Many mornings as I pull out of the driveway, the Lord lays a song on my heart. Friday it was my favorite Easter hymn. Every line can stand alone as a great statement of faith:
Christ the Lord is ris'n today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav'ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Foll'wing our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!
King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy pow'r to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!
This morning we celebrated Christ's resurrection at Passion Cumberland, with A&C. Saw Russ as we were leaving. Also fellow Irishman John McKenzie, my old Living Science pal. Ceil knew the young mother sitting in front of us, whose husband wore closely cropped hair.
Passover of course means one thing: the re-appearance of the yellow-capped Coca-Colas – extra kosher for Jews to drink. Made with cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, and supposedly tastier. Comparable to Mexican Coke, which is also made with can sugar and available in many Atlanta-area supermarkets (like my Kroger, the Stinky Kroger). First saw them years ago over at the Toco Hills Krogers – within walking distance of a synagogue.
I read this on the internet (so it must be true): "high fructose corn syrup" drinks are sweetened with fructose extracted from corn. "Cane sugar" drinks are sweetened with sucrose extracted from sugarcane. In both cases, a specific chemical (the fructose/sucrose molecule) is isolated from a crop plant. But because of the terminology used (the more chemistry-sounding "high fructose corn syrup" vs. the more natural-sounding "cane sugar"), a lot of people are misled to believe that the process of sweetening drinks with "cane sugar" is somehow more "natural" and thus potentially more nutritious. On top of that, the first thing your body does with sucrose is break it down into – you guessed it – fructose. So there really is no nutritional difference in how the two types of drinks affect your body".
In a related topic, I saw a meme on the dangers of Mtn Dew, that I didn't take time to read. Doesn't affect me: I drink DIET Mtn Dew. Surely healthier. And I only drink 12 ounces a day. Usually.
Reminds me: C was watching an old rerun of "The Chosen" earlier this week (highly recommended). Couple days ago I saw a product placement ad for The Chosen on Jeopardy. The classic game show still occasionally has Bible categories and questions, although these days the show is much more woke than it used to be. Saw a good definition for "woke" recently, but it is lost in the sea of other woke definitions out there on social media.
DENISON: prominent atheist Christopher Hitchens gave his bestselling book god is not Great the subtitle "How Religion Poisons Everything." In a sense he was right, though not in the way he meant. The Bible warns against false religions and their gods. We are commanded to "keep yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21), to "flee from idolatry" (1 Corinthians 10:14). "To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lᴏʀᴅ than sacrifice" (Proverbs 21:3). We are to "worship the Lᴏʀᴅ in the splendor of holiness" (Psalm 96:9). This holy God "will judge the world in righteousness" (v. 13).
John Ed Mathison: why God says "No":
1. I asked God to take away my habit. God said, "No. It's not for me to take away, but for you to give up."
2. I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. God said, "No. His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary."
3. I asked God to give me happiness. He said, "No. I give you blessings. Happiness is up to you."
4. I asked God to spare me pain. God said, "No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me."
5. I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life. God said, "No. I will give you life, so that you might enjoy all things."
6. I asked God to help me Love others, as much as He love me. God said… "Ahhhh, finally you have the idea."
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