Today we observe Good Friday, the day of the death of Jesus. Many Christian Churches have different ways of observation, to prepare us for the coming resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday. Today, the sacrifices we have made during Lent culminate in our internalization of the great offering of Christ’s life. If we have been diligent in our Lenten preparations, Good Friday hits us with a power and force that brings us, literally and figuratively, to our knees with the grasp of what Jesus poured out for us. It becomes personal, a tiny sliver of the cross is buried in our heart. And so each year, we find that we give ourselves over to Christ just a little more through this time of penance and reflection.

It is our wish here in the Tree that you all, so dear to us, and to each other, have a blessed and holy weekend, this most holy time of the year. May the Lamb’s Good Friday sacrifice lead you to the joy we rightfully claim on Easter Sunday. This post mentions some things from my Catholic “language” or viewpoint, if you will.  Please share some of the traditions and customs from your church or family with us. Are there special observations and services at your church this weekend?

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On this day Catholics celebrate the institution of the Eucharist, as well as the establishment of the Sacrament of the priesthood. Jesus willingly offers himself up at the Last Supper.

After sundown, the Holy Thursday Liturgy takes place, the beginning of the sacred Triduum, the three holiest days we observe as Christians. No Mass will be celebrated again until the Easter Vigil Mass, when we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus.

Last year we Christians had just been deprived of our right to worship together in our churches. The priests celebrated this mass alone, and we watched from home, heartbroken and also alone.

This year we return to our churches, and Christians will joyfully celebrate the Resurrection. I invite you now to spend these three days in deeper preparation and longing, opening your heart, readying yourself for Christ.

In these next days can we be better models of Christ? Can we take extra time to offer kindness, help someone in need, pray for our fellow man, reach out to someone who might like to go to Easter services with us?

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Not an April fool’s joke, but it might as well be.

Two media reports [Here and Here] about former VP Mike Pence considering a potential run for President in 2024 present the most laughable political hypothetical in recent memory.   Particularly, and specifically, because even President Trump would likely not include Pence in a short list of people for endorsement.

“WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump recently rattled off the names of those he viewed as future leaders of the Republican Party, including Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Conspicuously absent from the list: Mike Pence.

The former vice president is steadily reentering public life as he eyes a potential run for the White House in 2024.” (read more)

Newsmax has a similar story outlining steps Mike Pence appears to be making to lean forward to the 2024 GOP primary.  However, as pointed out by both articles, President Trump has not included his former VP in any positive affirmation about the future of the republican party.

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It has taken me a few hours to diminish the anger that surfaced when I first saw these two pictures below.

As readers will note I have taken exception to the lack of strong leadership from the church during this COVID crisis.  During a time when fellowship is most needed, most urgently needed, many churches are collapsing under their own fear.  This is not a good outcome.

Suffice to say, there is absolutely nothing sensible about the position of this church as pictured; NOTHING.

First, for vaccinated people there is absolutely nothing to fear from the decision of another person not to vaccinate themselves.  A non-vaccinated person does not represent a greater risk to a person who is vaccinated against the COVID virus.  It is abject nonsense to make any other argument.

Second, this purposeful division is akin to saying ‘good people on the right, pesky non-good people on the left’.  Setting up “classes of distinction” based on voluntary compliance with a non-FDA-approved test vaccine is ridiculous in the extreme.  For a faith-based organization to be doing this is beyond the pale.

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Once again Florida Governor Ron DeSantis outlines his specific direction with the COVID vaccine program.  As DeSantis noted in his media statements today “we want to provide it for all, but mandate it for none.”  Explaining the Florida legislative intent on further COVID laws the Florida governor went on to say the vaccine passport issue “has huge privacy implications”, and he does not support any mandated vaccine passport that would impede on the liberty and freedom of Florida residents.

Watch the video below starting at 07:45 (prompted) for a strong leadership position regarding individual self-reliance.  It is not a surprise that hundreds-of-thousands of U.S. residents are quickly flocking into the sunshine state, each month.  The influx of new residents into the state is part of the reason why unemployment in Florida is almost half the national average, and the economy is booming.   WATCH:

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My strong opinion still predicts the final four 2024 GOP presidential nominees will likely be: (1) Ron DeSantis representing the MAGA base.  (2) Kristi Noem representing MAGA-lite with a twist of Koch. (3) Nikki Haley representing the traditional cocktail republican class (Bush mindset); and (4) Ted Cruz trying to split the Christian base on behalf of Haley’s GOPe scheme.

Obviously things could change; and obviously President Trump is still the frontrunner (should he choose to run again); but with proactive advice and wise counsel from Donald Trump, DeSantis would easily clear the field with a Trump endorsement.

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Sometimes it is difficult to bite your tongue and not respond negatively to the manipulative public positioning of well known sanctimonious hypocrites.  Today, as I watched this interview with Senator Ted Cruz, my prayers were for grace amid the face the stunning & historical hypocrisy.

You see, there’s a problem with Cruz’s current position of advocacy regarding the southern border crisis… a position he must first reconcile before any credibility can be given to any statements.  Back in 2014 Ted Cruz, Glenn Beck and Dana Loesch attacked anyone who challenged them on their ridiculous public spectacle at the U.S. southern border; during their Teddy Bears and Soccer Balls tour.  More on that in a moment….

Here is Ted Cruz discussing his ‘new found’ concern about illegal aliens under the Biden administration.

https://youtu.be/–lt0Qdex0w

In 2014 Ted Cruz, Glenn Beck and Dana Loesch went to the Texas border to deliver gifts to the incoming illegal aliens during the first of many crisis involving “Unaccompanied Alien Children.” Yes the same Dana Loesch that went on to become the spokesperson for the NRA was at the border handing out gifts to illegal border crossers under the guise of a humanitarian crisis. {Full Details Here}

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MK 11:1-10

“When Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem,
to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of his disciples and said to them,
“Go into the village opposite you,
and immediately on entering it,
you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat.
Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone should say to you,
‘Why are you doing this?’ reply,
‘The Master has need of it
and will send it back here at once.’”
So they went off
and found a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street,
and they untied it.

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Apparently the creation of the DOJ’s politically convenient “domestic extremist” narrative is starting to come under scrutiny.  After several federal judges initially granted the DOJ the benefit of doubt for their outlandish conspiratorial claims, now with judges ordering the targets to be released the media are catching on.

The 2021 political prosecutions against the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys are essentially akin to former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein’s 2018 indictments -on behalf of Mueller/Weissmann- for mysterious Russian operatives that never surfaced and were never prosecuted.

As a result, the conspiracy to engage in sedition is to 2021 as the conspiracy to interfere in the Clinton v Trump election was to 2016 (via Facebook memes).

The Associated Press now recognizes something is sketchy about the DOJ shift.  Somebody might possibly do something, at some place, in relation to something discussed with someone about some time; thus people were arrested for thought crimes.  However, the DOJ cannot show who the somebodies, something or sometime were all about.

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Please share old favorites, new recipes you’ve found and plan to try, and your favorite ways you will be celebrating Easter Sunday.

Do you have small children who will be dyeing and hunting eggs, or is a surprise filled candy egg your favorite way to go?

When I was a child my mother made our Easter baskets very special. She found great big woven baskets and filled them with colorful grass, and then the most wonderful candies and bunnies. Our bunny was never the beautiful foil ones because she found the largest chocolate ones they made, and only the hollow bunnies were wrapped and beautiful. We made that candy last for months.

The most memorable year from my own sons’ Easter treat days is not a fun one, unfortunately. Money was always tight for us, and I had to plan ahead to have treat filled Easter baskets for my three boys. One year they found the stash, and when I found it I was equally outraged and so disappointed. I wanted to rush out last minute and buy all the things again, which they probably counted on, but I knew I could not do that. So, Easter morning they had mostly empty baskets, probably a toy and a book, and what few candies remained. (more…)

I’ll admit to being a little befuddled by the explanation here by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem.  The SD legislature passed a bill to protect women’s sports by banning biological males from participating in biological women’s sports.  The bill has overwhelming support in South Dakota; however, Govenor Kristi Noem doesn’t support it.

When asked why she doesn’t support it, Noem seems to say she has received advice and counsel that the law would fail if challenged in federal court.  Specifically Noem implies the NCAA would sue South Dakota and she believes the state would lose a lawsuit based on the law.  If that is her position, essentially she is attempting to avoid litigation, proactively planning to lose that litigation, on a law supported by the majority in her state.  WATCH:

What is your take?

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