Christ the Lord has risen today!

Christ is risen!                  He has risen, indeed!                     Hallelujah!   

HAPPY EASTER!

I haven't been to an Easter sunrise service since I lived in Topeka.  Sarah and her family have a tradition of going to Red Rocks Amphitheatre.  She describes it as magical.  They arrive in the dark and take the journey from the parking lot to the theater in near silence.  (If you've ever been there, the walk is truly a journey with steep hills.)  I can't imagine watching the sunrise with around 10,000 others and seeing doves released.  It does sound magical... and beautiful.  Some day I will join her.  Someday!

This morning was quiet.  Yesterday, we decided we would go to COR at 5:00 p.m this evening.  I got up early and put together goodies for the kids.  I didn't hide eggs.  I didn't even get their baskets out of the attic this year.  I won't make that mistake again.  They didn't say anything -  no complaints or comments at all, bless their hearts.  Fear not kids, I won't do that again! 

The middle of the day was weird.  I was feeling a bit foggy.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe it was because I was missing my parents.  I think today was the first time we didn't share Easter dinner together.  I had thought about going over, but I was there on Monday and they came over here on Wednesday, so I didn't think it would be a big deal.  Maybe my feelings were compounded by the fact that we are in church limbo and we didn't go to morning service.  I don't know.   

I'm sad to admit that I wasn't feeling particularly excited about going to church.  BUT I put on a dress and took a picture of the kids...  

they're growing up TOO FAST!

(Jake loves those green shorts!)

This could be a first, Annie and I both wearing floral dresses.

The service was perfect and overflowing with courage, joy, hope and peace.  It started with a 3 minute video of the Crucifixion and darkness and lead into light and beautiful music.  Pastor Adam spoke of what heaven might look like - a huge celebration with music and food, friends and family, dancing and laughter!  He likened it to a wedding celebration that lasts for a week.  Then he said something I had never heard before... when Jesus died for us, He reversed the curse put upon us in the Garden of Eden.  In the Garden of Eden, God was dressed like a gardener, giving instructions which Adam and Eve broke.  When Jesus came to Mary after His resurrection, she mistook him for a gardener.  Full circle, if you will.

He spoke of our fascination with near death stories - Heaven is for Real and Proof of Heaven being two.  He was going to take some excerpts but shared some stories that church members have shared over his 25 years as a pastor.  It was powerful stuff!  But he also added he doesn't want us to live like one older parishioner who told him, "I no longer buys green bananas."   Pastor Adam's response?  "God isn't done with you, yet!"  

The second part of the sermon was full of challenge to keep the spirit of Easter alive all year long.  What if the 10,000+ people that listened to this sermon this weekend woke up everyone morning and recognized that you have an opportunity?  An opportunity to be a blessing or a curse.  How could we change the world if we all made the choice daily to be a blessing?  Let's restore the garden together!  

Here I am Lord!                                 Send me!                                    Use me!                    

My spirit is filled.   

As we were walking to the car after church there was a family behind us talking to their little boy about the celebration Pastor Adam had spoken.  I never saw the little boy, I only heard his little voice.  Here's a snippet of their conversation:

Little Boy: "Do you think there will be cake?"  

Mom: "Oh, I think there will!"  

Little boy: "no, I don't think there'll be cake."  

Dad: "I'm sure there'll be cake!"  

Little boy: "well then, what about presents?"

Parents: "yes, cake AND presents, too."

:-)

I didn't get to call my folks until after church - around 6:30 p.m.  The phone rang and my Mom's groggy voice answered.  I said, "Christ has risen!"  And she replied, "WHAT!?"  That was not the response I expected but I had woken her up.  She had spent part of the afternoon pulling weeds.  She couldn't tell me the last time that had been done.  I've been thinking about doing some gardening, too, even before tonight's service.  I have LOTS of weeds to pull (figuratively and metaphorically speaking.   

Jack and I are finishing the day watching the third episode of The Bible.  Wow!  Talk about powerful.  It's a bit graphic for me but very well done.  We just finished the Philip Yancey book, The Jesus I Never Knew, in Sunday School and it has been interesting to see how Jesus was portrayed in film over the years.  

I have again been heavy on my rambling.  Please, forgive me.  As I told Annie's friend, Grace, yesterday at the mall after I embarrassed Annie.  "I'm just trying to make a memory."  

xo