Of Greetings

Happy Resurrection Day from our little family of five!

1,000 Gifts (inspired by the lists here and here):

219. A baby who sleeps all night, waiting to rise until 7am.

220. Children who can entertain themselves when they rise.

221. Words so moving you have to rise to your feet to sing them.

222. The sun, hidden by clouds by shining radiant all around them.

223. Watching my dress twirl at my calves as I turn in the mirror.

224. Birds in flight, seen only as their shadows cross the stained glass window.

My Life: My Sunday

This is the spire under which we enter every Sunday morning.

Of Celebrating Spring

I had decided I wasn't a big fan of Easter baskets - not wanting to teach our children to associate this most precious day - the reason we have hope in salvation - as one of colored eggs and chocolate candies (which, let's be honest, would definitely take precedence to a toddler mind).  But since they had been gifted a plethora of small goodies from grandparents and great-grandparents alike (and since we happened to have three such baskets from years past), we filled the baskets anyway.  Though, we opted to present them to the children today so the actual day of Easter could be reserved for celebration of the risen Savior.

And I'll admit, it was definitely fun showering them with baskets of goodies (purchased by others) and spending part of the day outside as they enjoyed the spring weather and a few of their new treasures.  Not a bad day to celebrate the joy of life.

Three baskets ready for giving.

 Entertaining herself with her brother's cheeks before Mommy and Daddy showed her what she was waiting for.

 What is it?

 Micaiah: "Oooh!"; Emmett: "Dandy!" (aka Candy); Joey: "Where's the milk?"

Exploring the contents.  Emmett was kind of stuck on the candy idea and it was hard to get him to focus on anything else.  But Daddy tried!

Micaiah loves new books!

Joey's still wondering where the milk is, but someday he'll appreciate these new stuffed friends.

 Emmett, donning his new hat, waiting for breakfast.

 Micaiah loved sipping milk through her new straw.

Breakfast, compliments of Chef Daddy.

Playing with bubbles.

Micaiah loved dancing with her new sheep.  She's kind of adorable ;)

1,000 Gifts (inspired by the lists here and here): 

213. Seeing an old favorite, back in theaters, with my beloved.

214. A daughter old enough to play games and memorize Bible verses.

215. Resurrection cookies sealed in the oven.

216. "Mommy!" and a hug from a little guy who missed his parents.

217. Breakfast and a clean kitchen compliments of my helpful husband.

218. "Mommy, can I get down on my own?" Always patiently asking before she clambers out of her seat like a big girl.

My Life: My Town

It's no small feat to claim three exits on an Oklahoma Highway, but what else would you expect from the town which can introduce itself as the founding place of Sonic (America's Drive-In) - which would be why we boast five in our relatively small radius - and even a mall (again, no small claim for an Oklahoma).  Of course, we can always look to places like the Honey guy (my personal supplier of home-spun honey by his very own bees) selling on the side of the road to remember our small town roots.

Of Expecting a Miracle

They must have expected a miracle that day.  What must it have felt like to watch Jesus breathe His last?  To have waited, anxiously for something, anything, to happen, for someone, anyone to intervene?  In a vastly more tragic way, it would have been like reading a book and knowing, just knowing, the author surely wouldn't kill the main character - no matter how perilous, you just know he'll always pull through.

But this Author was different.  He actually killed the main character.

And there they were, His disciples, in dismay, confused, shocked, scared.  Here was this man for Whom they had given up all they had, their livelihoods, their families, their very lives as they knew them.  They had thrown everything away to follow this Teacher, they had backed Him as best they knew how - as if He'd needed their backing.

And now they were alone.  Sheep without a shepherd, left to hiding out in locked rooms, not knowing what to do next.

What must it have felt like?

Sure, it's easy on this side.  We know what happened just a couple of days later.  They didn't know.

They had nothing to do but wait and wonder.

I was challenged by a fellow student during my freshman year of college to live through Saturday.  The uncertainty, the fear, the sorrow.  Jesus was dead and the future was very unclear to these who gathered, the ones who had expected a miracle from the man they had watched perform them multiple times in the past three years.

Remember.  Remember that they did not yet have the blessed assurance with which we live today.

Remember and praise - because we know.  We know Whom we have believed - and our Redeemer lives.




1,000 Gifts (inspired by the lists here and here):
207. Redemptive grace found on two perpendicular beams.
208. A tiny, multi-colored piano we can play together.
209. A home to house our three greatest blessings.
210. "The Way" borrowed from the library - inspiration to travel the world (as if we needed it).
211. Ingredients for pelmeni - oh, how I love the Russian pasta.
212. True freedom.


My Life: My Morning
The Yin and Yang of my day - the joy of  playing piano with this little one contrasted to the monotony of tackling this pile of laundry (which may or may not have been sitting in my living room the better part of the week).