Good Friday 2011

Continuing from the last couple of Easters I'll post some favourite Hymns of mine that reflect on the wonder of Easter.

There's a good chance, even if you've never put a foot inside a church that you have heard the hymn "The Old Rugged Cross".  Whether you go to church or not, there's good chance that when you heard it you thought it was a bit of a stodgy old hymn... it's not.  Don't get me wrong, I have heard it played so incredibly terribly... just a little google search to check I had the words right gave me a dozen more dodgy versions.  THE BEST version I have ever heard was acapella... no music... at all.  Fantastic.

So, without distractions... just the words...


The Old Rugged Cross
George Bennard (1873-1958)

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.

To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then he'll call me some day to my home far away,
where his glory forever I'll share.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it some day for a crown.



If you want to know more about why this Friday is GOOD, why Jesus had to die, or if you have anything else you want to talk to me about... you can leave a comment or you can email me at MummyMcTavish(at)gmail(dot)com

 Take care over this long weekend!

Easter Excitement

I thought I should fill in the Easter gap here on the old blog so I can remember what happened in years to come...

The Tuesday before Easter was Kids Church at Dragon's kindy.  I try to make sure we go even if it's not his kindy day and because I think it is such an important thing for the kindy to be doing I will pass on our regular activities so that we can support them (and I will hopefully be more involved again with it once Monkey gets a little bigger).  Dragon's class was even presenting this time and he had been very excited about going into the church (attached to the kindy) to practice so I thought he would be very excited about actually being in their re-telling of "The Good Samaritan"... and he was excited, until he was actually up there.

Obviously my son is a bit of a "ladies man" at kindy... he sat down and all these girls came and sat with him!

He didn't join in very much and looked a little freaked out the entire time but he did join in when they did some action songs at the end.

The next day was the Easter bonnet parade at Lion's school.  They made their hats at school but siblings were allowed to join in and you could just make them a hat at home. 

They were so cute.  Lion was taking such good care of Dragon, I was so proud of him for making sure his little brother was okay and  knew what was going to happen and that it was okay if he didn't know the songs they were going to sing, he could still stand there with him.

Making sure Dragon was walking in the right direction... even if there was no chance to head off course.

I was soooo amazed and proud that they BOTH got involved in the actions and the songs.  Usually EVERY SINGLE OTHER CHILD is doing the actions and singing and having a great time and Lion and Dragon will stand there pretending that the world is spinning without them.  They joined in and had a blast.  This shot is "Little Peter Rabbit".

Yes, I made Dragon's hat.  He refused to glue, tape, draw, cut, ANYTHING.  But he HAD to have an Easter bonnet and when Lion suggested a crown like his "because that is what all my friends are wearing" Dragon was adamant he wanted something different "because I'm not your friend, I'm your Dragon".

One thing I try to do with the boys is make Easter baskets on Good Friday.  This year we made bunny heads.  The boys were critical of my design and said that the ears at the back of the basket should be a tail... I just suggested that possibly the top of the bunny's head was missing and we could pretend when they get their eggs that those are his brains.  My design was vindicated and the world returned to it's peaceful happenings.

They glued their whiskers, stuck on their noses, I stapled on the ears then they got to lather the thing in glue and stick on cotton balls.

SOOOO cute these boys!

Their stash from the EB.  BUNNY BRAINS!  Does Dragon look like he should still be sleeping???  That's because HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN!

So that was our Easter.  Things I don't have documented...

• We usually have brunch on our patio after the mega early Good Friday service so this year I figured why not invite the family around since we usually have trouble all getting together over Easter weekend.  Everyone turned up and we had eggs Benedict, fruit salad, apple and cinnamon muffins, coffee, juice... it was so yummy and filling I didn't even realise I had forgotten to put out the hot cross buns!!!
• The meltdowns over not being allowed to sit and eat every piece of chocolate they were given all in one sitting... some things are best not documented in photo form.
• The  Lindt Gold Bunny I always get from my husband... can't document it if I didn't get it!!!!!  (he's lucky I love him, I was almost tempted to buy up every last piece of Lindt Easter chocolate that Target had half price the other day, but I thought that might give him a heart attack when I brought it home)
• Lion being incredibly sweet (again) and letting Monkey use the little paper Easter basket he made at school because Monkey didn't need a big basket.

The Power of the Cross

On this Good Friday, please find a few moments of quiet, sit back, and listen to this favourite of the McTavish clan.

Power of the Cross

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

 

 

Oh, to see the dawn

Of the darkest day:

Christ on the road to Calvary.

Tried by sinful men,

Torn and beaten, then

Nailed to a cross of wood.

CHORUS:

This, the pow'r of the cross:

Christ became sin for us;

Took the blame, bore the wrath—

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain

Written on Your face,

Bearing the awesome weight of sin.

Ev'ry bitter thought,

Ev'ry evil deed

Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;

Now the ground beneath

Quakes as its Maker bows His head.

Curtain torn in two,

Dead are raised to life;

"Finished!" the vict'ry cry.

Oh, to see my name

Written in the wounds,

For through Your suffering I am free.

Death is crushed to death;

Life is mine to live,

Won through Your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS:

This, the pow'r of the cross:

Son of God—slain for us.

What a love! What a cost!

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Good Friday

The Wonder of the Cross

Vicky Beeching

O precious sight, my Savior stands,

Dying for me with outstretched hands.

O precious sight, I love to gaze,

Remembering salvation’s day,

Remembering salvation’s day.

Though my eyes linger on this scene,

May passing time and years not steal

The power with which it impacts me,

The freshness of its mystery,

The freshness of its mystery.

May I never lose the wonder,

The wonder of the cross.

May I see it like the first time

Standing as a sinner lost,

Undone by mercy and left speechless,

Watching wide eyed at the cost.

May I never lose the wonder,

The wonder of the cross.

Behold the God-man crucified,

The perfect sinless sacrifice.

As blood ran down those nails and wood,

History was split in two, yes,

History was split in two.

Behold the empty wooden tree,

His body gone, alive and free.

We sing with everlasting joy,

For sin and death have been destroyed, yes,

Sin and death have been destroyed.

May I never lose the wonder,

The wonder of the cross.

May I see it like the first time

Standing as a sinner lost,

Undone by mercy and left speechless,

Watching wide eyed at the cost.

May I never lose the wonder,

The wonder of the cross.

May I never lose the wonder,

The wonder of the cross.

May I see it like the first time

Standing as a sinner lost,

Undone by mercy and left speechless,

Watching wide eyed at the cost.

May I never lose the wonder,

The wonder of the cross.

Marvel at the cross with us today,

Wolf, Mummy, Lion, Dragon and Peach Blossom McTavish

Good Friday is...

Church in the morning (7:30 start for hot cross buns, bit early!!!) with a super children’s talk by Mrs W, then home for a day off work. The order of the day was hot cross buns and babycinos on the patio. Mummy McT and Wolf had cappuccinos and the little ones had babycinos and we all shared the hot cross buns. They were great, lightly toasted in the oven (okay so not so lightly toasted but not burnt). Lion can tell everyone why there is a cross on the top of the buns, it reminds us that Jesus died on the cross so we can be his friend.

They also had a play in the veggie patch. Yes, we have a huge cubby house/fort for them to play on with a 2m x 2m sandpit but they play in the empty veggie patch. They had the hose and filled it with water so it was delightfully muddy and then they wallowed until morning tea was ready. Once it was all over they got hosed off outside before Mummy McT allowed them to come into the house.