familiar part of the story when the thief hanging on the cross beside Jesus asked to be remembered by Him.  Jesus answered that he would be in paradise with Him that very day.  I have always thought of how blessed that man was to hang beside his Lord and receive forgiveness in his last hours.  Yet as I watched the scene I was impressed with the blessing that thief was to Jesus, allowing Him to see even as he died the effect that his death and resurrection would have on many.

Many scenes brought tears to my eyes.  Scenes that portrayed the horrors my Lord went through on my behalf; touching scenes of His mother watching His suffering.  But my tears over one scene surprised me, and that was as the soldier who pierced Jesus’ side to confirm that He was dead, knelt down as he realized Who had died there that day.  He removed his helmet and lifted his eyes toward heaven in recognition of the One whom he had killed – the same One who would give him life.

The tear drop from Heaven spoke of His Father’s deep love for both His Son, and those He died to save.  The movie ended with Christ emerging from the grave, and this really is the focus of the story.  While it is poignant to remember the suffering He did to save us from eternal suffering, it is even more awesome to remember that the reason His sacrifice was able to redeem us is that death could not keep Him.  Instead, He conquered death.  He lives that I might also live.  There is a song I love called, “My Saviour, My God,” and my favourite line is this:  He Who lives to be my King once died to be my Saviour.”

All I can do after witnessing a portrayal of the most monumental event in history is to lift my own eyes heavenward and thank Him for suffering unimaginable pain in order to conquer death once and for all, so that I can live.  Not just this life, but forever.  One can not truly know this and not be changed forever.  One can not see the cross and the empty grave and not embrace the truth they hold.

Embrace the cross
Where Jesus suffered
Though it will cost
All you claim as yours
Your sacrifice will seem small
Beside the treasure
Eternity can’t measure
What Jesus holds in store

Embrace the love
The cross requires
Cling to the one
Whose heart knew every pain
Receive from Jesus
Fountains of compassion
Only He can fashion
Your heart to move as His

Oh, wondrous cross our desires rest in you
Lord Jesus make us bolder
To face with courage the shame and disgrace
You bore upon Your shoulder

Embrace the life
That comes from dying
Come trace the steps
The Savior walked for you
An empty tomb
Concludes Golgotha’s sorrow
Endure then till tomorrow
Your cross of suffering
Embrace the cross
Embrace the cross
The cross of Jesus

(Embrace the Cross by Steve Green)