Sunday

Songs for Worship #11

Welcome to the Sunday Series

Last year from January to June I wrote a series on
Why We Worship  where I considered an attribute of God each Sunday.


At different times people mentioned to me about a song that a post reminded them of so I thought that I would now go through those attributes again with a song for each one.






I hope you will follow along with me.



                         Looking today at 



God is Omnipresent 


He is Everywhere









Sovereign Over Us


There is strength within the sorrow, There is beauty in our tears
You meet us in our mourning, With a love that casts out fear
You are working in our waiting, Sanctifying us
When beyond our understanding, You’re teaching us to trust


CHORUS
Your plans are still to prosper, You have not forgotten us
You’re with us in the fire and the flood
Faithful forever, Perfect in love
You are sovereign over us



You are wisdom unimagined, Who could understand your ways

Reigning high above the heavens, Reaching down in endless grace

Youʼre the Lifter of the lowly, Compassionate and kind

You surround and You uphold me, Your promises are my delight



Bridge
Even what the enemy means for evil
You turn it for our good, You turn it for our good and for your glory
Even in the valley You are faithful
Youʼre working for our good, Youʼre working for our good and for your glory



Words & Music by Aaron Keyes, Bryan Brown, and Jack Mooring.
Copyright (c) 2011 Thankyou Music (admin. worldwide by worshiptogether.com songs excluding Europe, which is admin. by kingswaysongs.com) (PRS)








If you would like to see the post from last year that this is based on please click on the graphic below





















Saturday

The Real Easter Egg - You've got to try one!


Disclaimer:
I received ONE free Easter Egg to REVIEW after having purchased several others


I've had many Easter Eggs over the years but here is one that is somewhat different.

My Pastor handed me a leaflet and asked me to take a look at it and if I liked what I saw to go ahead and get some for the children in our church.

I glanced at it and left it on the kitchen worktop to read later in the week.






When I did read it I was as enthusiastic as he was and went online to order the eggs for church.


After ordering the eggs it was then agreed with the company that I would receive an egg free of charge to taste for myself and then write a review and this blog post is my honest opinion of the product.


So here are my thoughts on The Real Easter Egg.


I ordered the eggs for church online and they arrived within 2 weeks from England to Northern Ireland.

I received a rather large box showing that it is in partnership with the Charity Traidcraft (click on the picture below to find out more about this)






This is what I found on opening the box




another box was inside and it contained 6 eggs  (eggs are ordered online in groups of 6)


As you can see above each egg is 150g and these ones are milk chocolate eggs.
(on the website you can see the other types of eggs available)


The first thing I noticed was just how attractive the box was and clearly marked fairtrade which I would be glad to choose.


There is also plenty of information on the packaging as you can see below on the side, back, other side and bottom of the box.





On opening one of the eggs the top of the box revealed that there was a little more than just an egg for you to enjoy





   Included is

  • A bag of Chunky Milk Chocolate Buttons.
  • A Happy Easter booklet.
  • A little snippet of the Easter Story from the Bible printed on the card, all before you get to your egg.






   When unwrapped I could tell the egg was quite thick and there was a textured marking over it as you can see in the picture below





    Well because I did not want to eat too much chocolate (you know folks I am trying to keep off the weight), I decided that I would share this egg with my husband Fred and son Daniel who were sitting watching a rugby match on the television.


The advantage also is that we could have 3 opinions here instead of just the 1.


     So did it pass the test?


     Not just one test we had four!



NUMBER 1

How would it break?

Firm pieces or crumble up too much?






The picture above shows not too much crumbling  -  GOOD!




NUMBER 2


The initial taste test - too sweet?  not sweet enough?  or just right?





These two intrepid tasters said "pretty good".



NUMBER 3


The silly (but can be very important) melting test - does it melt too quickly?





You can see by the picture above they proved it passed this one too.




NUMBER 4


Finally the all important - does it go well with the tea and coffee test?







And the result was?

YES

It passed all four tests.



Then I had to be quick to grab a picture as they started into the buttons (and I was warned by these two guys to tell you that they really are chunky).






Because very quickly everything was gone, but yes I did get two buttons and another bit of egg before they were leaving me an empty tray to take away.








How to get The Real Easter Egg.

If you want to buy an egg and get a surprise then do not read any further or look at any more pictures just simply go buy the egg and enjoy it - I did and my two guys really did.

You can buy the eggs at various shops within the UK
(click on the map below to find a shop near you)





Or click on the online link below to order from the website





Now for the SPOILER

If you want to know exactly what you are buying to give to someone else then read on.

Inside the box we already saw there was a Happy Easter Booklet.



A nice decoration for any child's room.


But turn it around and we have the Easter Story



followed by some information about eggs and an Easter Quiz





and finished off with a recipe for Easter Biscuits





So Here we have other activities to enjoy after the egg has been eaten.



CONCLUSION

Definitely much more than the usual Easter Eggs we buy for our children, our grandchildren, or the children of friends.

We were very happy to eat it and give them as gifts.

Each year the booklet inside the egg will be different so each year we can continue to buy these eggs and know that the recipients will have more than an egg to enjoy.


I love chocolate but I also really love the way this focuses on 

The Real Meaning of Easter 

and not just on chocolate.






If you wish to know more or to buy some of these eggs then click on over to The Real Easter Egg website via the picture below






If you wish to read the latest news about The Real Easter Egg Campaign then click on the picture below





UPDATE
The Real Easter Egg is just as good each year and of course has different story content etc. inside.




Disclaimer:
I received ONE free Easter Egg to REVIEW and I will NOT benefit in any way from any purchases any of my readers will make.



Friday

Easter Letters! Free Printable! - Easy to Organise Presentation by Kids


Need something last minute for your kids group to present the Easter Message to others?

If you have a printer and card you can do this.

Because there is a Free Printable available for you to download and print your own cards.
(See the link at the end of this post)






      

 EASTER   LETTERS

Materials:
Bible
Notes
Printed Letters for word Easter
(make sure that the letters are correctly printed on both sides of the cards so that the letters of Jesus LIVES are in the right order when cards are turned around)
Words of Songs (you can adapt with songs known by your group)
Handmade paper palm branches (can be made in a SS lesson)
Handmade paper crowns (can be made in a SS lesson)

Time Required:
Very little time needed to practice with the kids.

Participants:
Narrator with notes,
6 kids with letter cards,
oldest child with bible readings
If you have more children they can stand behind the row of 6 and join in with the songs




We begin by having the Narrator stand to one side facing congregation and the Oldest Child at the other side.
The 6 Children with Letter Cards sit on 6 chairs at centre front facing congregation.
The children do not hold up their cards until it is their individual turn to stand up and then keep holding their cards up when they sit down again.


Narrator

At Easter Time we learn exactly why we can have faith in God
&
Now the children are going to tell us what Easter stands for.



1st Child                    Stands & Holds up letter E.            

E is for Everyone

Oldest Child         Reads          

Romans 3 v 23
For everyone has sinned and come short of the glory of God

1st Child      Sits down again



Narrator

No-one has lived a perfect life except Jesus.
God hates sin and because we have all sinned God cannot have us in Heaven with Him.
No-one is good enough to be in the presence of God.
But God still loves everyone so much that He provided a way for us to be with Him.
He sent Jesus to die for our sin.

........................................


2nd Child                    Stands & Holds up letter A.            

A is for Anyone

Oldest Child         Reads          

John 3 v 16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that anyone who believes on His Name shall be Saved.

2nd Child      Sits down again



Narrator

Anyone is not the same as only one.
Anyone means You, personally You, no matter who You are or what You look like or where You live or what You have done.
Jesus died on the cross for You and He wants You to trust in Him and You will be saved.
This is a personal promise for You.
   
........................................

3rd Child                    Stands & Holds up letter S.            

S is for Salvation

Oldest Child         Reads   
       
Acts 16 v 31
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved


3rd Child      Sits down again


Narrator

The children would like you to join them in singing the SALVATION chorus.


(The children will stand up to sing & wave the palm branches

The Salvation chorus will be on the screen for the congregation

and also held up for the children  By The Leader)

........................................


4th Child                    Stands & Holds up letter T.  


T is for Today


Oldest Child         Reads            

Hebrews 13 v 8 
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today & forever

4th Child      Sits down again


Narrator

We know from the Old Testament that Abraham, Isaac & Jacob knew the promises of God, and trusted God to keep His promises.  But we don't have to just trust in something that was for many years ago.
God wants us to trust in Him today because has never changed and still keeps His promises today and He will forever keep His promises.
Our verse tells us that Jesus never changes, so we can be sure that today He is still the Saviour of the World but more importantly He wants to be your personal Saviour.


........................................


5th Child                    Stands & Holds up letter E.  
        

 E is for Everlasting life



Oldest Child       Reads          

John 6 v 47
Most assuredly I say to you He who believes in me has everlasting life

5th Child      Sits down again



Narrator

The children would like to sing a chorus for you.

The “He that Believeth” chorus will be held up for the children
By The Leader

The children will put down their palm branches and letters & lift up their crowns & stand up to sing.
The children will sit down again at the end of the chorus.

............................................................


6th Child                    Stands & Holds up letter R.           


 R is for Resurrection

Oldest Child       Reads         

John 11 v 25
Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection & the life


6th Child      Sits down again




Now everyone can see the word




Narrator

Today we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the day when Jesus rose from the dead.  This is so special to us because it means that our Saviour is no longer dead, He is Alive forevermore.
Jesus is a living Saviour and He wants us to trust Him and live for Him, praising Him forevermore.
So Easter is all about the fact that.......


The 6 children with letters turn their cards around


and all the children shout out 

 "JESUS  LIVES”

.............................................


Please click on the link at the bottom of this post to download your free printable


and you might enjoy the video below






Don't forget to download your free printable for the "EASTER LETTERS" Presentation HERE  if you have not already subscribed to Sandra's Ark


If you have previously subscribed to Sandra's Ark then you will find the link for all my Resources in any of the emails you have received from me.


Or pin this for later:








God bless you and your work with children this Easter Time.







Wednesday

The Greatest Photobomb! - A Dose of Encouragement


Why is it when we are watching the news on television on an outdoor broadcast and someone walks behind the presenter or runs up and waves or makes silly faces we think they are so rude but when someone photobombs a pic we enjoy a good laugh?


The answer - I have no idea except that I know I am exactly like that.


Yes I think one is rude and the other can be comic genius.





DEFINITION of PHOTOBOMB
A photograph that has been spoiled by the unexpected appearance of an unintended subject in the camera's field of view as the picture was taken


This was the original definition and remains the official definition but the way things are now means that the attitude towards these pictures are changing.


Well I was looking for the greatest photobomb but I did not have too many to look at.

A friend in England sent me one





Not bad and we wouldn't think he was rude would we?


The way I might look at it is


 He's just a friendly guy waving in the background.


But how would the girls view it?

To them the photo is more personal.
It would be fine if they discovered what had happened immediately and were able to take another one but what if they had only taken this one picture and then noticed him later?


I just hope that it was not the first and last time these girls will have a picture taken together or they may be annoyed at the photobomber.


So is it the intruder to the picture that makes it good or bad?

Or is it the attitude of the subjects of the picture or the viewers?


Then of course we have one from our son's wedding reception which I featured in an earlier blog post I Love My Family.   Daniel and his new wife Suzie were taking a selfie along with our daughter Linda and our oldest son Jonathan came along and threw himself into the photo behind them.





Did anyone get annoyed over this?
No way we all think it is one of the best photos of the day.

That's the view of everyone who sees it and in fact many would not even realise it was a photobomb.


Well I suppose some of you are saying what is wrong with her we all know what the greatest photobomb is, it's the one with the seal.


The one with the seal?


Yes the one with the seal who pops his head into the corner of a picture being taken of penguins.


You know the one that was all over the internet some time ago.


I just loved it, even though there is mass speculation that it is a photoshopped seal!!!


Taken from the internet where credit does not seem to have be given to anyone and if you do know who was responsible please let me know and I will credit it accordingly.

So is it the greatest?


Well it could be a tie between it and another photobomb that happened at that very same wedding.

Yes at the same wedding but this one was actually in the church!

Daniel and Suzie were posing for photos after signing the register and not one but two people decided to photobomb the picture.

Again it involved a family member.
Not Daniel's brother this time but his cousin Glen.

And the other one was Suzie's best friend Ashleigh.

Now to make matters worse Glen was the best man and the Ashley was the bridesmaid.




It was a spur of the moment thing but you would think it was planned because it was so good.

Just look at those faces.

Of course if you knew these two you would understand how something like that could happen because they know Daniel and Suzie so well and they are all full of fun.



How do we decide if the picture is ruined by that extra person popping up where they were not expected or if they have made it a great photobomb.


Who decides?

Who forgives the person for photobombing? 

  
Or who blames the person for ruining the photo?



We each have to make our own decision on it.
We each have to take responsibility for our own attitudes.

This is just the same as forgiveness in other matters.
We make the decision whether to forgive or to blame.

In some cases it is our perception or conclusion that the person is to blame for the outcome, we see the incident as something directed at us and focus on how it has hurt us.

In some cases it is really obvious that the person is definitely to blame for the outcome, they deliberately did the act that spoilt something of ours.


God's word does not have advice for different scenarios it only has advice 
on how we should forgive.


It is our attitude that God points us to.


It is up to us to make the decision to forgive.



Well now it just remains to make the decision here.

Which is the greatest photobomb?

Let's have a vote on it.

Make your decision and then leave me a comment to tell me your choice.





Which one is it?

The Penguins & the Seal 

or 

The Wedding



You can also tell me if you can make the decision to forgive.








Sunday

Songs for Worship #10


Welcome to the Sunday Series

Last year from January to June I wrote a series on
Why We Worship  where I considered an attribute of God each Sunday.


At different times people mentioned to me about a song that a post reminded them of so I thought that I would now go through those attributes again with a song for each one.






I hope you will follow along with me.



                         Looking today at 



God is Just









Before the Throne of God Above


Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high Priest whose name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me

My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart


When satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin

Because the sinless Saviour died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me


Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Praise the One, Risen Son of God!


Behold Him there the risen lamb
My perfect spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I am
King of glory and of grace

One in Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Saviour and my God
With Christ my Saviour and my God


Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Praise the One Risen Son of God
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Praise the One Risen Son of God
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Praise the One Risen Son of God







If you would like to see the post from last year that this is based on please click on the graphic below











Wednesday

Not the Rice instead of the Barley! - A Dose of Encouragement


Two things I love to eat are homemade vegetable soup and homemade rice pudding so I always have some barley in the house for the soup and some rice to make the pudding.






Often when I am making things my mind is elsewhere thinking of the next thing I need to do, or something I've forgotten to do or I am chatting to whoever is around at the time.


So inevitably, I admit I sometimes end up doing silly things like putting pudding rice into my soup instead of barley.  


Well they did sit side by side in matching containers on a shelf in one of my kitchen cupboards and when someone is not really paying enough attention they could easily mistake one for the other as the barley and rice grains are a bit similar in size.     Yes?


Note they do not sit side by side in matching containers any longer - I learnt my lesson.



Well I did this one day because I was chatting to my husband and one of the kids and I ended up with soup that no-one in the family (not even me) would eat.


A whole pot of soup had to be thrown out.


Why?


Because I had, without thinking carefully, added the wrong ingredient to the pot.


It caused a lot of laughter and teasing by the kids of course.






Later I thought about how a conversation can be like a recipe.


Often we probably add the wrong words in a conversation because we are not concentrating properly and can end up with something that is confusing, unintelligible, unhelpful and not edifying.


Do we just say certain phrases
     because we have heard others use them,
     because they seem like they might be the right thing to say,
     because we have misheard the person
or even
     because we have assumed what the other person means.


Then what about when we try to use verses from the Bible which are not right for the situation.


Maybe we just think of a verse 
     because of a certain word we pick up on in the conversation,
     because we have been reading it lately,
     because we have memorized it at some time,
or even 
     because we know the reference for it and that looks impressive to others.



We need to listen before we speak.

Have you heard that before?


Have we honed in on the real topic or just think we have?

Do we need to make sure, do we need to ask a few questions?




We need to think before we speak.

How often have we heard that before?


Are we taking a verse out of context?

Does it really have any bearing on the situation before us?




But we also need to pray before we speak.

Do we hear that as often?


Lord help us to play our proper part in conversations.

May we think and pray before we speak to add the right ingredients into the pot.



We need to listen, think and pray before we speak!


It is always better to listen carefully to the conversation and say little but make sure that what we do say is suitable, the God inspired words and not the rice instead of the barley.