Jesus is Alive!!!!!

This is Paul's article that ran in the East Prairie Eagle Courier this week. He wrote it last Saturday when we were in Montgomery for Daddy's funeral and sent it in to the paper by email. He writes an article every week but this one is especially touching to me.

A teacher recently asked her students to explain the meaning of Easter. The responses both surprised and saddened her. Their responses ranged from coloring eggs to chocolate bunnies to Easter baskets. Not one student made mention of Jesus. When the teacher shared how Jesus rose from the grave the students sat looking a bit confused. They had never heard that part of Easter.

 

We might think this teacher was a missionary in foreign country but it was right here in the USA. We could say how this is simply a shame that American children aren't told about Jesus but that won't address the issue satisfactorily. It's up to us, the Christians, to make sure the true meaning of Easter is known by all.

 

Easter means that God has confirmed a new covenant of salvation for any and every person who comes to Jesus. This covenant will never be changed, broken, or replaced. How do I know this? Because God raised Jesus from the grave. I want to make a simple appeal to any unbelievers reading this. Do you really believe Jesus is dead? If you are honest you know you would have to admit the reason the grave was emptyis because Jesus is alive. If the disciples had stolen the body would they have died to hide a lie? If the Pharisess hid the body wouldn't they have produced it to prove Jesus was dead? But neither happened because it's true. Jesus is alive!

 

Because Jesus is alive we know God will keep His covenant of salvation with all who receive His Son. This truth really is a blessing especially when we or a loved one faces eternity. As I write this I am in Alabama for my father-in-law's funeral. I have only known Tom for 10 years but in that time I have come to love him like a dad. This wasn't hard to do because Tom was one of the easiest people to get along with. He was a tremendously supportive man who lived sacrificially to help others. The many condolescences we have received spoke of how my father-in-law helped them. He was an addictive disease counselor who helped hundreds to recovery. It was his nature to help, encourage, and give generously to others.

 

But no matter how good a man Tom was that still wasn't enough. Tom had to do what we all must do to have eternal life. He had to come to Jesus to be saved. I could share about his personal journsey there but it's sufficient to say my father-in-law was a Christian man who lived a Christian life. When his earthly journey ended our family was heavy with grief. But our grief is turning to joy because we also know that Tom Claunch didn't die. He simply changed where he lives. Tom Claunch is living in the presence of our living Savior.

 

We often try to explain the meaning of Easter is deep theological terms. I guess it's nice to have all that Bible knowledge but what we need is a simple faith in an undeniable truth. When I sit in the chapel service tomorrow I'm sure I'll still have grief. But I will also know that because Jesus lives  Tom lives, I will live, and you can too if you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

New Zealand Newspaper Article on Daddy

This is a very nice write up about my dad that ran in the New Zealand Herald. Click here to see it.

These pictures were taken in February of 2012 here in East Prairie. We were dressed and ready to go to worship that Sunday morning.

My Daddy

My wonderful father went to Heaven on Friday. We are heartbroken but know we will be together for eternity. I will post some pictures and thoughts another time but wanted to share this sweet email my cousin Jeannette sent my brother and me. It shows some insight as to how special he was. Jeannette and her twin sister Leannette were my mother's sister's daughters and were little girls when my parents were first married. All these stories happened before I was born when my dad was 27 and my mom 25 so they were young when they kept the twins. Here is my cousin's email...

I have so many fond memories of a wonderful and special man.  I thank God that Uncle Tom was a part of my life.  I just wish that I would have had time to spend with him as I got older.

We got to spend lots of time in the summer with Aunt Julie and Uncle Tom and even some weekends during the school year.  I would like to send you some of my memories at this time.  When you mom and dad married I thought your dad was the most hansome man I had ever seen and he was so much fun. 

Your parents were the first ones that took me to a drive-in movie.  They would put a quilt on the ground next to the car for us to lay on and watch the movie.  They would stay in the car with one of the speakers and we had the other one on the quilt with us. 

Your father was a great chef.  I remember one night Leannette and I got up in the middle of the night and got into the refrigerator.  We ate some wonderful meat (I think it was roast) and then went back to bed.  The next morning while at the breakfast table your father asked "do you remember that little white dog that was down the street?"  We said "yes".  Then you dad said that "he had died and the meat that we had eaten was that little white dog".  I don't think we ever got into the refrigerator in the middle of the night again.

Your parents house had a mailbox slot.  That was the first that we had ever seen.  While your mom was at work, your dad stayed with us.  He would let us get a popscicle from the ice cream truck (we lived in the country and there was nothing like an ice cream truck - another neat thing).  Not only a little popscicle but a two stick popscicle.  We would eat them on the porch and then he would let us put the sticks in the mailbox so we could go into the house and get the "mail". 

Whenever we would be driving to and from Tulsa if we came to a bridge with high side rails he would say "that you are to kiss your loved one all the way across the bridge".  They would kiss and we would giggle.

We would do calastenics every morning and evening.  We were in Uncle Tom's army.  It was fun.

They had a screen door on the front door.  If we ran in or out of the house and let the screen door slam he would make us go in and out of the house one hundred times without making any noise.  It didn't take us long to make sure we didn't slam to the door.

I know I have many more stories I could tell you and if you would like them I would be glad to share them.

Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers and my arms are around you even from here.  If I could get there I would be there for you.  I love you and prayer for your peace.  I ask again that you remember all the good times and it will help get you through this time. 

Blessings and love,

Jeannette 

Green eggs and ham

You may be thinking this is a St. Patrick's Day post but alas, it's actually a late Dr. Seuess's birthday post. Mallory had a friend over on March 1 so the next morning, March 2nd, Dr. Seuss's birthday, I made them green eggs and ham for breakfast. The day before I had whipped up these little treats for the kids' classes. I saw them on the internet and they were supposed to look like green eggs and ham. I see the green eggs part but I guess the pretzels were supposed to be bacon maybe? They were easy and cute and tasted really yummy. There are times when I am tired and don't feel like doing extra special things for my kids and then I think of how when they are a little older they won't care about this stuff or they won't want me to do it for their classmates and how sad I will be. So, I go ahead and do it! Plus, you know me, I love this stuff!

 

 

 

 

Cheesy

Like I said, I have nothing to blog about lately so here are some pictures of Mallory from March 09!! 

 

 

 

 

Done!

This past year I volunteered to do a yearbook for our school. Our principal gave me the go ahead so I've been working on it all year. Today I sent it in! I did the entire thing by myself which may sound daunting but it was done online and wasn't that bad. I was on the yearbook staffs in jr high and high school and always loved it. I also love looking at yearbooks so this was right up my alley. We sold 212 copies which was nearly 100 more than I had originally hoped to sell! So, now we wait. They will be in around the end of April. We get out of school May 3rd so I had a pretty early deadline. The company we used was Herff Jones and my rep, Pam Cox, was FABULOUS! You would have thought I was her only school the way she was so attentive. I asked her today how many schools she had and she said 150!!! Yikes! I can't wait to see the finished product. It will be full color, 40 pages and have a gloss laminate soft cover. Until then, hallelujah it's nice to be done!
 

Nothing going on

I haven't had anything to blog about lately! So, just for fun, here are some oh so sweet pictures of Paul and Michael from January of 09. Precious is all I can say!