Remember... The Tomb Was Empty

Growing up, Easter was a holiday to satisfy my sweet tooth, and to wear pretty spring dresses with dainty lace gloves. Celebrating the arrival of spring, we dyed eggs and hunted for hidden treasures. One year, I remember diving into my easter basket early Sunday morning, seeking to find all the goodies hidden in the colorful plastic eggs and pink grass. One orange egg had a slip of paper poking out. Curious, I read my mother's familiar handwriting. "Remember" it stated. Opening the egg, it continued, "Remember... The tomb was empty." Swallowing the sugary mass I had been chewing, I felt a warmth in my heart as I thought about what my Mom wanted me to remember. On that first Easter morning, Christ left the tomb empty. He died, yet now He lives! He is risen! He has conquered death. He has given us all the promise that death will not be the end.

Music

Don't you love how music can express the way you feel? It's amazing how sound can enter our ears and touch our hearts. My soul delights in music. It is a language that most everyone can understand, and interpret for themselves. I grew up with the blessing of music in my home. My dad passed on his love for music to us, as he took the time to teach us how to sing, and encourage us to master the instruments we chose to play. The violin was my choice, as was my mom's. As a missionary, I'm so blessed to have a companion who loves to sing. We've been able to share our talent with so many people, and every time we feel the goodness that abounds in the songs we sing.

Our favorite one to share is "Nearer My God To Thee," which always brings a spirit of peace. The feelings that come to us as we sing, and to others as they listen are powerful, and real. It is a goodness that can leave you speachless. I love being an instrument to express God's love for all those who listen. Just as this song has the power to bring light and truth, other kinds of music have the power to affect us in other ways.

A well known composer, Lex De Azevedo, addressed this topic when he said, "Throughout all these years in the music business, I’ve learned that music has great power, both for good and for evil... Music is one of the Lord’s greatest tools in helping us build spirituality. But it is also one of the adversary’s deadliest weapons. Using it, he creates sugar-coated poison that can slowly destroy all our brightest dreams and leave us spiritually wounded.

'The irony is that we take this deadly spiritual poison voluntarily into our homes, schools, and churches. We share it with our loved ones. We pay millions of dollars a year for the privilege of exposing ourselves to it. Like foolish Trojans, we open the gates of our strongholds and let the enemy in."

Let us not be fooled by the sugar-coated poison Satan temptingly puts in front of us. Let us really think about what we feel when we listen to different types of music. And let us find music that continually brings us nearer to God.

So yes, my soul delights in music... Good Music. It is the music that brings me closer to God, and does not offend His Holy Spirit that is a source of power and strength in my life. Let us all be aware of these things and let not Satan enter our hearts with sugar-coated poison. Praise God in songs of gladness, and rejoice in the gift of music.

The Power of God

The other day, my brother sent me this picture. At first, I had no idea what was going on for those paper clips to be standing on end, unsupported. It looked like some kind of trick. After reading his explanation, I realized that it was very easy to understand. He was touring the US Magnesium Plant, and they showed them how strong the magnetic field was near the electrolytic cells.

I'm not sure what those are, but I do understand how magnets work, and the amazing "unseen" power that comes from magnetic fields. He said that those paperclips would only point in one direction, toward the source of power. It made me think of another "unseen" power. The power of God. His power is real. We feel it. We cannot see it, but we can see the effects of it. God is truth. He will never lead us astray. Like those paperclips, we can use prayer to find direction in our lives.

As we keep ourselves pointed towards God, just as these paperclips are pointed towards the magnet, He will support us and keep us standing tall.