Resurrection Weekend

Every year when Christmas comes around, I think to myself, "This is my favorite," but then, as spring approaches and Easter appears on the calendar, I think to myself, "Nope. It's the resurrection. Easter is my favorite."

And it really is. I long for that moment that seems to be so exceptionally magnetic on Easter Sunday morning, when you begin to worship corporately and celebrate the magnificent miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I always awaken feeling energized, giddy with excitement, looking forward to going to church more than any other Sunday. If I could bottle that feeling and have it every single day, I would do it.

The reality is that we can have some portion of that every single day, can't we? I am grateful for that. Our Father is awesome, is He not?

Since we already knew that things would feel different this year, we took the plunge and changed things up even more by having our traditional Easter dinner on Saturday evening. I have to tell you, it made for a glorious Easter afternoon and evening since we kept the meals easy-peasy. 

I also didn't make lemon pies. As much as we love those pies, I found myself wanting, no, needing, to skip them this year. Eating them without Mom just didn't seem to make sense. Some year, in the future, I'm sure I will make glorious sunshiny triple layer lemon pies and think of pleasant memories. When I was at our local Christian bookstore on Good Friday, the very kind clerk who accidentally made me cry, reminded me to give myself time, which is what I'm doing by choosing not to make Mom's favorite lemon pies.

Instead, I made a Reeses peanut butter cup pie that was oozing with chocolate and chunks of peanut butter cups over a sweet, peanut butter mousse-like filling. It was a big hit among the eaters of the pie (I was not one of them).

After Easter was celebrated, I moved onto Monday, my annual day off. It is sincerely my only "annual day off." I almost didn't take it, but my wonderful husband said, "You're taking the day off," and I couldn't find it within myself to protest even a little. 

I slept a little later than usual, spent some time with Jesus, made a simple lunch, surfed the net, watched "The Sound of Music" with my precious kiddos, gave myself a mani AND a pedi, and, of course, since a mom never totally gets a day off, took the kids to dance and soccer practice. 

It was a gloriously relaxing day, just what I needed to spring me into yet another busy week (though not enough. More R&R is really what this over-stressed mama needs in this tough season). 

Also, for the record, I did all of this in my pajamas, something that my husband wondered about when he got home from work until laughing daughter informed him that I wore my jeans over my pajama pants when I took them to dance and soccer.

Yes I did.

God is good, friends. That's what I found myself dwelling on this Easter weekend. The resurrection is real. Worshiping this mighty God is awesome. Time with family is priceless. If I could repeat this weekend, I would do it in a heartbeat!

I was blessed to take communion twice over the weekend, on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. For the first time ever that I can remember, I took communion with my Aunt Bonnie who attended church with us, an incredible blessing. In all the study of the Eucharist and the concept of thanksgiving that I've been doing over the past months, I found myself pausing and understanding better what Jesus was modeling that first Maundy-Thursday. He was being handed the most difficult circumstance of His earthly life, and He paused and broke bread and gave thanks to the Father.

In all things, I am grateful.

449. Resurrection Sunday!!!

450. God met us in worship service

452. Pink roses from loving husband

456. Grateful child

459. Pure laughter

464. The Sound of Music on a relaxing afternoon