BISHOP JOSEPH HAS EASTER MESSAGE AND ORANGE COOKIES RECIPE

As Bishop Eli and Elmer just got back from Pinecraft and are busy.  They are having their Communion on Good Friday as we are.  David, Jean's husband, said he would give a post but not something as important as this.  I was selected to put the post on for today.

As I hold Noah, our first grandchild, I realize that this is his first Easter on earth.  He also makes me think of the fact that the Lord has created all of us.  We are our His children.  He is our Father.  Yet for all the sins we had committed and will commit the Lord sent His Son Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins.

Stop, a minute and think.  IF you had been the old person on this earth - He still would have had Jesus die on the cross for you.  Each and every one of us that accepts the Lord as our Savior is saved.  All we have to do is accept Jesus as our Savior.  No matter what sin you have committed, you should ask the Lord for his forgiveness and He will give it to you.

Now that doesn't mean if your robbed the bank or killed someone or did something else illegal that you shouldn't go to the Police because you should.  You should take the earthly punishment that you are given.  But you will know that Jesus has forgiven you.

Another thing and a lot of people in the Mennonite and Amish churches believe as well as many of the Englisher church people that they can earn their way in heaven.  They believe that by living the way they do and doing the work they do will get them to heaven.  Now, I believe that we should continue to live the way we Old Order Mennonite do. The Lord wants us to live His way of life and not the way of the world.  But, that is not what is going to get us to heaven.  Only by accepting the Lord will we get to heaven.

We believe when something happens whether it is good or bad it is the Lord's will.  Now, I don't believe that the Lord says well I think I will have John Jones buggy hit by a car this morning.  Or has his house burn down. Or any other tragedy.  I believe he allows these things to happen for a reason.  We may not know the reason.  But the Lord has a reason.  When a tragedy is bad, no matter how hard it is, we must trust in the Lord.

I know at times it is hard.  Martha and I lost a child a few years ago and I believe that is the hardest thing any parent can go through.  We cried like anyone would.  We got upset like anyone else would.  But we also believed that first our child was in heaven and would no longer have to live in this world.  That she was with the Lord.  Second, the Lord had a reason to call her when he did.  Why? We don't know, but we must trust.

What was odd was that I was chosen Bishop on the day our daughter died five years later.  Was our daughter's death preparing me for what was to come?  I still wonder that.  But, it was God's will.

On Easter Sunday honor the day the Lord rose from the dead.  That too should give us strength and  courage to live our life. Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose.  We  should thank the Lord for doing what He did for us.  Also, we should see hope, courage, faith.  That no matter what we go through this life, we do have hope, we do have courage and if we have accepted the Lord, faith.  We too will rise when our time ends.  We will rise into heave to be with the Lord.

Martha and myself along with Elmer, Anna, Albert, Olive and Marilyn wish you have very Happy Easter.

He Has Risen,
Bishop Joseph

ORANGE COOKIES AND FROSTING

1 cup butter or shortening
2 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup sour or buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda dissolved in sour milk
2 teaspoon baking powder
4 cups flour
juice of 2 oranges

Mix all ingredients together then drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees.

FROSTING

Juice of 1 orange
1 box powdered sugar
butter

Mix all ingredients together.  Ice cookies while cookies warm.

Gather crumbs of happiness
and you'll have a loaf of contentment.


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