Easter Contemplations

I'm not sure if it's just because Easter falls so early in this year, or that I've been so busy lately but this Easter took me by surprise at how fast it was approaching. Of myself I haven't had time to consider Easter or the story of Christ's Resurrection but reflecting on this past week there's several thoughts on Ester that the Lord has given me (from chapels, Bible studies and songs) that I'd like to share with y'all. 

Romans 11:22 

For the last two weeks my pastor has been teaching on Wednesday night Prayer Meeting about the Goodness and Severity (or Judgement) of God. He mentioned how a lot of people only want God to be a kindly grandfather in Heaven who continually gives good gifts. Other people only see God as severe, a grumpy old man sitting high in Heaven judging them. The truth is that God is both Good and Severe / Just. His Holy nature is so far above our sinful natures that He must Judge us fairly to be guilty, but God is so Good that He created a way for us to come to Him. He sent His only son Jesus Christ, who was both Holy God and a Perfect Man, to take the punishment for all of our sin by dying a cruel death on a cross like a common thief! This is what Good Friday is all about, Christ's death was because of our sin, his death was for us! 

Friday one of my co-workers mentioned Romans 11:22 in devotional time and the Lord brought this thought to my mind: When Jesus died on the cross God showed both His Severity and His Goodness - His Severity was poured out on Jesus Christ so that His Goodness could be shown toward us!

If you've grown up in church like me this concept is not a new one but the connection of this verse to the Easter message had never occurred to me before. It's almost an unbelievable thought that a Holy, all-powerful Creator God could give such a good gift to sinners who have rejected Him, but this just shows how much God loves us!

Smitten, Stricken and Afflicted - hymn sung by Fernando Ortega

My sister got Fernando Ortega's hymns CD Beginnings for her birthday and I've enjoyed listening to the peaceful arrangements of classic hymns played on piano, violin and guitar. The hymn Smitten, Stricken and Afflicted really stuck out to me because the words tell of Jesus Christ's death on the cross and in particular the depth of pain he received when dying for us. He was indeed rejected, groaning, disowned, insulted, wounded and pierced and as the hymn says "Was there ever grief like His?". 

But what was it all for? In verse four the hymn explains: "Lamb of God for sinners wounded! Sacrifice to cancel guilt!"   

The hymn also issues a warning to unbelievers (just as Romans 11:22 does):

Ye who think of sin but lightly, 

Nor suppose the evil great, 

Here may view its nature rightly, 

Here its guilt may estimate. 

Mark the Sacrifice appointed! 

See Who bears the awful load! 

’Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed, 

Son of Man, and Son of God.

It's All About The Resurrection 

In all this talk about Christ's sacrifice and death it's very important to remember the real reason we celebrate Easter. Yes Jesus Christ did die but three days later he came alive again and rose from the dead! I was reminded of this in chapel at work this week when a writer for AiG spoke about the Infallible Proofs we have for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (you can read his interesting series of blog articles about the Resurrection here). He mentioned that whenever the gospel is preached by the apostles the Resurrection is the focal point of their message.

Paul goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 15:13-14 - "But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." 

The good news is that Jesus Christ did indeed rise from the dead, he was seen by those who knew him after he rose and later his disciples saw him ascend to Heaven where he lives to make intercession for us! 

Because he lives we can have forgiveness of sins, eternal life in Heaven and live each day in God's power!

Though we are dead in our sins our spirits can be made alive by believing in Jesus Christ's death, burial and resurrection. This is the real reason why we celebrate. This is why Easter should be an even bigger holiday for us as believers than Thanksgiving and even Christmas. At Christmas we celebrate Christ's coming but at Easter we celebrate Christ Jesus fulfilling the purpose for which he came: to bring us life!  

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia! 

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! 

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! 

Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

-Christ the Lord is Risen Today, words by Charles Wesley

If you have never believed on Christ's death and resurrection and trusted him to take the punishment for your sins I pray that you will do that today. If you have any questions I would love to introduce you to my Jesus and help you know him as I do. 

If you have believed in Christ Jesus as your savior I have the honor of calling you my sister (or brother) in Christ! I pray that you have a blessed Resurrection Sunday dwelling in the goodness of God! 

Happy Easter!

What are your Easter plans?

How long have you known Christ Jesus as your Savior?

Period Drama Weddings Game

"Here comes the bride..." or rather here is a fun game for you! 

The game this week is all about the weddings featured in period dramas! In the screencaps of weddings below you'll notice that I edited out the faces of the happy couple so that you can guess which bride and groom are in featured in each. Have fun! :)

To Play: Look at the screencaps of brides and grooms below and leave comments guessing which period drama and happy couple are featured in each photo. Guess as many times as you like. I'll respond with your score. Answers will be posted next Saturday. 

Scoring: Five points for each correctly guessed couple, five points for each correctly guessed period drama. A total of 150 points can be earned! 

Period Drama Brides & Grooms:

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

#13

#14

#15

Happy guessing!

Period Musical Lyrics Game Answers!

Bonus Question: What musical does this photo come from?
Answer: State Fair (1954)

Here are the answers for the Period Musical Lyrics Game from last week. I'm linking each of the song titles to YouTube videos that include the song (most are movie clips) for your enjoyment.
It was great to see how many of these musicals y'all recognized! :)

Musical Song Lyrics Answers:

Song #1

There's a sad sort of clanging

From the clock in the hall

And the bells in the steeple, too

And up in the nursery

An absurd little bird

Is popping out to say coo-coo

Answer: So Long, Farewell from The Sound of Music

~*~

Song #2

We never said our love was evergreen,

or as unchanging as the sea -

but if you can still remember,

stop and Think of Me

Answer: Think Of Me from The Phantom of the Opera

~*~

Song #3

I dreamed last night I got on the boat to Heaven

And by some chance I had brought my dice along

And there I stood and I hollered, "Someone fade me"

But the passengers, they knew right from wrong

Answer: Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat from Guys and Dolls

Note: I was almost seventeen before I even knew where this song came from because my mom used to have this song (and Bushel and a Peck) on an old record album we used to listen to all the time when I was a little girl.

~*~

Song #4

Are you the sweet invention

Of a lover's dream

Or are you really as

Beautiful as you seem

Answer: Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful? from Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella

~*~

Song #5

Who cares what they're wearing

On main street or Seville row

It's what you wear from ear to ear

And not from head to toe that matters

Answer: You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile from Annie

~*~

Song #6

Toot sweets sound like what they are

So do lollys in a lollypop jar

Gingerbread men have a gingerbread sound, we've found

Sugar plum cinnamon and lemon tart tell you what they are right from the 

start

And your name does the same for you

By coincidence, Truly Scrumptious

You're truly Truly Scrumptious

Scrumptious as a cherry peach parfait

Answer: Truly Scrumptious from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

~*~

Song #7

While shivering in my shoes

I strike a careless pose

And Whistle A Happy Tune

And no one ever knows

I'm afraid.

The result of this deception

Is very strange to tell

For when I fool the people

I fear I fool myself as well!

Answer: I Whistle A Happy Tune from The King and I

~*~

Song #8

Someone use to cradle them and kiss them when the cried

Did you see them lying side by side?

Who will wake them?

No one ever will

Answer: Turning, Turning from Les Miserables

~*~

Song #9

My dad said "Be an actor, my son

But be a comical one

They'll be standing in lines

For those old honky tonk monkeyshines"

Now you could study Shakespeare and be quite elite

And you can charm the critics and have nothin' to eat

Just slip on a banana peel

The world's at your feet

Answer: Make 'Em Laugh from Singin' In the Rain

~*~

Song #10

There's a bright golden haze in the meadow

There's a bright golden haze in the meadow

The corn is as high as an elephants side

And it looks like its climbin' clear up to the sky

Answer: Oh What A Beautiful Mornin' from Oklahoma!

~*~

Song #11

Still, Half a Sixpence

Is better than half a penny

Is better than half a farthing

Is better than none

It’s a token of

Our eternal love

When you’re far away

Touch it everyday

And, though, that Half a Sixpence

Can only mean half a romance

Remember that half a romance

Is better than none

Answer: Half A Sixpence from Half A Sixpence

Note: I've only seen this musical once and although the story is a bit odd I greatly enjoyed seeing Tommy Steele (The Happiest Millionaire, Finnian's Rainbow) in another musical!

~*~

Song #12

When the rhythm pounds

And the harmony sounds

And the melody rolls around

"Prest-o Change-o!"

We're Ten Feet Off the Ground

And when the rhythm pounds

And the harmony sounds

And the melody rolls around

Right from the down beat,

We can be found

Ten Feet Off the Ground

Answer: Ten Feet Off The Ground from The One And Only Genuine Family Band

Note: I've only seen this once and while it's excellent I always forget this song is in that film because I grew up hearing Michael Fienstein singing on his children's album Pure Imagination.

~*~

Players Scores:

Elizabeth Grace Foley - 110 points

E. Kate - 105 points

Idsjaneite - 105 points

beastsbelle - 100 points

Miss Dashwood - 100 points

Rhoswen Faerie Wrose - 100 points

Hamlette - 85 points

Kiri Liz - 70 points

Meredith - 65 points

Robyn Hoode - 55 points

Eva - 50 points

Emma Jane - 45 points

Katelyn - 30 points

Melody - 30 points

Thanks for playing!

Quiet This Week

Just wanted to drop y'all a note and say I'm sorry it's been so quiet here at OFC this week. I started a new job at a cafe on Monday and with working all day, church activities and trying to spend some time with my family it has just been a very busy week for me. I hope that next week I'll be accustom to my new schedule and have a bit more time for blogging and answering e-mails.  I'm still planning to post a new game tomorrow but we'll see how everything goes.

Good job everyone who has been sending in your film review links for the Period Drama Challenge here at OFC, your reviews are fantastic! Keep up the good work! The March Recap & Tag Questions post will be a bit late this month but keep an eye out for that.

It's been a long week for me (and still one more day of work to get through) but I am so incredibly blessed to be able to work for a Christian company and my co-workers have been so awesomely encouraging, helpful, patient and crazy fun! God is good!

Period Musical Lyrics Game

Bonus Question: What musical does this photo come from?

It's been a while since I posted a lyrics quiz so here's one where I tried to keep the song titles out of the lyrics. Here's a fun game for you! Keep in mind that these musicals all have a historical time period setting to them and aren't modern day. 

To Play: Read the lyrics below and guess the song titles and which period set musicals they come from. Also guess the what musical the photo at the top of this post comes from. I'll respond with your score. Guess as many times as you wish. Answers will be posted next Saturday.

Scoring: Five points for each correctly guessed song title and musical. Five points for correctly guessing the Bonus Question. A high score of 125 points can be earned. 

Musical Song Lyrics:

Song #1

There's a sad sort of clanging

From the clock in the hall

And the bells in the steeple, too

And up in the nursery

An absurd little bird

Is popping out to say coo-coo

Song #2

We never said our love was evergreen,

or as unchanging as the sea -

but if you can still remember,

stop and _____ __ __

Song #3

I dreamed last night I got on the boat to Heaven

And by some chance I had brought my dice along

And there I stood and I hollered, "Someone fade me"

But the passengers, they knew right from wrong

Song #4

Are you the sweet invention

Of a lover's dream

Or are you really as

Beautiful as you seem

Song #5

Who cares what they're wearing

On main street or Seville row

It's what you wear from ear to ear

And not from head to toe that matters

Song #6

Toot sweets sound like what they are

So do lollys in a lollypop jar

Gingerbread men have a gingerbread sound, we've found

Sugar plum cinnamon and lemon tart tell you what they are right from the 

start

And your name does the same for you

By coincidence, _____ ___________

You're truly _____ ___________

Scrumptious as a cherry peach parfait

Song #7

While shivering in my shoes

I strike a careless pose

And _______ _ _____ ____

And no one ever knows

I'm afraid.

The result of this deception

Is very strange to tell

For when I fool the people

I fear I fool myself as well!

Song #8

Someone use to cradle them and kiss them when the cried

Did you see them lying side by side?

Who will wake them?

No one ever will

Song #9

My dad said "Be an actor, my son

But be a comical one

They'll be standing in lines

For those old honky tonk monkeyshines"

Now you could study Shakespeare and be quite elite

And you can charm the critics and have nothin' to eat

Just slip on a banana peel

The world's at your feet

Song #10

There's a bright golden haze in the meadow

There's a bright golden haze in the meadow

The corn is as high as an elephants side

And it looks like its climbin' clear up to the sky

Song #11

Still, ____ _ ________

Is better than half a penny

Is better than half a farthing

Is better than none

It’s a token of

Our eternal love

When you’re far away

Touch it everyday

And, though, that ____ _ ________

Can only mean half a romance

Remember that half a romance

Is better than none

Song #12

When the rhythm pounds

And the harmony sounds

And the melody rolls around

"Prest-o Change-o!"

We're ___ ____ ___ ___ ______

And when the rhythm pounds

And the harmony sounds

And the melody rolls around

Right from the down beat,

We can be found

___ ____ ___ ___ ______

 

Jane Austen Clergymen Quiz - Answers!

Here are the answers to the Jane Austen Clergymen Quiz from last week. Y'all did really well with this quiz! Thanks for playing! :)

Jane Austen Clergymen Quiz:

1. Which two of Jane Austen's brothers were clergymen?

a. James (her oldest brother)

b. George

c. Edward

d. Frank

e. Henry (two failed careers before joining the church)

f. Charles

2. In Emma, who was the vicar in Highbury before Mr. Elton took the job?
Reverend Mr. Bates (husband of Mrs. Bates, father of Miss Bates)

3. In Sense and Sensibility, who offers Edward Ferrars a living at the rectory on their estate?
Colonel Brandon (it's a small rectory at his estate Delaford)

4. What is the first name of Captain Wentworth's clergyman brother in Persuasion?

a. Charles

b. Henry

c. Edward (he was the curate at Monkford near Kellynch Hall back when Anne and Captain Wentworth were first engaged. When the story starts Mrs. Croft tells Anne that their brother Edward has married and found a parish in Shropshire.)

d. William

5. In Northanger Abbey, what is the name of the village where Henry Tilney serves as vicar?
Woodston (20 miles from Northanger Abbey)

6. Who was vicar at Mansfield Parsonage before Dr. Grant comes in?
Reverend Mr. Norris (husband of Mrs. Norris)

7. What time of year was Mr. Collins ordained as a minister in Pride and Prejudice?

a. Easter (he mentions it in his first letter to Mr. Bennet)

b. Christmas

c. St. Valentine's

d. Michaelmas

8. In Northanger Abbey, what is the name of the village where Catherine Morland's father serves as vicar?

Fullerton (in the county on Wiltshire)

9. What is the name of Catherine Morland's brother in Northanger Abbey who is studying to be a clergyman?
Mr. James Morland (oldest of the Morland children)

10. What is the name of Edmund Bertram's college friend in Mansfield Park who he stays with when they are ordained?  

a. Mr. Andrews

b. Mr. Rushworth

c. Mr. Owens (he also has two sisters that Mary Crawford fears will steal Edmund away from her)

d. Mr. Whitmore

11. In Pride and Prejudice what is the name of the village where Mr. Collins is vicar?
Hunsford Parsonage (not actually sure of the village's proper name)

12. What is the name of the small living reserved for Edmund in Mansfield Park?

a. Southerton

b. Enscombe

c. Coumb Magna 

d. Thornton Lacey (a small village not too far from Mansfield Park)

13. Which Pride and Prejudice character was "intended for the church"?
George Wickham (but after seeing Wickham's loose behavior at college Mr. Darcy is glad Wickham has not much inclination for the church)

14. What is the first name of Henrietta Musgrove's intended clergyman husband, Mr. Hayter, in Persuasion?

a. Henry 

b. Charles (he is one of six guys with the name Charles in Persuasion!)

c. Robert 

d. James

15. Why must Sir Thomas Bertram give the living of Mansfield Vicarage to Dr. Grant instead of giving it to Edmund as he'd promised?
Because of Tom Bertram's debts and the failure of Sir Thomas's plantations in the West Indies. (While Edmund wasn't ordained yet there wasn't much longer to wait but Sir Thomas didn't have the funds to support both of his sons so Edmund suffers from Tom's extravagance.)

16. Dr. Shirley is a clergyman mentioned in which novel? 

a. Persuasion (he's an elderly clergyman near Uppercross who Mr. Hayter and Henrietta hope will need the services of a young curate)

b. Emma 

c. Sense and Sensibility 

d. Mansfield Park

17. In Northanger Abbey, how many children does Reverend Morland have in his vicarage?
Ten children. ("A family of ten children will be always called a fine family, where there are heads and arms and legs enough for the number..." - NA, Chapter 1)

18. What is Mr. Elton's first name in Emma?

a. Peter

b. Philip (Philip. Philip Elton. Mr. creepy man.)

c. Andrew

d. Simon

19. What book does Mr. Collins read to the Bennet girls in Pride and Prejudice?
Fordyce's Sermons. ("Other books were produced, and after some deliberation he chose Fordyce's Sermons. Lydia gaped as he opened the volume, and before he had, with very monotonous solemnity, read three pages, she interrupted him..." - P&P, Chapter 14)

20. Which character in Mansfield Park tells Edmund Bertram he should go into the law instead of becoming a clergyman?

a. Tom Bertram

b. Mary Crawford (Mary: “I am just as much surprised now as I was at first that you should intend to take orders. You really are fit for something better. Come, do change your mind. It is not too late. Go into the law.”  Edmund: “Go into the law! With as much ease as I was told to go into this wilderness.” - MP, Chapter 9)

c. Julia Bertram

d. Henry Crawford

21. Who most likely pays a good portion of Mr. Elton's salary in Emma?

a. Mr. Weston

b. Mr. Coxe

c. Mr. Woodhouse

d. Mr. Knightley (Mr. Elton has to meet with him on parish business and as a magistrate Mr. Knghtley has a lot of responsibility for church business. If Mr. Knightley is Mr. Elton's "boss" then it shows how incredibly cheeky Mr. E is when he boasts to Mrs. E about "My friend Knightley"! Mr. Knightley also feels it his responsibility to help Mrs. Bates the widow of the former clergyman. Mr. Knightley is indeed the best of men!)

22. How did Catherine Morland's brother meet John Thorpe in Northanger Abbey?
They attend Oxford together. (James Morland and John Thorpe are both intending to become clergymen - can you imagine Thorpe as a minister?!?! James spent the Christmas holidays with the Thorpe family and that's when he first met and started liking Isabella Thorpe.)

23. In Persuasion who says that the curate "Mr. Wentworth was nobody"?

a. Elizabeth Elliot

b. Sir Walter Elliot ("Wentworth? Oh ay! Mr. Wentworth, the curate of Monkford. You misled me by the term gentleman. I thought you were speaking of some man of property: Mr. Wentworth was nobody, I remember: quite unconnected; nothing to do with the Strafford family." - Sir Walter Elliot, Persuasion, Chapter 3)

c. Lady Russell 

d. Mary Musgrove

24. In Northanger Abbey, how long would Isabella Thorpe have had to wait until Catherine Morland's brother could obtain the living as rector and have money enough to marry?

a. 2 months

b. 4 months 

c. 2 years (Actually 2 1/2 years. "Ah! my Catherine, you have found me out. There’s the sting. The long, long, endless two years and half that are to pass before your brother can hold the living.” - Isabella Thorpe, NA, Chapter 16)

d. 4 years

25. What was the name of Cassandra Austen's clergyman fiance who died as a military chaplain?
Thomas "Tom" Fowle. ("After graduating from Oxford University, in 1794, one former pupil [of Reverend Austen], Thomas Fowle, became engaged to Cassandra Austen. Fowle needed money to marry and went to the Caribbean with a military expedition as chaplain to his cousin, General Lord Craven. There, Fowle died of yellow fever in 1797. [Cassandra] Austen inherited £1000 from him, which gave her a little financial independence but, like her sister, she never married." - quoted from Wikipedia) 

Players Scores:

Melody - 210 points

birdienl - 185 points

Meredith - 180 points

Livia Rachelle - 135 points

Emma Jane - 95 points

Kiri Liz - 80 points

Happy Birthday to Bea!

Today is a special day for my sweet sister Bea. Today she turns seventeen!

I was almost nine years old when Bea was born and I was so so excited to have a little sister! She was the cutest thing, my own real life baby doll and the bringer of joy in our family.

Bea has always been quite shy in public but at home she if the chattering life of our family, she's always making us smile! 

She loves to bake, sew, crochet, snap photos, play with our cats and do anything fun. 

Today Bea is my best friend and partner in crime. She is so talented and caring. We have so much fun together but also enjoy just talking about things too.

Happy Birthday Bea! I hope your day is as special as you are!