Alternately Titled: The Houston Triathlon for Parents
Easter Warm Up-
Dyeing eggs (and hands) with Grammy at our house.
Easter Warm Up-
Dyeing eggs (and hands) with Grammy at our house.
Playing with Daddy, egg hunt, and Gigi took us all to see Rio! Caden's first movie AND it was in 3D. If I had a picture of how cute Caden looked with his 3D glasses sitting in that seat with a bowl of popcorn I would post it!
Easter Stop #2: Grandma and Grandpa's house
We at at the 59 diner which was the perfect kid restaurant. Then there was a lot of racing cars, driving in cars, driving remote control cars. This house is made for boys...
Easter brunch after church
Earlier that morning...
And the most famous Easter tradition of all, baby ducks at Papa's house!
Resurrection Rolls
Pillsbury Big Crescent Dough= The tomb
One Marshmallow= Jesus and then sprinkle of cinnamon and you can talk about how the women prepared his body with spices. Bake as directed and...
When they come out of the oven the marshmallow melts and leaves an empty "tomb" Hurray!
On the note of the empty tomb, I did have a little time to reflect on Easter when I wasn't wiping up dye off of the kitchen counter or packing for our adventure and here is what has been sitting with me this Easter the most:
I've been thinking a lot lately about the spiritually "big" question of suffering. Maybe its the news headlines, or most likely my ever expanding mother's heart that has been breaking for people that go through so much hurt. Looking into my own children's faces makes it harder to understand why such sad and tragic things happen on Earth in the first place. I understand why some people look at the suffering in this world and question God and His plan. I could see why they turn away from Him and choose to live without Him in their lives if somehow He is to blame.
Fast forward to a book I've been reading that has given me some new thoughts on this topic, the most compelling one is this:
God's most accurate and sincere revelation of Himself to humankind is Jesus. And if this is true, then what does Jesus tell us about God?Jesus was compassionate for those who suffered. He spent His time on Earth healing the sick, reaching out to the outcast, insisting that the children come to Him. Jesus wept for the hurting, He radically challenged the concept of a chosen people and came to the Gentiles who were the ones without God. Jesus healed the brokenhearted and made pure the prostitute and widow alike. He spent so much of his time to alleviate suffering. This isn't the picture of a mean and cold-hearted God that doesn't care about the pain on Earth. Instead He came to Earth for each of us, to ultimately end suffering. I just can't get out of my mind the refreshing and comforting idea that this is the God I worship and know.
Isaiah 61
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
