Easter Weekend 2017

Easter weekend was a whirlwind, but it was oh so good to remember and CELEBRATE the resurrection of Jesus! It is so easy for this "story" to just become a story a grew up hearing, but really, it's my everything- without Him and His mercy and grace, I would be a lost little sinner. We read the stories surrounding His death and resurrection from the Jesus storybook Bible, and I love these kid versions of the stories because they point to the simple truth: Jesus died on the cross because He loved us.

In the story when He's nailed to the cross, the people taunt Him, saying that if He really was the Son of God, He would be able to save Himself from death on the cross. And I love what Sally Lloyd Jones wrote: "And of course they were right. Jesus could have climbed down. Actually, he could have just said a word and made it all stop. Like when he healed that little girl. And stilled the storm. And fed 5,000 people.  But Jesus stayed. You see, they didn't understand. It wasn't the nails that kept Jesus there. It was love."

Oh the love of Jesus! I'm so thankful for it!

On Saturday we went to the church some old neighbors of ours used to pastor at, for an Easter egg hunt. We've been before, and as always, they did a wonderful job of sharing Jesus. They had a puppet show that pointed the kids (and adults!) to look at God's truth about ourselves, not what the world tells us. As in years past, I teared up, so thankful that my kids can continually hear the truth about who they are in Christ. And I prayed that my two, and all the kids in the room would come to believe it for themselves!

Then they dismissed for the Easter egg hunt, and with 10,000 eggs scattered on the church's property, Noelle and Jonah ended up with quite a bit of loot. We took our baskets inside to empty out all the eggs, and to collect prizes. It was quite the contrast to the day before, when I took them to a little egg hunt at a park in Sykesville, where there were not enough eggs, and we walked away with three total.

Saturday evening we got together with one of our small groups for an Easter dinner. Our friends hid a few eggs around their yard for the kids to find, and then we shared a meal as a group. Sunday morning, we woke up with enough time to send Noelle and Jonah on a scavenger hunt for their Easter baskets, and a little egg hunt around the house.

After church, we snapped a few pictures with Aunt Heather, Uncle Jason, and Holden, and then headed to my parents for a quick lunch, and yet another Easter egg hunt. The weather on Easter was beautiful, and it felt wonderful being outside without being cold! Then we swung by the house to pick up the food that Luke made for our Easter dinner with the Wiedemans, and we headed up to Westminster.

Grandma and Grandpa had an egg hunt set up for the two of them, and with all those hunts, we now have a giant ziplock bag full of candy. These two are clearly well loved! It was great spending time with family, eating delicious food, and resting in the truth that Jesus saved me from my sins!

This picture just cracks me up! They make my heart so full!