Still catching up...Resurrection Day, 2008

Sunday we remembered and celebrated the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It meant a lot to me to get to sit between my daughter, with whom I so rarely get to worship, and my husband, who was not preaching so got to sit in the long row beside me with all our family and extras!

I wrote "remembered and celebrated" because Pastor Fred reminded us that Easter/Resurrection Day is not just a holiday to celebrate with special food, special clothes, and special activities, but it is a day to remember Christ's sin defeating victory over death. So we remember and ponder and reflect - how do I live out this resurrection reality day by day? And we sing...

Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.

Crown Him the Lord of life, who triumphed over the grave,
And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save.
His glories now we sing, who died, and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.

Crown Him the Lord of love, behold His hands and side,
Those wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright.

AND we celebrate! With family and friends, sharing food and stories and laughter. The whole afternoon was golden for me from the mandatory picture taking while the rolls finished cooking...

... to the rolls coming out of the oven and into the basket...

to savoring the food prepared by Mama, Anne, and me; to cleaning up and then relaxing on the porch while some of the boys went to the park...

to dessert together when they returned; to an evening of togetherness and more routine things (for this house!) like haircuts...

and Dutch Blitz.

I am so very thankful for my family and for the opportunity to be all together. I am thankful that my children love the Lord and each other and that our home is a gathering place for many. Dear Lord, may it always be so as we live out resurrection life in the joys and in the sorrows and challenges of life. This weekend was one of the great joys.