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!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, 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!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following 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 power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains that He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

~Charles Wesley, 1739

I haven’t made sugar cookies—and decorated them!—in a long time, but thinking about celebrating Easter put me in the mood for making some. And, can you believe it? I took pictures during the process! The lighting’s not great, but I took ‘em and I’m gonna post ‘em!

The rolling of the dough, of course. See the cute shapes?

I put them on parchment paper–it helps the dough keep shape, and prevents any potential breakage.

Ta-Da!

I made a plate to share with our neighbors, a sweet couple who have lived here for over 70 years.

So you want the recipe? Here it is, with kudos to my sister Judy and her daughter, Cindy. The cookies are crisp and flavorful, just the way I like them. My sons said they’re the best they’ve had so far, and that’s a pretty fine endorsement!
I doubled the recipe, so I’d have enough to share.

SUGAR COOKIES
(makes a couple dozen or so, depending on the size of your cutters)

2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

In mixer, stir together the dry ingredients; add butter, eggs and vanilla. Mix well, until throughly blended. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll out 1/4″-3/8″ thick, depending on how crisp you like them. Cut into desired shapes. (The dough handles beautifully! Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I like to bake them until lightly golden around the edges. Cool on wire rack, then decorate to your little heart’s content.

FROSTING

1/4 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
4-6 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Food coloring, if desired (just add the tiniest bit for pastel colors)

I hope you try these sometime, and let me know if you do! They are really fun to make. Please enjoy.

Extended on a cursèd tree,
Besmeared with dust, and sweat, and blood,
See there, the King of Glory see!
Sinks and expires the Son of God.

Who, who, my Savior, this hath done?
Who could Thy sacred body wound?
No guilt Thy spotless heart hath known,
No guile hath in Thy lips been found.

I, I alone, have done the deed!
’Tis I Thy sacred flesh have torn;
My sins have caused Thee, Lord, to bleed,
Pointed the nail, and fixed the thorn.

The burden, for me to sustain
Too great, on Thee, my Lord, was laid;
To heal me, Thou hast borne my pain;
To bless me, Thou a curse wast made.

In the devouring lion’s teeth,
Torn, and forsook of all, I lay;
Thou sprang’st into the jaws of death,
From death to save the helpless prey.

Savior, how shall I proclaim?
How pay the mighty debt I owe?
Let all I have, and all I am,
Ceaseless to all Thy glory show.

Too much to Thee I cannot give;
Too much I cannot do for Thee;
Let all Thy love, and all Thy grief,
Graven on my heart for ever be!

The meek, the still, the lowly mind,
O may I learn from Thee, my God,
And love, with softest pity joined,
For those that trample on Thy blood!

Still let Thy tears, Thy groans, Thy sighs,
O’erflow my eyes, and heave my breast,
Till loose from flesh and earth I rise,
And ever in Thy bosom rest.

~Paul Gerhardt, 1684

See other poetry of the cross here.

On my heart imprint Thine image,
Blessèd Jesus, King of Grace,
That life’s riches, cares and pleasures
Have no power Thee to efface.
This the superscription be:
Jesus, crucified for me,
Is my Life, my hope’s Foundation,
And my Glory and Salvation.

~Thomas H. Kingo, 1689

Ah, holy Jesus, how hast Thou offended,
That man to judge Thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by Thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.

Who was the guilty- Who brought this upon Thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone Thee.
‘Twas I, Lord, Jesus, I it was denied Thee!
I crucified Thee.

For me, kind Jesus, was Thine incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and Thy life’s oblation;
Thy death of anguish and Thy bitter passion,
For my salvation.

Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
The slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered;
For our atonement, while he nothing heedeth,
God intercedeth.

Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay Thee,
I do adore Thee, and will ever pray Thee,
Think on Thy pity and Thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.

~Johann Heermann, 1630

See other Poetry of the Cross here.

I’m reading through the gospel of John in preparation for Easter, and this morning’s reading was the eleventh chapter. I was struck by the words of Caiaphas, the high priest, so I was very interested when I opened today’s post by John Piper on the Desiring God blog, because it deals with the same passage. As usual, what he writes is excellent. Take a look.

So you’re gonna grill a burger or saute a chicken breast. What else will you add to complete the meal? If you’re like me, you’re bored with the same ol’ side dishes, and you long for some new ideas. Well, Juloyes, who is The Accidental Pastor’s Wife, is coming to the rescue! She is hosting this month’s Recipe Roundup, and she’s put out the call for our favorite side dishes.

I’ve made this recipe more times than I’d care to count, and it’s always a winner. It’s wonderful with ham, in case you’re planning on baking one for Easter.

CHEESY POTATOES

10 cups shredded hash brown potatoes (frozen, no need to thaw)
1/4 cup butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt 1/4 cup butter and pour into 9×13″ baking dish. Add 5 c. hash browns. In separate bowl, mix soup, sour cream, milk, and green onions. Pour 1/2 of this mixture over the hash browns in pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with 1 cup of grated cheese. Add remainder of hash browns, spread with other half of soup mixture, salt and pepper, and top with cheese. Bake for 55 minutes.

I’ve turned this into a brunch casserole by layering pieces of cooked ham between the potato and soup mixture layers. Bake as usual.

MASHED SWEET POTATOES (from America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook)

2 lbs. (3 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch of pepper

Combine sweet potatoes, butter, cream, sugar, salt and pepper in large saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork, about 40 minutes. (At high altitude, I had to add a bit more cream.) Remove pan from heat and mash with potato masher until smooth.

The potatoes I used weren’t very sweet, so I tweaked this recipe a bit and added a bit of sweetness with a teaspoon or two of maple syrup. They were creamy and delicious. I served them as a side dish to pan grilled pork chops with glazed onions and apple slices. Mmmm.

Follow me on over to Juloyes‘ blog and see what else is cooking!

IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST I GLORY 

In the cross of Christ I glory,

Tow’ring o’er the the wrecks of time;

All the light of sacred story

Gathers ‘round its head sublime.

When the woes of life o’ertake me,

Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,

Never shall the cross forsake me;

Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

When the sun of bliss is beaming,

Light and love upon my way,

From the cross the radiance streaming

Adds new luster to the day.

Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,

By the cross are sanctified;

Peace is there that knows no measure,

Joys that through all time abide.

~John Bowring, 1825

See other Poetry of the Cross at Rebecca Writes

It is good to learn early on that suffering and God
are no contradiction,
but much more a necessary unity:
for me the idea that God himself suffered
was always one of the most convincing teachings
of Christianity.
I think that God is closer to suffering than to happiness,
and to find God in this manner gives peace and rest,
and a strong and courageous heart.

Jesus asks the Father
if the chalice may pass,
and the Father hears the plea of the Son.
The chalice of suffering will pass by Jesus,
but only in this way:
that it will be drunk.
Jesus knows this
when in Gethsemane he kneels down for the second time,
that the suffering will pass by
if he suffers it.
Only through the bearing
will he overcome and conquer suffering.
His cross is his surmounting.

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Ride On!

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!
Hark, all the tribes hosanna cry;
Thy humble beast pursues his road
With palms and scattered garments strowed.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
O Christ, thy triumphs now begin
O’er captive death and conquered

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!
The winged squadrons of the sky
Look down with sad and wondering eyes
To see the approaching sacrifice.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!
Thy last and fiercest strife is nigh;
The Father on his sapphire throne
Expects his own anointed Son.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
Bow thy meek head to mortal pain,
Then take, O God, thy power, and reign.

Henry Hart Milman
1791-1868