EASTER 2018

The weather promised to be rotten.  The kids woke up at 6:30 a.m., because one child went in to "check on" the others.  There was a giant Airhead chucked at my face while I was still in bed.  John and I had felt off most of the week.  Someone didn't want to wear his Easter clothes, even though we had made a deal the day before.  Safe to say, our Easter was not off to an auspicious start.

"Can nothing be fun or good or easy ever?"

This was my selfish, short-sighted, honest thought as we drove to church.  I knew we should be celebrating our risen Savior, but I felt that I was drowning in failure and sadness.  Which I had spoken aloud to John by the time 7 a.m. had rolled around.  I knew the clothes did not really matter, but I always have the cutest picture in my mind of what things "should" look like.  Expectations vs. reality had reared its ugly head again, and I was forced (am continually forced) to choose contentment.  To choose gratitude.  To choose hope.

Easter always comes at just the right time.  I think I need Easter every day - though I could certainly do without the mass influx of candy that accompanies it.  Tears rolled down my cheeks as I was reminded that the stone was rolled away from the tomb.  It really did look hopeless - like there was a horrible ending to a promising, albeit troubled, story.  Jesus' road to the cross was certainly not paved in roses, even as there were miracles - actual miracles - along the way.  He was dead and buried and being mourned, as people tried to figure out what could possibly redeem this mess.

No one imagined.  Even though Jesus told them it would turn out all right.  No one dreamed he would beat death and rise from the dead.  When I look around at the pain and uncertainty around me, I have no idea how glory will come from some of the ashes.  My finite mind cannot comprehend the height, the depth or the overwhelming glorious power of God's love and his ultimate plan.  He will someday come back and fix it all, and though I don't understand how, I trust that he does.  He has done it before, and he promises to do it again.

And in our own very small Easter story this year, the day slowly transformed before my eyes.  The weather looked threatening but mellowed into something resembling delightful.  Our children mostly enjoyed most of what we did most of the day, and we played and rested and it was as good, easy and fun as it ever could be for us at this stage.  

So, as you see these pictures, please know that this is one snapshot of one good afternoon.  The one I had today (Monday) included many more lows than yesterday and was far more normal.  But, our Easter did turn out beautifully, and I'm so thankful.  We enjoyed our church service and our pastor's April Fools joke of "accidentally" dropping a computer on stage, which I totally bought.  We even got a picture at church in front of the pretty backdrop, which felt like an Easter miracle, even if William wasn't wearing what I had initially planned. (I am learning which battles to pick.)

As we drove home, we noticed the wisteria blooming everywhere in our neighborhood and managed to get some pictures with it.  May Easter mercies never cease.

John's parents so graciously hosted us for Easter lunch, complete with Resurrection Eggs and an egg hunt.

We then moved to the trampoline/playing all over the yard portion of the afternoon that lasted right up until we decided to do dinner there as well.

(Leaf blowers can give and leaf blowers can take away.)

We won Easter this year, but much more importantly, we have the hope that Jesus won it all for us.  Forever and always amen.