Betty Whitaker Jackson

Holy Week is a time for reflection for Christians. It’s fun to think about Easter egg hunts, bunnies and chocolate, but our true allegiance is to Christ who lived this life, gave His life, and presents us with choices.

Our time of reflection includes an illegal trial, betrayal, scourging, pain–unimaginable pain– and separation, for a short time, from the Father’s love as Jesus paid the price for man’s sin. He did not just live a life with no home, literally,…..

Read more

Some think that this is the day of Holy Week when Jesus cleansed the temple, throwing out those who were misusing the place as a business hub, sometimes overcharging, I suppose, for the sacrificial animals. He called them moneychangers, and making it a place for less than worship and spreading God’s love.

There is special significance for this as our congregation prepares to move into our newly built facility for ministry. We are awaiting the final Certificate of Occupancy, and…..

Read more

As we come to the end of Lent, let us remember its implications and the true statement, He Did It For Us.

MY PSALM 341   HE DID IT FOR US

Dear Heavenly Father, Provider of all good things, Sustainer of Creation, Merciful to all, Abba, Father, We glorify Your Name and thank You for Your Son, Jesus. We celebrate this special week, this Holy Week For in it, we recognize the immensity of Your sacrifice To fulfill Your Covenant promise,…..

Read more

As a child, I remember Palm Sunday. We waved palm branches while the congregation sang, “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” with its verse: “Into the city I’d follow the children’s band, Waving the branch of a palm tree high in my hand.” It ended with “Shouting Hosanna, Jesus is King!”(William H. Parker, Public Domain.)

In my Psalm      I wrote about three triumphal entries of Jesus. May they remind us of the important implications of Holy Week, the…..

Read more

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. (Song of Solomon, the Bible)

As we approach the end of Lent and look forward to Easter and springtime, let us remember that God brings us through all the proverbial seasons of life and is our ever-present help in times of difficulty and brings us joy, just enough in this mortal life, to look…..

Read more

The signs of spring are welcome. The dead fall leaves from the live-oaks remind us past-Northerners of fall. New leaves, spring green hues that only God can paint, take their place as they fluff out beauty. The birds are singing their nesting sounds, and the box stores and Publix feature hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, and tulips. Of course, they’ve been grown in artificial lightsed warehouses, but it’s clear they know people will scoff them up in the hopes that real spring…..

Read more

Celebrations are always occasions to remember, and I’m reasonably sure that Christ’s disciples and followers remembered Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Yes, later in the week, their hopes of the conquering hero were dashed, only to be realized by the resurrection and establishment of the church.

We’re told in the scriptures that people threw their garments down and waved palm branches in the usual victory celebrations of the time. We’re also told by historians that when royalty visited, weeks before the…..

Read more

It seems to me that the older I get, the wiser I should become.  Oh, I know. . . people are screaming that the President is too old to serve. . . the residents around me in the senior living facility where we’ve moved tell the same memorized stories at mealtimes, and three of my friends are in the hospital, the rehab center, or anticipating surgeries. . .  lots of opportunities for grace and mercy here.

We took a friend…..

Read more

It seems to me that the older I get, the wiser I should become.  Oh, I know. . . people are screaming that the President is too old to serve. . . the residents around me in the senior living facility where we’ve moved tell the same memorized stories at mealtimes, and three of my friends are in the hospital, the rehab center, or anticipating surgeries. . .  lots of opportunities for grace and mercy here.

We took a friend…..

Read more

For this sabbath, let us seek restoration. MY PSALM 311 RESTORATION Heavenly Father, Lord of the Universe, Savior of my soul, I come to You this day with thanksgiving For the blessing of Your salvation. I thank You that before the dawn of creation You knew me, You loved me, You called me, Your daughter, to be one of Yours, And that I now know You as Savior, Lord, Master! I pray You will keep the joy of my salvation…..

Read more