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Monday, April 1, 2019

Friendships and Resurrection Hymns

Years ago Ed's church youth group had a tradition of going Easter caroling. They'd get up early on Easter Sunday, visit the elderly people from church, and celebrate the resurrection by singing Easter hymns.

Easter is often an ignored holiday, but this youth activity made it special.


Last night, several of Ed's friends from his youth group days came to our house. Since most of us have children now, the ranks have grown. We managed to squeeze 50 people into our house, though the majority were little bodies. 

Though we are a few weeks early, we sang some favorite Easter hymns as well as some of Ed's favorite hymns. Then we chowed on snacks, the children played, and the adults laughed over long-ago memories. 

Old friends are a treasure. 

Friends that remember the crazy events from our past. 

Friends that have grown and matured with us through the years. 

Friends that help carry our burdens. 

Friends that remind us of our risen Lord.

This week Ed plans to have three days of chemo treatments. We needed the reminder of the power of our risen Lord to walk with us through hard days.

A few favorite lines from the songs last night - 
Death cannot keep his prey - Jesus my Saviour!
He tore the bars away - Jesus my Lord! - Robert Lowry
But Jesus hath cheered the dark valley of sorrow,
And bade us, immortal, to heaven ascent;
Lift then your voices in triumph on high,
For Jesus hath risen, and man shall not die. - Henry Ware
Love's redeeming work is done, Hallelujah!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Hallelujah! - Charles Wesley

16 comments:

  1. I'm so glad that you and Ed had this time to share with your youth group friends. What a great idea that your youth group went "Easter caroling" - a wonderful way to give praise and thanks. And I love that you sang them early this year - I dearly love some of the great resurrection hymns and it seems that they often get limited to Easter Sunday. Love to find ways to sing them more often! - Suz

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  2. Prayers for you, Ed and the family. Pray that the chemo will have positive results.

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  3. Thank you for sharing your words this particular. I needed to hear this asbrother of mine went to Heaven last night.

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  4. I pray for you, Ed and your family each and every day but I will definitely be lifting up extra prayers this week for the chemotherapy. I know how difficult that is as several of our family members have had to have it. Many blessings to all of you. Betsy

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  5. I cherish the words of each of those hymns you briefly wrote.
    Easter is by far my favorite holiday!!!
    I have many favorite songs about the cross and resurrection.
    Thoughts and prayers are with you guys as Ed goes through chemo. I pray for your children too!!

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  6. What a kind thing to do for you and Ed and the kids. Wow. Best of luck with the therapy. Praying for you.
    Sincerely, Barb in PA

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  7. Holding you all in prayer, especially for positive results to treatment this week.
    Blessings from Australia.
    Gail.🙏🏻

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  8. Keeping you all in prayer, friends are just so wonderful to have around you and supporting you. God bless sue

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  9. It is so true that Easter gets overlooked and commercialized when in reality NOTHING we do in life would matter without the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. What a beautiful way to celebrate. Best of wishes for the coming treatment.

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  10. Praying that the upcoming chemo treatments will be beneficial. God is continuing to hold Ed in His Healing Hands ... what a wonderful & comforting place to be! God bless you all.

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  11. fervently praying for you all! Deb

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  12. Continuing to pray for you all and especially this week with the 3 chemo treatments! Easter caroling was a first we heard of when we worshipped with the Mennonite community in AL...maybe this is more common among other Mennonite churches as well? We really like the idea of it! Blessings, Randy & Eunice

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  13. Gina, I will be praying for you and Ed during these difficult days of chemo treatment. A friend of mine is going through the same thing at the moment and it isn't easy.

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