Easter 2013
E--Eucharistic celebration
A--Awed by Jesus' love as the Paschal Lamb
S--Sharing a meal with treasured friends
T--Treats, treats, and more treats
E--Eggcellent egg hunt
R--Reflecting on the Resurrection
On Easter morning we celebrated a gorgeous Mass at the Cathedral as a family. The word "eucharist" means "thanksgiving," and while I was at Mass I was overwhelmed with thanksgiving for so many things: the gift of receiving Christ's Body and Blood at Mass, my servant-hearted husband who was willing to go to Mass early with the big boys to save Nathanael and I a seat so that we didn't have to sit for 2 hours, my handsome boys who fill me with more joy than I ever thought possible, my Catholic faith which sustains me and draws me nearer to Jesus every year, friends who encourage me, this growing baby inside me that we will soon get to meet, good health, a good-paying job for Paul, etc, etc, etc.
This simple lamb cake that I make every year (a tradition started by my Grandma Elizabeth) is such a profound reminder of the true meaning of Easter. Jesus loved us so much that he became the sacrificial unblemished lamb, dying for our sins, and giving us the gift of eternal life in heaven. Truly our God is an awesome God!
Sometimes holidays are very hard for me emotionally because we have no family nearby, but thankfully God has blessed us with the most faith-filled, encouraging friends to fill our holidays with joy. Our friends Glen and Lisa joined us with their FIVE little girls (we already have their marriages arranged with our FIVE boys---unless, of course, some of our boys become priests!) :) Our friends Derek and Jennifer came with their son Alex and their daughter Sarah. And Paul's office buddy Clifford came as a bachelor to watch the joyful chaos of all our kids :) It was a fantastic meal with beautiful fellowship.
The boys awoke Easter morning to find their Easter baskets filled with goodies, plus we made our traditional Resurrection Rolls while we decorated eggs and snacked on Bird Nest Cookies throughout the weekend. The boys also collected more treats during the outdoor egg hunt, so they certainly had enough sugar in one weekend to make up for the last 40 days of Lent!
EGGCELLENT EGG HUNT:
We continued our tradition of going to a nearby lake to have an egg hunt with friends after our big meal. The weather was absolutely gorgeous--a toasty 59 degrees--and it felt so nice to get fresh air after such a long winter indoors. I had to smile as I watched the different way that the boys played compared to the girls. The boys had a blast throwing rocks at logs in the lake and trying to sink the logs because they were pretend Japanese battleships. Whereas, the little girls were daintily scooping up the frothy bubbles that were floating by the shore and marveling at how pretty they were in their hands. Boys and girls are certainly wired differently, and what a beautiful thing that is! :)
REFLECTING ON THE RESURRECTION:
Lent for me this year was a desert experience, but I believe God intended it thus so for the good of my soul. I found myself failing at my Lenten resolutions, I found myself feeling desolate many times, and I found myself falling under the weight of my small cross. But I found that my 40 days of struggling in the wilderness truly made me cling to God's mercy like never before and look forward with great longing to the promise of Easter joy ahead. Christ's Resurrection on Easter reminded me that I have every reason to be filled with joy and hope, for if God can raise Jesus from the dead, He can certainly resurrect my sinful heart, He can resurrect my emotions, He can resurrect my marriage, He can resurrect my children from their vices, He can resurrect my weaknesses to help me become a more loving wife and a more joyful mother to these five beautiful boys He has given me. Lent reminded me of my desperate need for a Redeemer...Easter assured me that I have indeed been redeemed and that my Redeemer lives and is with me every day!!! What a gift, what a joy, what a loving God we have!
A BLESSED EASTER TO EACH OF YOU!!!
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