I can "swipe to type" on my smartphone keyboard.  What a cool thing!  Just glide my finger from letter to letter, and it knows the word I want.  I don't even have to be precise ... just close.

It's like our relationship with God.  He knows all of our thoughts, dreams, worries, and fears before we even express them.  There's no need to be precise ... just close.

Heavenly Father, thank you for knowing me more than I know myself.  You anticipate my every word and thought and action.  Together, we glide as one.  Amen.

"The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.'" - John 1:29

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Amen.

There are always two sides to every situation.  You can evaluate the pros and cons of every decision.  Should I do this or should I do that?

Let this be your guide today:

Pray when you feel like worrying.
Give thanks when you feel like complaining.
Keep going when you feel like quitting.

Amen.

Have you heard the legend of the dogwood tree? It’s a fun, religious story that can be shared. Just remember, it's a "story" and the legend may not be true!

In Jesus’ time, the dogwood tree had grown to a great size, like that of an oak tree! They used it to build the cross that Jesus was hung on. This made the dogwood tree sad. Jesus, sensing this sadness, promised the dogwood tree that it would never again grow large enough to build a cross. It’s branches would be narrow and crooked -- not good for building at all. And now the dogwood tree has many traits to remember this promise.

The legend of the dogwood tree also extends to its flowers:

• The dogwood flower has 4 petals, with 2 long petals and 2 short pedals, forming the shape of the sign of the cross.
  
• The middle of the dogwood flower can be described as a crown of thorns and is also typically of a darker color than the rest of the blossom.
  
• The flowers are white or pink with dark edging at the tip meant to signify a nail dent.
  
• The "nail dents" are stained with the color of Jesus’ blood.
  

So that’s it - the Legend of the Dogwood Tree! Whether true or not, the dogwood tree does indeed bloom during, or soon after, the Easter season, its growth pattern is stunted, and its blossoms do resemble the cross.