oh what a beautiful easter

We had such a wonderful Easter weekend. It was busy and we were left tired and there were even some snowflakes. But still, a great Easter. I think it may have been colder on Easter morning than it was on Christmas. Mom and I sang in the worship team mini-choir for three Easter services. We fixed a big Easter dinner after the Sunday morning service: turkey, dressing, broccoli casserole (Nana’s recipe), mashed potato casserole (Faith Ford’s recipe), corn, peanut-banana salad, rolls, and, of course, deviled eggs. And Mom made the best coconut cake with a raspberry sauce. YUM! We were well fed!

Stephen and I may be 27 and 33, respectively, but we still get Easter baskets! Included in mine was Chicken Poop lip balm, which smells like lavender (sorry Bobbi) and is yummy and great.Derby got his first Easter basket; two new toys. A sheep we’ve taken to calling Bah-Bah (it’s his new favorite and best). And a doggie like the one in the PetSmart commercial that we’ve been calling Waggles. When I was born my parents had a Dachshund named Waggles and it’s possible that he lead to my being born two weeks early. The night before I arrived he got loose during a thunderstorm and my parents were, literally, running around the neighborhood trying to catch him. Around lunch time the next day…there I was! Later we had another Dachshund named Shasta. But Derby’s new friend seemed more like a Waggles.There were two moments during Holy Week (on Good Friday and on Easter Sunday) when I was overwhelmed by God’s love for us. I think I saw the sacrifice He made by sending His Son to die on the cross in a whole new way. I was overwhelmed by the thought of what Jesus went through for our benefit. And it made the celebration of Easter morning and His resurrection all the more sweet. Thank You, God for you grace and mercy and desire to be in a deep relationship with us. Thank You.

One of the songs we sang this Easter says it all beautifully. Here are the final two verses of "In Christ Alone".

There in the ground His body lay,

Light of the world by darkness slain;

Then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory,

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;

For I am His and He is mine—Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—This is the pow'r of Christ in me;

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home—Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.