Thoughts on Easter

I lifted the spoon to her mouth and she smiled. I'd made her some chickpea salad and she approved. I was thankful because besides tucking her into bed and feeding her, I didn't know how else to humanly help her. However, I am grateful that my sister-in-law's Creator cares more for her than any of us in the family do. Her life has been lifted over and over to the Lord in supplication for healing. Now, she is spiritually suspended in prayer because, with the myriad of people who love her, I suspect prayer never ceases on her behalf.

 

This was the first Easter we didn't gather as a family on my husband's side of the family.

***

I got the text early in the morning that my mom's brother had passed away. He'd been in the hospital for over two years and was never quite well enough to make it home to recover. We reunited as a family at the funeral and I was reminded once again how important family is to God. It's the safe place He created for people to feel loved when perhaps they're not finding it in the world. That was Easter weekend.

 

It was the first time my family didn't celebrate with dinner at my Mom's either.  

*** 

My dear friend's eleven year-old daughter lay in the hospital with a tumour in her leg. Seven months of intense chemo and surgeries is what the doctors stated would be her lot. They weren't prepared for the excruciating pain and illness they'd witness in their little Ella, their only child. Mom, Dad and daughter living in a small hospital room for weeks was almost unbearable as the bone had snapped right then and there and she was placed in traction.

 

This year changed everything for this precious family. 

 *** 

I watched as our friend hung on the cross heaving and acting the part of his Lord in our church musical. Knowing it was Steve didn't deter me from the powerful reminder of the torture Jesus endured for my forgiveness and how He was resurrected to give me eternal life. Easter lives in my heart daily. It's not a weekend, it's not a dinner, it's not even family. I am alive and free because of Jesus. I am forgiven and can face all my tomorrows because of His great love. Easter didn't happen for us on the traditional day it's set for, but that doesn't matter. My uncle's recent passing to his eternal home, my sister-in-law's life, and little Ella's future are all in the adoring hands of their Saviour. Easter makes hope possible. It makes joy possible in the midst of sorrow. Easter makes suffering bearable because it is short-lived. This does not minimize pain or struggle, nor does it mean God doesn't heal. But, it allows me to believe that because there's so much more to life than this tiny planet and this finite amount of time, I can rest in knowing Easter makes all the difference.

Gratitude:

  



1791. getting together the following week and her hiding places for eggs :)

1792. blonde beauties

1793. scouring for eggs together

1794. how these two still snuggle their big kids

1795. family friendships

1796. her faithfulness in visiting her brother before he passed away

1797. shaking and doing whatever one can to get the eggs

1798. the way he's always interested in the kids and what they have to say

1799. never too big for an egg hunt

1800. how she's kept that basket for about 9 years!

1801. teaching little ones to collect

1802. his love for toddlers and babies

1803. catching a sharing moment?

1804. the way they had the whole place combed in a matter of minutes

1805. stealth mode 

1806. for pretty spring cakes (my mom asked for it :)

1807. how it only took about 5 attempts to get a photo with everyone looking and smiling

1808. for hope and joy in the midst of trying times

In Search Of Easter

They search for eggs hidden by their big cousin Jake.

An hour earlier, we had searched our hearts in receiving the Lord's supper.

My husband read the Passion Week and Resurrection story each night at dinner and completed it with all the cousins gathered around.

Oh, what a sweet blessing to hang out with families who believe!

Oliver asked if today was Easter Tuesday, since he had heard us talk of Easter Monday.

I told him as Christians, everyday is Easter, and that we need to search for ways to honour the One who came to give us life.

My prayer is that in the daily grind of life, I would celebrate Easter--the risen Jesus--in my worship, praise, gratitude, and obedience to Him.

How about you?

Are you in search of Easter?

He's waiting and can be found by you!

 

Suffering and Love at Easter

With tears brimming she explained how she was beginning to see God in the midst of dealing with her son's death. And although she couldn't get through the reading herself, she urged one of the women at our table to read us an excerpt from a little book she was holding close. We listened intently because our dear friend was suffering and whatever she wanted us to hear was, in my estimation, going to hurt that good kind of hurt. 

The author wrote of a grateful woman who had the bountiful blessings of a good husband and a sweet child. Her life was beautiful and she knew to Whom all her thanksgiving belonged. She praised God every day for all of His gifts to her. One day her child grew ill and despite her earnest prayers for his healing, he died. She cried out to her Maker, the Giver all good gifts. Why had He allowed this terrible tragedy to happen to her? How could the loving God she has worshipped and honoured with her thanks turn so cruel? The reading went on to point out just Who the woman had been worshiping. Was God was still sovereign, still loving, still giving, still powerful, whether her son lived or died? When she was giving thanks for her life, and praising this incredible Lord, had she considered that if things changed in her life that it would change who God is? Had He changed or had her perception of who He is changed? Could she say, "Blessed be the Name of the Lord", if He gave or took away? Had the merciful act of sending His only Son to rescue the world, disintegrated into nothing because of earthly pain? Is it God's intention to bestow continuous blessings upon His people and make them happy?

My heart beat quickly as the excerpt was finished. The words hung in the air like a damp fog. Some of the women were nodding, others, I'm sure, were soaking in the profound simplicity of this truth that hurt that good hurt--the comfort--and pain of knowing we're not in control. Our friend tucked the book back in her purse and thanked us for obliging her. I swallowed the lump in my throat and among others, thanked her for sharing what our faith is built upon. She explained that had she not received the knowledge of God's immutable character into her heart years before, she would have surely turned from Him at this time of great grieving. I whispered thanksgiving in my spirit that the same truth my friend confessed, had helped me see God's love and mercy in the midst of great pain and confusion I had suffered through at a difficult time in my life. I prayed for even greater acceptance of His unchanging love so that He would be glorified in whatever future trials I would encounter. My friend's life is an example of just that--glorifying the Father in her story--which, in turn, is giving her peace.

Later, I sat with my children close by me on the couch while I continued our "read-aloud", Little Pilgrim's Progress, a children's version of John Bunyan's classic work. "Little Christian" was witnessing his companion, "Faithful", being bravely martyred for Christ and I began to weep. The words blurred on the page and my two big girls cried too. I breathed deeply and slowly finished the paragraph. Oh, how I longed for them to receive this incredible insight I had been grasping! Jesus' gift of His death on the cross was worth believing in, living for and even dying for. It's this foundational truth that they can hang their hope on, that will help them get through any struggle--not easily--but with peace and eventually, joy.

Since my Creator often feeds me His truth in threes, I shook my head as once again, the message of His resurrection stirred even more in my heart. These words in John Piper's book, Don't Waste Your Life, blazed brightly today: "... all your rejoicing in all things should therefore be a rejoicing in the cross where all your blessings were purchased for you at the cost of the death of the Son of God, Jesus Christ... One of the reasons we are not as Christ-centered and cross-saturated as we should be is that we have not realized that everything--everything good, and everything bad that God turns for the good of his redeemed children--was purchased by the death of Christ for us. We simply take life and breath and health and friends and everything for granted. We think it is ours by right." (p51). This is what this dear momma was humbly offering to us. Although, she cried out and questioned God, her  belief in the immutable character of a loving God, who gave His only Son, was the only thing that kept her from drowning in sorrow. He alone is in control, but praise God, He is deeply in love with His people! 

As Easter approaches, my heart is ever closer to the knowledge of who He is and why He came and how Jesus' resurrection offers the ability to live knowing we are loved, regardless of what this world may bring. And ultimately, we will receive eternal life, where we will glorify the One from Whom all gifts--the good--and the bad that God turns for the good--are given.  

The Hope Of The Cross

He willingly hung battered and bruised so that

these precious people...

would one day see Him face to face!

Only their bodies lie here. They are both in heaven with the One who was resurrected. He's coming again and we will all join each other as we finally leave this imperfect world for the place He's prepared for us!