Easter 2013

We had a good Easter this past weekend.  Holiday's always can be kind of challenging.  Steve always works pretty much every major holiday and we aren't always able to travel to see family during that time.  If we aren't traveling, we just have to make it work here.  In some ways it's nice because it eliminates the stress of traveling, but then it's always more pressure on me to do meaningful things for the kids and of course it would be fun to be with family, but since we can't we must make the most of it! 

We decided not to do Easter baskets for the kids this year, but rather First Day of Spring baskets.  They were essentially the same thing as Easter baskets, but we gave them to them on March 22, the first day of spring instead so we could focus our time on what Easter really means rather than how much candy they got.  It worked great! 

Steve and I went to the Maundy Thursday service at our church.  The kids (including Justus) stayed at home with Emily, our trusty sitter.  We ate dinner out with our small group and then headed to the late night service with everyone.  It was good to be there undistracted!

On Good Friday, Steve had to work, but I took the kids on a nature walk at our favorite nature center and looked for specific things to represent Easter.

A BRANCH:  a week before his crucifixion, as Christ entered the city, the people waved branches from palm trees

SOMETHING PRICKLY:  his “crown” was made of thorns

A PIECE OF WOOD:  for it was out of wood his cross was made

SOMETHING NO LONGER ALIVE:  for the Savior truly died

WHITE LINEN (may need to find this at home):  Christ was wrapped in white linen before being placed in the tomb

A STONE :  it was a huge stone at the opening of the tomb that the angel removed

SOMETHING LIVING:  to remind us that Christ surely lives.  He died and was resurrected.  

Then on Saturday night we went to the evening Easter service at our church because Steve had to work on Sunday morning.  It was a lovely service and it was a packed house.  The Easter service is always one of my favorite services all year.

That evening we got together with our small group again and did "brunch".  So thankful that we could spend the holiday with great friends.  God is so good to us.