Easter 2016

TETELESTAI

{It is finished...it was finished in the past...it is still finished in the present...

and it will remain finished in the future}

"It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life 

I know that it is finished."

I don't know about you, but Easter just does me in. The emotions of what Mary and the others felt at seeing the empty tomb and garments left behind. Not knowing what happened to Jesus. The fear. The desperation. Then He appeared to Mary and all he had to do was whisper her name and she knew...HE WAS ALIVE. HE IS ALIVE. Forever. Hallelujah. Death could not defeat him. Hell could not keep him. Evil did not win. And because HE LIVES, we can face tomorrow. We have HOPE. We are FREE. We are ALIVE in Him. 

One of my favorite songs right now that we sang at church this weekend is called Death Was Arrested...

But then Jesus arose with our freedom in hand  

That's when death was arrested and my life began 

Oh your grace so free washes over me 

You have made me new now life begins in you.

I love the promise of FREEDOM. 

I'm free to struggle.  I'm free to repent and confess and come before my Father.  I'm free to stop trying so dang hard. I'm free to get unstuck.  I'm free to love others recklessly.  I'm free to live for eternity.  I'm free to enjoy the temporary.  Following Jesus allows me to be free in who He has made me to be and FREE to tust wholly in His work on my behalf.  How can that not do me in every single day of the year? 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery...You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.  For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:1, 13-14

Easter was a little different for us this year because we went to Church on Saturday night.  This is actually a new normal for us becuase Jeff is in charge of this service at our church.  It has been hard in some ways and really great in a lot of ways.   We go to a large church.  Saturday night offers a smaller community and a way to really belong.  Saturday night for Easter weekend though brought thousands of people out and it was an amazing service.  I'm so thankful for Perimeter Church and our amazing musicians and a wonderful Gospel message that connected with every age.  

Jeff had to work Sunday for all 3 services so I stayed home with the kids and we tried to have a laid back morning.  But anyone who has 4 little sinners as children will know that sometimes (ok maybe all the time) that is impossible.  In reality, there was a lot of arguing, yelling, whining, crying, and chaos.  That's just reality.  And most days I'm right there in the mix of the whining and raising my voice.  I'm reminded daily as I parent these 4 kiddos of what a sinner I am.  I am so thankful that Jesus died for those sins and that through His resurrection I am not bound by them.  I do not have to try and be better to win His approval. He loves me, and my kids, just as we are.  What a Savior. 

Also as a side note, if you go to a church where you have a young pastor and he has young kids...just give his wife a hug and congratulate her on making it to church each week by herself:).  Most days, she feels like she has run a marathon just to get herself and her kiddos there alone.  I now want to hug every pastor's wife I know and just tell them "now I understand all you do".  It can be a lonely place to not worship together and to be the one who has to do everything and get everyone to their appropriate spots on time on a Sunday morning (or Saturday night - ha).  I'm learning to leave WAY earlier than I ever thought I would have to and to TRY my best to breathe deeply and not let the stress get to me.  

Kids loved doing this. They had fun trying to make tie dyed eggs. 

So now as we move forward from this Holy season, let us not forget what all we celebrate as believers.  We are ALIVE.  We are FREE.  We have HOPE.