He is RISEN Indeed!

Today is Resurrection Sunday.  IT is a joyous day indeed and the season leading up to it has been interesting.  This whole Lenten season has been a different one for me.  I started out thinking that I would fast from a certain type of food and alas, I did not.  When I did end up eating what it was I wanted to fast from, I felt like a big loser and definitely not honoring God.  The whole reason for lent, in my simple opinion, is to remember Christ in His 40 days through the wilderness.  During those 40 days he prayed, fasted and was totally alone.  I doubt I will ever spend 40 days by myself fasting and praying so why in the world is it so hard for me to go without a simple 'creature comfort' of this day in age for a few weeks?!  It is so very important to set aside time to remember the works of the Lord.  He commanded the Jews to celebrate Passover every year to specifically remember and teach the young ones about God delivering His people out of Egyptian slavery.  God commands us to remember and teach.  So having that in my mind, and having a three year old boy who is beginning to comprehend Biblical stories, I REALLY wanted to make this Easter season more purposeful.  So, I tried to be consistent about reading Bible stories each morning as we ate our breakfast and I wanted to be diligent about explaining 'new life' as we see all of the blooms around us.  On Friday, showed Eric the pictures of Jesus coming into Jerusalem on a donkey with people waving palms and then being crucified and finally being alive in the presence of his friends the disciples.  Honestly, I do not think he got much out of it.  However, I got a lot out of it.  Maybe that is why God commanded us to remember and teach the younger ones.  Not so much for their benefit, but for ours.  Friday was a gloomy rainy day and were inside for most of it.  I read a few devotionals and reflected on my own sin and the reality that I am trapped inside of it.  Then today, Easter Sunday, the sun was shining and the weather clear.  The reality that the One who knew NO sin, became sin for me and now I am not trapped.  I am free.  

So when the tears began to well up in my eyes as we sang out in church this morning, I just let them fall down my cheeks.  I rejoiced at the words spoken from the pastor.  I am so thankful for this specific time to reflect, remember and teach about this the MOST AWESOME event in all of history.  We got home and before everyone stripped off their Easter duds we managed to take a couple of decent pictures.  

The LORD is RISEN.  The LORD is RISEN indeed!!! Hallelujah!  

Just Like Daddy

This picture was taken in March on a little family outing we went on to the Greenbrier community of the Smoky Mountains.  Both Eric and Tim had their hats on and coats and had fun crossing the stream on the log bridge.  As Eric gets older he is definitely less interested in hanging out with Mommy if Daddy is anywhere around.  Why just the other day when Tim was studying downstairs, Eric just meandered on down there to hang out with him.  He didn't play with toys or bother Tim, he was just sitting on the couch next to him.  Eventually, he started playing with the blanket and covering himself with it, all the while not talking to Daddy or bothering him.  It was obvious he just wanted to be with him.  

I hope Eric grows up to be just like Daddy.  Tim is such a fine man and I have an enormous amount of respect for him. He works so hard, is so loyal and faithful in even the smallest of details and in the core of his heart there is the pure intent to follow Christ with everything he is.  Tim takes time to teach Eric soccer and to go play with him.  This is the field behind our house and I took

this picture from our back deck so it may be a little fuzzy, but you get the idea.  I want Eric to learn what Daddy knows about teamwork, finishing a job until it is done well and how to cope well under any circumstance.  I can get caught up in worrying about his future and hoping that he doesn't get caught up in worldly stuff, but then I am reminded to live each day in its fullest and not to worry about tomorrow.  

Just like Daddy.  What a joy and a privilege it is for me to have a man like this as the father of our children.  Yes indeed, I do hope Eric grows up to be just like Daddy.