Easter

Well, it's Good Friday and I have the day off! Yay :) ECU does not have school either, but the public schools do...weird huh. Anyway, this 3 day weekend makes me very happy...mainly because I don't think we've ever stayed home during one?? We usually hit the road and take advantage of an extra day of freedom. However Jess is way too busy with school, we just went out of town and gas is horrific! However, I'm enjoying staying home without an agenda. I'm still in my pajamas, ate breakfast in bed and plan on watching a lot of college basketball today. (Go Drake!!) Other than running to the grocery store...I don't have much planned.

Jess and I have been going on "power walks" (well, I walk and he rides his bike) in the last couple of weeks in our neighborhood and I plan on doing plenty of that this weekend too. I have a certain bridesmaids dress to fit into and I'm afraid I need to shed a few inches to fit comfortably in it :) Our walks are not really doing Jesse any good as he is biking at the pace of my walking. However, he goes along to support me and get a little fresh air. What a sweet husband :)

I'm attempting my first pot roast this weekend for Easter. We are not huge fans of the traditional ham meal, so I thought I'd try a roast. I'll post on its' success, or lack thereof, after we've tasted it :) I boiled eggs yesterday, for the first time, because I wanted to dye eggs with the boys I watch. I bought a Spiderman egg dying kit at Target and it turned out to be a hit. :) They had fun and the eggs looked really cute.

We watched an Easter movie this week at preschool and the younger boy I watch asked me all kinds of questions about it for the remainder of the day. For instance, "How did Jesus hang on the cross? Why did they put thorns on his head? Why did they whip him?" etc. (The actual cartoon didn't show him being whipped, but a shadow of a solider using a whip). Anyway, they were very good questions and I tried my best to respond with answers that would be understood by a 5 year-old. My favorite question was "Is he going to rise again someday?" It took me by surprise that he would make this connection and I assured him that "Yes, someday Jesus will come back and everyone that loves Him will live in heaven with Him."

We watched, for the first time, "The Passion of the Christ" with our small group over the past 2 weeks. If that movie doesn't get your mind focused on the meaning of Easter, I don't know what else will! It was intense, to say the least...but still very good to watch. I'm a visual learner and always have been, so actually watching this realistic (maybe a little too realistic for my liking) portrayal of the events leading to the crucifixion was overwhelming, for lack of a better word. I had to close my eyes during some parts, I cried during other parts, but all in all I needed to watch this movie. It has given me a fresh outlook on Easter and really stirred my heart. The message of the cross is a central belief of Christianity, but yet I take it for granted every day...

Last night in our Maundy Thursday service we sang this song, which I love. I've never heard of it until we came to Covenant. It's by Hillsongs United:

Oh Lord You
You know my way
Even when I fail You
I know You love me

Your holy presence
Surrounding me
In every season
I know You love me
I know You love me

At the cross I bow my knee
Where Your blood was shed for me
There
You have overcome the grave
Your glory fills the highest place
What can separate me now

You go before me
You shield my way
Your hand upholds me
I know You love me

You tore the veil
You made a way
When You said that it is done

And when the earth fades
Falls from my eyes
And You stand before me
I know You love me
I know You love me





1 Peter 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.