The majority of people I know love Christmas...and they go all out...the music, the lights, the nativity scenes...the parties...the shopping...the gifts...the tree...well, I do like Christmas a lot...I'm not a huge fan of all the commercialization and the gifts...but I like Christmas, ok.
But, Easter...I LOVE Easter. For me, Easter brings hope in a way that makes everything else make sense. Easter is an amazing display of love, hope, truth, and eternity all in one. Easter is the holiday that I enjoy the most in life. Easter is my holiday.
This year's Easter was different for our family. Every January, I plan for Easter. We had planned to be at our church. I had choreographed a dance for our church. I had my Holy Week Study all laid out and ready to go. I was shopping for matching shirts for the boys. I was planning the menu for Easter Sunday dinner. I could not wait until Easter! But, things changed pretty rapidly and my plans did not come to fruition. There was no longer a church home, which meant there was no longer a dance...and there was the dreadful call that my granddaddy had passed. This year's Easter would be different. God was not surprised by this, but I definitely was.
This would be Emmanuel's first Easter...his first Holy Week would be spent with his mom experiencing incredible pain and awesome grief at the loss of her granddaddy...during his first Good Friday, he would travel to a small town in West Tennessee and view his great granddaddy's body...this is not what I had planned for Emmanuel's first Easter...for my favorite holiday.
But, on the Saturday before Easter--a glorious thing happened. The Holy Spirit reminded me of the loss that Eli and I had experienced during this season...I was reminded of the pain and the grief...and the confusion and the suffering and while I am left with not very much at all...not very much strength....not very much energy...not very many friends...I surveyed the grave site where many of my family members are buried and where a fresh plot was dug for granddaddy, and the Holy Spirit whispered to me, "But, Carmen, because He lives, you can face tomorrow." (This was granddaddy's favorite song). All the while, I was sad because I had experienced so much pain and grief during my favorite holiday season, but Jesus says...guess what, "I have risen." And because Jesus has risen...because of the glorious resurrection of Christ...I can face the pain of yesterday, the grief of today, and whatever tomorrow might bring. "Because He lives...all fear is gone." So, what an amazing story of resurrection for Emmauel's 1st Easter. It's not fairy-tale worthy, but it is Christ-worthy. It's not a pretty plot, but the ending will be "happily ever after." Because He lives.
Emmanuel and cousin, Connor
Emmanuel and his great, great Aunt Raye, Raye. I'm going to ask for that hat. I can't wait to wear it to church!
The kids after church.
JRIII on his cell...always.
Because He Lives...I can...we can...we will face tomorrow!