A Message for Easter Weekend

The Finished Work of Christ
By Loren L. Fenton, D.Min.

Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit (John 19:28-30 NIV).

Every year as Easter approaches, the Christian world stops to remember that awful moment at Golgotha where Jesus, the rabbi from Nazareth, hung suspended between earth and sky, nailed to a Roman cross. A rough, vulgar crowd swirled below him, cracking coarse jokes and hurling insults. Directly in front of the cross a tiny knot of his followers huddled, staring through fear-pained eyes at their teacher's torn and bloodied body. They watched him gasp, struggling to breathe, and held each other tight in their own desperate struggle to endure this horrible ordeal.

Everyone knew it would soon be over. No one could suffer the abuse this man had received and still survive. Whipped, tortured, a crown of thorns, blood pouring from the wounds on his head, chest, hands, and feet. Deep wounds of the body, but even deeper of the spirit. Rejection. Utter aloneness that no man - or any other being in the Universe - has ever known.

"I thirst!" he cried. Raspy words escaping parched lips and burning throat.

A soldier grabs a nearby sponge and saturates it with vinegar. Together, he and others bind the dripping sop to a branch of hyssop and lift it to Jesus' mouth. One taste. Another gasp for air. One more wrenching cry.

"It is finished!"

The anguished declaration echoed across the nearby Judean hillsides and careens down the corridors of time - a shout of victory from the blistered, bleeding lips of Christ.

It is finished! It is finished! It is finished!

But, what did Jesus mean? What was finished on that Crucifixion Friday?

To know the answer we must journey back to Genesis, back to the Garden of Eden. To know the end, we must know the beginning.

Genesis 1:1 begins unequivocally: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (NKJV).  Through thirty-one verses the Creation narrative unfolds and is summarized in chapter two, verse one: Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them were finished.

A clue to our quest emerges in Genesis 2:4 when the author changes the identity of the Creator from "God" to "Lord God."

Up to this point through all the days and events of Creation week, the Hebrew word Elohim is used as the name of God. In Genesis 2:4, however, God's name changes to YHWH  Elohim. Most English versions of the Bible follow the convention of presenting each occurrence of YHVH as "Lord," using all-caps to designate this special Hebrew expression known by all biblical Hebrew scholars as the "tetragrammaton."

I became curious about the root Hebrew etymology of YHVH. Much to my surprise I discovered an underlying word source indicating the concept of finishing a task! Suddenly, I understood the transition from "God" to "Lord God" in Genesis 1 and 2. Roughly translated the Hebrew title YHWH  Elohim could mean "The God Who Finishes What He Starts!"

Thus we see that:

1.      The summary in chapter 2:1-3 declares that the work of Creation is finished. The Creator (Elohim) then establishes the seventh-day Sabbath as an eternal memorial to His finished work.

2.      Immediately following this, beginning in verse 4, the narrative expands to show the more detailed version of Creation with "the Lord God" (YHVH Elohim) as the active agent.

3.      The point of this part of the story, however, is not the Creation itself. Rather, it provides the introduction - the backstory - for the impending Fall found in chapter three, and the subsequent beginning of the plan of salvation.

4.      YHVH Elohim - the God Who Finishes What He Starts - is on the move again. He has begun a new work, a new process, a new journey: Destination Calvary and the road to redemption for Adam's race.

Christ's last cry from the Cross declared that the door to eternal life was now permanently open. What God has opened no man can shut! Whosoever will may come! Any and all may receive the gift of God's grace and forgiveness.

Welcome home, Pilgrim! Welcome home!

Dr. Katty Joy Fenton French

A Day of Celebration!

My sister, Dr. Katty Joy Fenton French celebrates her 80th birthday today! How blessed we all are as a family to have Katty Joy as our friend, sibling, cousin, aunt, and loving inspiration to all. 

Congratulations, Katty Joy, for eight decades of life in which you have contributed to the intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and social health of literally thousands of people through you family, students, and numberless friends.

We love you, and celebrate your presence in our lives today. May God bless you today, and always!

This is It!

Our "New-to-us" Home in College Place, Washington

Here's Our Retirement Cottage

Well, we've been in this house several weeks now. Somehow in the press and busy-ness of moving, unpacking, etc., I didn't even think to post the picture here on our blog. Did get it posted to Facebook, however. 

Anyway, we're gradually trying to get settled in. Ugh! That process is almost worse than packing it all up to begin with!! But, over time it will all get done. One. Little. Piece. At. A. Time.

Fun, fun, fun!! 

It's SOLD!

Our Home in Riddle, Oregon 2005 - 2015

We've Lived Here Longer Than Anywhere!

We have been planning/needing to move closer to family for quite some time. We put our house on the market last April 1. A few weeks later we got word from a local real estate lady that she had a client who was interested in viewing the house. Turned out, the client was scouting several homes as possibilities for an out-of-town relative to see who was arriving a couple of weeks later. Our house made the cut!

So, after the actual buyer came and looked at the house, which we understood was one of five, we were still on the list! 

Then it was down to two for the final choice. We got the offer! So, as these things go, the price was negotiated somewhat and the buyer agreed to purchase our property. However, lots of things have to happen between the signing of a purchase/sale agreement and when the actual closing of the deal takes place. Inspections, repairs, loan approvals, appraisals, etc.

Long story short - we are scheduled to sign closing paperwork next week! So, right now we are busy, busy, busy sorting, packing, throwing, down-sizing! We plan to load the trucks next Wednesday, August 5, starting about 8:30 a.m. Any volunteers??? If you can and are willing, please come ANY TIME on Wednesday. We really do need help! AND Thank You in Advance if you can come!

It really will be a bittersweet moment when we leave our corner house for the last time. We have lived here longer than anywhere else in our 48 years of marriage. Our Canyonville and Myrtle Creek church families have been wonderful to us, and we have learned to love each person dearly. Our Riddle neighbors are the BEST anyone could ask for! And we truly love this little corner of the great state of Oregon. How blessed we have been during our journey here!

We don't know at present what our new address will be, but we will let everyone know via this blog and Facebook. We want to stay in touch with everyone!

Please continue to pray for us as we make this transition to whatever and wherever the Lord leads us for the next chapter. Thank you, and may our gracious Father bless each of you as well.

We love you,

Loren and Ruth

Our House is For Sale!

Ruth LOVES This Kitchen!

Below is a link to a beautiful presentation of our home for sale here in Riddle, Oregon. This video tour was prepared by Kelly Forney at Re/Max Real Estate office in Roseburg, Oregon.

http://tour.circlepix.com/AJXJPK

Test at Home; Mail it in; Report Sent to Your Doctor

A New At-Home Test for Colon Cancer

Here's something I found recently. Because my wife had surgery for colon cancer less than a week ago this need is very current in our thinking.

Please click on this link to the article from The Cleveland Clinic. It may just save your life, or the life of a loved one.

http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/03/can-you-get-tested-for-colon-cancer-at-home/

"Three Minor Colds in Nine Years!"

Green, Green, Green is Healthy, Healthy, Healthy!

"Three Minor Colds in Nine Years!"

Loren's Note: (Riddle, OR, 12/23/2014) The last time I was down with the flu was nine years ago during the Christmas/New Year's break, 2005. Since then I have only had three very minor colds which only lasted for less than 24 hours each. I have never had a flu shot - except for this "shot" of green power Ruth makes every morning. I asked her to write up the recipe so we could share it with our friends. Here it is. To Your Health! Enjoy!

The Power of the Green Drink

Blenderizing Veggies for More Nutrition

The walls of plant cells are made of cellulose that human digestive enzymes can’t digest.  Blenderizing breaks down these cell walls and releases the nutrients which can then be absorbed.

These are the most important vegetables to include in your blender — vegetables marked with an asterisk (*) need to be steamed before blenderizing:

¨       Collard greens ¨       Parsley ¨       Celery ¨       Cauliflower ¨       Red cabbage

¨       Savoy cabbage ¨       Spinach ¨       Broccoli* ¨       Brussels sprouts* ¨       Kale*

These vegetables have been shown to be the most powerful in preventing a number of health challenges.  They contain a number of flavonoids that are powerful and versatile antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. They also contain antibacterial and antiviral flavonoids such as quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, kaempferol, and anthocyanidins.

Ingredients - Basic

Water - 1-2 C. 

Kale (See note below)

Swiss Chard

Cabbage

Asparagus – 2 Tbs.  (See note below)

Avocado - 1/4^th slice

Pinch of salt (Optional)

Instructions

• Start with 1 cup of water
• Add handful each of kale, Swiss chard, cabbage, or greens of choice
• Blend high speed add avocado,
• Add water to make liquid rise to 2 cup mark.
• Serve – one cup for me and one cup for hubby!

Notes:

•            Asparagus can be used in any form. It is an excellent immune builder.  I usually blend a can or use home cooked asparagus then pour it into ice trays.  When frozen put them in a zip-lock bag.  Add 1-2 cubes with the fresh vegetables.
•      When first starting the green drink, use fewer greens or only one type.  If you are not used to high volume of greens in your diet you might experience a “healing crisis” as your body tries to get rid of too many toxins at once.
•      During high flu season I will sometimes add a tablespoon of freeze dried greens.  Most of them are good.  I use what is called “Green Shield.” 
•      Reason for lightly steaming broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale is because these contain nutrients that are considered goitrogenic—meaning they interfere with healthy thyroid hormone production. If too many of these vegetables are eaten raw they can cause a low thyroid response, which leads to weight gain, mood swings and depression.  By lightly steaming them it will cancel that response.
•      Do not blend too long, as the water will start to heat up, thus destroying some of the delicate nutrients.
•      Because of the high density in blenderizing your greens, it is important to use organic or home grown vegetables.

Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE)

It is always important to eat a variety of berries, fruits, and vegetables, because all have unique health benefits. Like vegetables, all berries and fruits should be thoroughly washed with a vegetable wash before eating or blenderizing.  We use GSE (grapefruit seed extract), it is not harmful and has immune building properties.   You need only 15-20 drops in a half a sink of water.