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Easter is not Passover

Entertaining, Heart Restoration, Seasonal

Easter is NOT Passover. And Passover is not Easter.

What does celebrating Passover mean? And why do we celebrate Easter then?

The first passover started when the Israelites were getting ready to be released from their oppressors and flee from Egypt. Our Heavenly Father called His people to take a perfect lamb (without defect), slaughter it at dusk on the appointed day, smear the blood of the Lamb over their doorpost of their home and then eat the meat along with bitter herbs and matzah (unleavened bread) that night in their home. That became the first commanded Passover as the blood over the doorposts was a sign that YHWH (God) would passover their homes and spare them from the plague of death that would kill all the firstborn in Egypt.

From then on it was commanded it would be a day each year to celebrate and remember as a festival to the Lord and all He had done for His people followed by a week of matzah (fasting from unleavened bread).

But the amazing part about this is…

This was also the appointed time that Yeshua died on the cross so many years later! He became our Passover Lamb… on Passover!

He, without blemish or sin was sacrificed on passover and His blood shed on the cross saved us from sin and death!

And did you know what we know as the “Lords supper” was actually Yeshua celebrating passover with His 12 disciples (Matt 26:17-19) right before He was crucified? The matzah and wine He shared with His disciples was the beginning of the new covenant the Lord made with His people sealed by His perfect blood a few hours later.

As the veil was torn from the top down upon His passing in the temple meant that now we could come directly into the presence of our Heavenly Father through the blood of Yeshua that cleanses us (it used to be that the High priests could only go into the Holy of Holies in the temple if they were throughly cleansed). Yeshua became our High
Priest advocating for us to The Father.

This was always our Heavenly Fathers plan from the beginning; to be in relationship with Him for all eternity. Knowing we could not fulfill the law perfectly (sin cannot come into the perfect and Holy presence of God), He had always planned to make a way through His Son Yeshua.

Through accepting the perfect blood of Yeshua, we no longer need to do the animal blood sacrifices the cleansing rituals the law required to be cleansed to come into the presence of our Heavenly Father- Adonai our Almighty God.

When we accept Yeshua as our Savior, and turn away from sin, we enter into relationship with our Heavenly Father as His children adopted into His Kingdom for all eternity and His Spirit (the Holy Spirit) is our helper to bring us comfort, truth and understanding. His beautiful laws and commands become a fence of protection and understanding on how to do life well. They expose the sin in our lives that keep us from His beautiful presence.

‭“If you love me, you will keep my commands;” ~John 14:15

Why do I share this?
Because, my Friends… Easter is not Passover (have you researched the roots of easter?) We are called to celebrate the Passover. Even Yeshua did! And He was our Passover Lamb!

These my friends are the appointed Holy times commanded by God (Levitcus 23). They have so much more meaning and opportunity to teach us our Heavenly Father and exalt Him for His goodness and faithfulness.

Because in this broken world that seems to be falling apart we have hope for an eternity with our beautiful Savior. He’s coming back for a pure bride. We need His perfect blood to cleanse us. We are cleansed when we surrender our lives to Him and recognize the sin in our lives, ask for forgiveness and live according to His commands.

Praying you experience our beautiful Passover Lamb in a new way this Year, friend.

Want to know how to celebrate Passover this year? Set the dining table and gather around with the sedar plate and read the scriptures as you go. Here is a Passover resource in my freebies page I have put together for you to help make it fun and simple! Pop your email in to gain access.

Blessings, Angela

WE MADE IT TO OUR NEW HOME! – Episode Three

Home Restoration, We bought the farm

As we pulled into our new driveway after the most perfect 4-hour drive, the feeling was absolutely sureal. After looking, praying, and processing our way through this huge life decision on where our family was supposed to move to… we were finally here! Check out the beginning of our journey here!

We convoyed in our separate vehicles (my dad came with us to help get us settled) over the mountains in winter to arrive with basically just our clothes and blankets and some food in tow (And I threw in a small TV too) and headed off to our new 10-acre property. We would camp in our new/used trailer that we would call home we purchased two weeks prior, while we renovated the existing 1974-year-old home that had absolutely no evidence of updates or maintenance in its time. 

The first night started with amazing friends that had moved out this way a couple of years prior. They came over to help us get the trailer set up and share a homemade dinner with us. The ground was mucky from melting ice which made setting up the trailer a bit of a pain. But we managed… The following weeks continued to be hard with a cold snap that came in with more snow. Let me tell you… trailer sleeping in -18 is not fun! It took Ryan some days to get the trailer set up so it, and us wouldn’t freeze in the extreme cold. Have you ever camped in a trailer between homes? How was your experience?

Just a few short days in, we started pulling apart the house with my dad’s help. It started with us wanting to know to what extent the damage was behind the walls. The inspector’s report was not promising and so it was good to find out everything that needed to be replaced. Well, the demo got away on us and a couple of weeks later and two very large garbage bins later, most of the demo was done except for our little bit of kitchen and one working bathroom so we could survive camping. It also took us a couple of months after that to fully gut the home to be ready to rebuild. Demolishing the interior framing and drywall was hard work but went pretty quickly. It was all the nail pulling from the 2×4’s we wanted to reuse and from the trusses to have a clean slate to work with that took months more. Pulling out old plumbing and electrical wires took a while too.

We kept antifreeze in the lines of the trailer during the cold season to keep the water lines from bursting, so the working bathroom and kitchen were a must with no running water in the trailer. The gas fireplaces in the house were a bonus and kept the home just warm enough so we could dine and cook and shower in the home still.

We learned as we signed the papers at the lawyers a few days before we moved onto the property that one of the homeowners had given away the washer and dryer which had been in the contract as ours. Thankfully my sweet sister and brother-in-law who were eager to see the property delivered us a new washer and dryer we bought as they rolled in the next day. After purchasing their own adventure homes, they understood the process of moving into something that isn’t quite move-in ready!

One night I woke up to Ryan standing there quietly. I was like “What are you doing?” haha! He said, “There is a mouse in the trailer!” At that moment, he grabbed the chip bag, scrunched it up, and threw it in the garbage. “Caught him!” He said. The garbage can spent the night outside until Ryan could deal with the mouse in the morning. Needless to say, we cleaned the trailer from top to bottom and put mouse traps all over the trailer and the property, and have now ordered a couple of barn kittens!

The adventures continued when we quickly found out that the spring melt meant that the extra seasonal water mixed with our high clay content and the high water table in our ground, means that water doesn’t drain quickly. So we found out our septic tank pretty much backs up every spring season too. Feeling very thankful to have learned this early on in our reno process so we could put in a proper septic system with an outside pump and proper drainage to keep water away from the house. Better to learn this now than find out after we redid the basement and found water down there. The extra expense was not one that we had hoped to do, but knew it could be a possibility. Now I think I know why there is no carpet in the basement…

Seeing there was some drywall removed in one of the upstairs bedroom closets, I wondered why this was until it rained for the first time… There was water dripping from the ceiling down onto the floor and into the basement. It also dripped onto the stovetop as I cooked. We wonder if the roof has never been replaced. Stucco on the exterior was also cracked (probably due to water leaks) and was in need of new siding. All the bathrooms have leaked at one time or another, some without shower walls, and the plumbing in the ground wasn’t hooked up properly and had been leaking. Finding out all this, we removed all the stucco from the exterior, jackhammered the floor in some areas to allow for new plumbing, and had to replace the roof. Thankfully most of the plywood everywhere was in good condition with the exception of replacing only a couple of boards.

So, now the demo is almost complete, proper drainage is put around the home, new water and electrical lines are in place on the property, and the shop is almost complete as we add new insulation, concrete floors, and sheeting to finish the unfinished very large shop. The garage doors complete the shop to make it a usable space and a good interim home while we continue to work on the home. Trying to not get too anxious to get the reno’s done in there too as I know it will come in due time.

Feeling super thankful Ryan knows how to do these things properly. Things that would overwhelm most. This property feels worth it between the amazing location and the beauty that surrounds this rural home.

We knew these things could be an issue which is why this felt like such a big decision with a big investment. But we do know the Lord has called us here and when He calls us He will provide. We are getting to know amazing trades we can use for future projects as we build for others in this new area. The community has been incredible. And we feel YHWH’s goodness in the land of the living. We pray for His provision, protection, and blessing as we trust Him each step of the way. We know it’s only by His mercy and hand we can do what we are doing right now.

What big hurdles or life changes are you facing right now? How are you moving past them to find victory over your circumstances?

With spring finally approaching I find myself excited and trying not to get overwhelmed trying to plan out my new large garden space, plan animals for our new/old barn, and order all the things for our home as we give it a complete overhaul. Spring can be such a beautiful time to start fresh, get all the things decluttered and organized, and feel like you can get everything ready for the summer ahead. Now wondering if we will be move in ready by summer??? Sign up here to follow along with our journey!


You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1 John 4:4 NIV

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT FURNITURE

Home Design DIY, Home Restoration, We bought the farm

Well… Reno’s on the house are finally well underway. The framing is done and the rough-ins of the electrical, heating, and plumbing are all being done before the insulation goes in. I am feeling like we are over the hump… finally!

(This post contains a sponsored link)

Living in the trailer has gotten much easier with our shop done and the weather warmed up. We have been able to settle in nicely… well, as nicely as you can when you are camping.

We created a makeshift kitchen and dining area in the shop where we can easily store and find all of our necessities in one place. With the trailer parked right next to the shop, it beats having to walk back and forth across the yard all day long just to make dinner… like I did for a few months in the cold, lol. Check out our journey here.

But as we moved the trailer over and got settled in the shop, one thing was missing… a cozy place to rest and visit with all our friends and family that come to visit. It started with a mishmash of lawn chairs we scrounged from our trailers (my parents have also stored their trailer here to have somewhere to stay when they come up to help us). We even found a propane fire pit that came with our new/used trailer!

As we sat there in our lawn chairs huddled around the fire pit, it became a good time to finally invest in some outdoor furniture. We had sold most of our furniture with our house so we didn’t have the expense of storing it and moving it out of town. It’s also really nice when you get to choose furniture that fits your new home. After months of not really having a comfy place to relax… it was time to finally get cozy. We had this great covered area just outside of the trailers, and with summer on its way, why not make an outdoor living room area? So after spending a few months trying out different outdoor sofa sets, I finally found this one on sale. It was one of the few that was within budget and was actually comfy. Most of the ones I tried had short seats making it difficult to curl up on, and were just way too expensive. Happy Mother’s Day to me!

I love that it feels a bit mid-century modern and goes well with hand-me-down furniture that just came from my Grandparents’ farmhouse too. Mixing old and new together gives a space character and a story. This dining table set was the one my Grandparent’s had and we all gathered together around it as a family as long as I can remember. Feeling so thankful we get to now continue the memories around this table. Bonus, it was also free! Old pieces, if they are in good condition, can usually be transformed to fit your space with a bit of paint or stain as long as it’s the right size.

You may wonder how to shop for furniture, new or used. You walk into stores and wonder which one? Or maybe you choose based on your favorite style or on the piece that feels the most trendy. Unfortunately, that is not the best way to find pieces that bring a cozy feel together in your home.

Things to look for in when shopping for furniture are;

  • Does it fit within my budget? Make a realistic budget for what you can afford. Would it be better suited to go new or used? Or a combo of both to help with the budget?
  • Does it fit within my space? Measure out your room to see what size and pieces will fit well and allow a good flow of moving around.
  • Does it feel comfortable for what you need it for? Are you looking for more formal seating? Or something to get cozy on?
  • Does it suit the style of my home? Keep in mind the style, colors, and overall feel you are going for when shopping.

As we are enjoying having a comfy area to curl up in, it’s so nice to beat the mosquitos with a Thermacell. It helps so much to not have to worry about the bugs when you are living outdoors. Now if my Septic system was completed and wasn’t in my view, all would be almost right with my reno world for now.

It feels like such a blessing to finally have a space to enjoy each other and our company again. It’s been quite the process to get to this point. And at least while we work on completing the renovations in the house, we are content to enjoy our camping life on this beautiful property.

What is your favorite cozy space friends? Don’t have one, but not sure where to start? Check out my Decorating 101 E-Course to help you get started!

Blessings,

Angie

IT’S TIME FOR SOMETHING NEW

Heart DIY, Heart Restoration, Home Design DIY

As we enter into this new year, somehow this year feels new. Like something different is coming around the corner and somehow we need to get ready for the season ahead… 

cup of coffee and blooming branch
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

What comes to mind is;
It’s time to DECLUTTER! 

It feels like it’s time to get our lives in order and let go of the things of the past to be ready to step into the new day upon us. It is time to rest knowing that we are in good hands and allow the Lord to do the good work in us He has set out to do. Are we ready for what He wants to do in us? Can we let go of control and our own vision of what we think this day should look like and give Him room in our hearts for this moment ahead?

How to get ready for this season
1. Pray and fast. Come in repentance before the Lord allowing Him to move in our hearts 
2. Decluttter, room by room, drawer by drawer, closet by closet. Work through the paperwork that has been sitting on your desk for some time.
3. Set goals. What is on your heart to start? Set goals to get those plans in place and remove what needs to be removed from your schedule. This post should help you get started.

Today as we wait to finalize the deal on a home we are stepping in faith to purchase, I find us in a season of something new and unknown!

This past year has felt like a season of letting go of everything we once knew to be safe and surrendering our hearts to make room for the new. What better way to do this than starting off with a decluttered space and starting new? Need help getting started? Come join my WELCOME HOME COMMUNITY open only for a short time right now where I share weekly challenges to help get you motivated giving you clear direction to get your space feeling fresh, cozy, and enjoyable with friends and family.

Angie

WE BOUGHT THE FARM!

Home Restoration, We bought the farm

We bought the farm!!!! Yes… you heard that right. I can hardly believe it! After looking and praying for almost a year, we finally settled on a property that we kept feeling led to pursue.

We looked at it back in October and it became the measuring stick for all other homes. This years housing market was all over the place starting with not enough inventory and the highest prices we have seen yet, and then overnight it seemed prices slowly started dropping (including our own home we were trying to sell. Read more about that experience here). We came home from looking out of town (we could get so much more land for our money if we went more interior from the coast. The building industry still seems to be thriving out that way too which means more work) when our home finally sold after being on the market for over 8 months! I woke up the next morning after coming back from looking at this property with this strong sense we needed to put in an offer on this 10-acre property. That day our home finally sold!

This home and property needs a lot of work and we were just going into winter making it difficult to live in a trailer while we did updates to the home. They get some good amounts of snow there and let’s face it, living in a trailer over winter is not ideal. So we put in a low offer with no success. Feeling overwhelmed and the sellers not being happy with our offer, we decided let the property go and continued to look.

It felt super stressful trying to find the right house as we needed to be out of our home within the month, until one day we had a family meeting with our kids and decided to not rush finding a home. So we moved into my inlaws basement suite until we could find something we both felt good about. Still, as we kept looking, nothing offered the value that this one did with 10 acres of fenced flat usable land, a large shop, and a home! All the other homes seemed to be the same price as this one and they still seemed to need renos with old finishings and poor layouts.

As we were just getting the last of our items moved into the suite (Did you read our story about the last time we lived in my inlaws suite? At least this time we were down to one teenager instead of 4. Our girls who were renting our basement suite found a different one to move into, and much of our furniture sold with the home too making it a simpler move), when Ryan suggested we see if we could get a deal together with the homeowners on that property. We thought for sure it was not going to work out when our realtor called a week and half later all excited that they said they would take our original low offer!!! And the bonus was this gave us time to get all the pieces together while riding out the majority of the winter in the suite. Spring is such a lovely time to start a reno, so we finalized a deal with the sellers and agreed on a date, and just like that we had a home! Finally!!!

Oh the paperwork though! Buying a home takes some serious time and paperwork to get the insurance and mortgage, and all the other details worked out, so I suggest you give yourself some time when purchasing to get these details together. It all seems to take longer these days with all the info the government requires. Praying and taking one step at a time, all the subjects were finally removed on the house deal. It felt like a complete faith walk to trust this was what the Lord wanted for our family. A larger property… moving our family a few hours away… uprooting our work place to a new location… so many unknowns. It needed to be the Lord’s will if we were to move forward with this home. Lots of fasting and praying during this time to seek the Lord’s will, protection, and blessing for our family. Prayers for direction, unity, faith, and provision as financially it felt like a stretch with the renos needing to be done to the shop, property and home.

This scripture was my anthom during this time…

I would have despaired had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.

Psalm 27:13

I can’t shake the feeling that in this year of trusting the Lord and walking out absolute faith and obedience, He has something beautiful in store for us. His promises reign true and it’s in these seasons we are stripped of all we hold onto. Idols and distractions that we put before the Lord needed to be stripped away so we were fully surrendered before the Lord. He needs us pulled away from the worlds comforts to be ready for what the Lord is calling us to. The truth is that there is nothing safe and comfortable outside the Lord’s protection and blessing. We have seen the world shaken (and I believe the shaking is just beginning). He needs to be our portion and ever-present help in times of need. It’s time to let go of the things we hold dearly to… put Him above all, and trust and obey. For His plans and purpose for us are better than we could ever dream or ask for.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

Colossians 3:5

We didn’t set out for 10 acres. We just were looking for a little more of a yard with a little more privacy from neighbors. We are nervous about the financial investment but we also know when we pray and let the Lord lead, He is faithful to direct our path to where He calls us to. He just wants us to trust Him through the process and He will work out the rest of the details when we do. We also know that He uses these seasons to refine and prepare us for what He is calling us to. It’s a new day with a new season and we are called to new things. Are you ready to surrender all and jump in trusting the Lord to do the good work in and through us, leading us to where He needs us-is calling us-to be?

Like what you are reading? Drop your email below to follow along for more!

Angie