this Easter morning

this Easter morning....

I am curled up under a blanket, alone, downstairs at my in laws house. Everything is still quiet, morning is getting brighter, and I hear some birds chirping. They are reminding me that His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness.

this Easter morning...

I can smell the lily that seems to have multiplied its flowers overnight. It wants to look its best for this day apparently. 

this Easter morning...

I am still remembering the Good Friday service that we had. Challenged by Peter and how often {even without realizing it} I find myself in his story. Challenged by the "realness" of my denial - although I've never been put in a point-blank situation as Peter was, what does my complacency or fear of others opinion about me that directs my actions look like to our Lord? Denial. But this morning you are reminding me... Great is Your faithfulness. 

this Easter morning....

I know we'll be singing the two hymns that can bring me right back to that tiny church in Allison, IA - sitting next to my tone deaf Gram. Every Easter. I remember so much, the smell, what the carpet looked like, the liturgy, the pin she always wore on her blue dress suit, the smell of lilies in her house. I pulled out my hymnal last year at this time and revisited these hymns. It was hard, and brought back a swell of memories. How grateful I am to have memories like these.  Great is your faithfulness. 

this Easter morning...

I'm remembering as I look around this place what a blessing I have in my family. 4 parents who love The Lord, love each other, love Jared and I. They're all up now, laughing, talking about the "easter bunny" that dropped at least 50 reeces eggs around the house last night. and how said easter bunny scared my mother in law at 2:30am. only in this family. I'm  overwhelmed with gratitude. Oh, the joy of The Lord to bestow such good gifts on His children. 

this Easter morning...

I am rejoicing. For the work that The Lord is doing in my life, in Jared's life, for the blessing of grace that He lavishes on us every single morning. For the majesty of our God, the triumph that knowing Him brings, the victory I can claim because of what He did... this Easter morning. 

"Death is swallowed by triumphant Life!

Who got the last word, oh, Death?
Oh, Death, who’s afraid of you now?

It was sin that made death so frightening and the guilt of the lawt hat gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a SINGLE VICTORIOUS STROKE OF LIFE, all three—sin, guilt, death—are GONE, the GIFT of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!"

1 cor. 15:55-57