Easter recap....

We had a simply wonderful Easter!  Just love these little sweeties.  Notice the hats, the gloves, the jewelry. the vest, the tie.  Yes, this is one of the best things about Easter.  I guess I am to blame for this, since Gwen was saying that she remembers always having a hat and gloves for Easter. I am responsible for the girls matching dresses.  I just love finding these and I figure we only have a few years until they refuse to wear them! 

We were all together at Gwen and Tim's yesterday and having a great time just sitting around and talking.  Gwen and Doug started talking about what they remembered about Easters from their childhood.  Doug said he only really remembered the year that he got a fishing pole (this is really no surprise since that boy loves to fish!).    Gwen was recounting the hat and gloves that she had most Easters.  This is the photo proof of that from 1984 when Doug was just 2 and Gwen was almost 5. 

This got me thinking about one Easter that I remember. I believe it was 1962 (it could have been a year or two later, I am really not sure).    I had gone with my mom and dad and brother Greg to visit my sister Karen and her family and celebrate Easter in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  While I was still young enough to really wait for that Easter basket, my brother should have been beyond the basket stage.  But, to keep the peace and humor Greg, he was getting a candy filled basket also.  In my family we always had to find the basket that had been hidden somewhere in the house.  We never hid eggs or did an egg hunt.  I remember that I found my basket quite quickly in a sort of "window box" that was on the stairwell of their house.  I was so delighted.  However, Greg could not find his basket.  He looked and looked and as time went on, got more and more upset.  My favorite memory of this day is my mom and sister Karen sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee, just laughing.  The funny thing was, they were watching the clock very closely!  They needed Greg to find that basket that was hidden in the oven so that Karen could start the Easter ham!  I think that they finally gave him so many hints that he found it.   My mom always laughed about this whenever we talked about Easter.  I love thinking about Karen and Mom having coffee around the kitchen table, laughing and talking.  

Our day yesterday began with an amazing worship service at Gwen and Tim's church.  During the service the pastor talked about church being a place that welcomes anyone and everyone comes exactly as they are.  Of course, he shared that Jesus is the answer to every problem and situation that we might have.   During the final song, people from the congregation went to the front of the sanctuary holding signs that represented many common situations -  divorce, cancer, depression, anxiety, illness, worry, hopelessness, fear, pain, addiction - among other things (this is just a sample of things I remember seeing).  During the song, they turned their signs over to reveal things like HOPE, RECOVERY, FAITH, PEACE, HEALTH!  It was such a visual reminder of what all of us have gained because of the cross and the resurrection.  I loved this!   Everyone could look at those signs and look into their own life and see what Jesus has done for them.   It was wonderful.   Thank you Jesus!

I am so grateful that Easter fell right in the middle of this difficult month for me.  I love that there is this reminder for me that Jesus is ALIVE and because of His great love for us all, we can celebrate in the midst of loss. What an amazing gift of life and love. 

Jesus, thank you for Easter, for resurrection, for joy and love and life!   Thank you for children and grand children and smiles and laughing and fun.   Thank you for 75 degrees and sunshine and the bursting forth of springtime.   Holy Spirit, remind all of us what you have done in our lives. Thank you for loving us and redeeming us.  Amen

Remembering my dad on this Resurrection Eve

Twenty nine years ago, April 19th was after Easter.  I remember it well.  On Easter Sunday (which was April 7) my dad had a stroke and ended up in ICU.  My mom called me very early to tell me that they had rushed him to the hospital during the night.   I remember that I shared it with the Pastor and asked him to pray.   1985 had been a challenging year for us.   Doug had been in the hospital most of January and February, culminating with having his kidney removed.  Just after recovering from that surgery, he caught chicken pox (from Gwen).  I had missed lots of work and now I needed to go to Minnesota to see my dad.   So, I planned a last minute weekend trip, by myself, flying up to be with my mom and visit my dad.  During all the three years of my dads illness and dialysis, my mom never expected me to come and visit.  It was the same time that Doug was so sick and she knew that I couldn't leave him.  So, when she said that I needed to come, I knew I needed to go.   I left two unhappy, sick (scratchy) kids with Ken and made the trip.  I am glad that I did.  I visited on the 13th and 14th and flew home on the 15th.  My dad died on April 19.  My dad had not really responded to anyone much at all, yet when I talked to him, he immediately asked about Ken and the kids.  Everyone in the room was so surprised.   Later the doctor asked him if he wanted to stop his dialysis and he shook his head no.  But later that day they were unable to do the dialysis since his blood pressure kept dropping.  Even though his will to live was so strong, his body had just had enough.  

The picture above is from December of 1981, when I was pregnant with Doug.  My dad just loved Gwen.  He couldn't get over how verbal she was.  She was quite the talker and she loved to talk with her grandpa.  He loved to talk with her.  My dad, however,  was not very talkative about his faith, but I know that he believed in Jesus.   In the last years of his life, my parents were blessed with one of those special, amazing Pastors that really make a difference.   Pastor Bode drew my dad out and for the first time in his adult life, dad joined a Bible study.   Pastor Bode visited my dad almost daily in the hospital and was so supportive of my mom.  During his last visit with my dad, he read Psalm 121, my dad's very favorite Psalm.  And he reminded everyone at my dad's funeral, that we would see him again, and that he was celebrating with Jesus in heaven.  

I love that all I can think about tonight is the Resurrection!  Without Easter, we would not have that assurance that we had at dad's funeral.  What a wonderful gift!  I am so thankful for that faithful pastor who took the time to really get my dad to think about Jesus.  After years and years of working as a church secretary, I know that the Easter season is a very busy time for pastors and ALL church workers.   So I encourage you all to not only pray for your pastor, but also show you appreciation next week.   Make sure that they get their days off, and honor their time with their family.  Most importantly, share in the Resurrection celebration tomorrow!   He is risen!  He is risen, indeed!  Amen