J9's Property

OK, so I just looked at my blog...and realised, it's almost the end of the month, and I've only posted twice! And here, I'm the one who checks other people's blogs, and gets impatient if someone doesn't post every-other-day!

Hmmm. Guess maybe I should blog a little more often?...

The problem is, though, there are many days when I sit here, and just can't think of anything to say. Anyone who knows me, will tell you I'm a very quiet person - I don't often have a whole lot to say, unless you get me onto a certain topic. Other than that, I usually let other people do the talking.

But, in the interest of not boring people to death, and therefore encouraging them to NOT check my blog, I hereby resolve to blog more often...even if it's just to say, I have nothing to say!

And to be honest, I really don't have a lot to say today, other than to apologise for not being a regular blogger, and to say I'm going to write more often.

See, this is what happens when I have nothing to say: I will find 15 ways to say nothing over and over and over......

OK, I'm even starting to annoy myself....

Yes, the Marked By Love recording is now available!!

You can get them from any Marked By Love member (including myself and my hubby!) for $20.00 each. All proceeds will be going to support the Ethembeni Babies Home in South Africa - you can get more details on the website. There is also a link there to the Marked By Love MySpace page, where you can listen to a snippet or 2 of the music. (for those of you who like to sample the wares before you buy!)

We had a lot of fun recording this project, and I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I do!

I've been following, with some interest, the stories regarding a certain sculpture in chocolate. You've probably heard about it - the image of Christ, hanging on an invisible cross, made out of pure milk chocolate. You've also probably heard about all the hoop-la it's caused, and the subsequent cancellation of the exhibit.

The Christian leaders who protested (and, surprisingly enough, were heard), weren't so concerned about the fact that it was an image of Jesus Christ made in chocolate; it was the fact that he was shown stark naked. (and anatomically correct)

Yeah, I wouldn't want to see my Lord and Saviour portrayed that way, either.

But, it reminded me of something I read long ago, something that put a whole different perspective on Good Friday for me. I once read a book called "The Hiding Place", by Corrie TenBoom. For those of you who have never heard of her, Corrie was a Christian lady, who hid Jews in her home during the nazi occupation of Holland. She was eventually found out, and sent to a concentration camp for being a conspirator. Corrie survived the ordeal, and later wrote about it.

I remember one scene she described, as she and her sister (both of whom were in their 50's by this time) were waiting in line at intake at the concentration camp, stark naked in a room full of other women prisoners and prison guards. In the middle of all that humiliation, Corrie leaned ahead to her sister, and whispered, "Betsie, they took His clothes, too!"

You see, crucifixion (as horrible as it was) wasn't just about physical torture and death. It was also all about public humiliation. It says in the Bible, "When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. 'Let's not tear it,' they said to one another. 'Let's decide by lot who will get it.'" (John 19:23-24) Did you see it? They took everything, including his undergarment. He was hanging there, naked, for all the world to see.

When you see crucifixes and artistic depictions of the crucifixion, they always portray Jesus with at least a loincloth. Which I think is correct, in that one day of that kind of humiliation is more than enough for any man, let alone God. We don't need to see it. But just remember, that's not actually how it happened. There was no loincloth, no hiding, no covering Himself.

He endured that kind of pain and humiliation for us. For you. For me.

Think about it....