Celebrating the Resurrection
This week for Easter I am thinking about all the people I'm most excited to see when I'm resurrected. This is Robyn. The photo was taken when we were about 14. In my move across country and being here without friends, oddly, she's the one I've missed the most. I say oddly because I haven't been able to see or talk to her in about a decade. God takes the good ones early. Happy Pending Resurrection Robyn!
It will be so great to see my father-in-law again when I'm resurrected. He was so kind to me and so funny. I loved it when he told an outrageous story just to see if I would believe him. This photo is the last one taken of him at Lucy's baptism. He died suddenly about 2 weeks later. I'm happy to celebrate Christ's resurrection and look forward to Dale's someday.
This is Mae Francis Wright. What a great friend and example she was to me. She taught me that a person can survive just about anything. There wasn't much in this world she didn't have to endure. She was born in Louisana in the 30's and I asked her to teach me about the civil rights movement. She made me read a fat book on slavery first. We could laugh for hours. Her house was so peaceful. It will be fun to see her again and hear her deep voice. And Laugh! Won't the resurrection be awesome?!
This is me with my 3 brothers. I don't always say I have 3 brothers because inevitably if I do, people ask where they are......My oldest brother Stan, on the right, died at 15 when I was 6. I don't think I have any independent memories of him. That sucks. I have feelings for him. I feel we were very close. I'm told he chose to sleep in my room while I was a newborn.
I also know that his absense changed my family forever. I can't wait to see him again. I can't wait to see my parents with him again and know that they are finally whole. The resurrection can fix all the things that happen to families that leave them broken. Hallelujah! Easter is a good perspective point--a good filter to look at everything through.
I woke up this morning with the lyrics of "He is Risen running through my mind and thinking about what it would be like to go to the cemetery where my Ian is buried and have the stone moved and an angel telling me that he wasn't dead anymore. Someday! Even better than that he wouldn't be weak or achy or out of breath or scarred. He would be whole. Complete. Perfect. Just like his spirit always was. "Death is conquered; man is free. Christ has won the victory!" Resurrection is the greatest miracle of all. I can't wait to see Ian.
Late last night Keith and I attended a Messianic Congregation where they were having a resurrection service. It was unforgettable. Men in skull caps with side curls chanting in Hebrew until they recounted the story of the crucifixion. That part was in English--including "every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ." We lit candles that were made in Jerusalem and lit the first time at what is accepted as the tomb.
Then on the way home we drove past a church where they had a tomb with a stone and guards making sure it stayed shut.
This morning the sun is finally out in Wisconsin--perfect metaphor for Easter Sunday. Happy resurrection day everyone. Can't wait to see my Savior when I'm resurrected and thank him.
We flew kites today--family tradition from when I was a child. I wonder if my parents started it to keep us looking to Heaven for Easter?
I wish I could keep the resurrection in the front of my mind always.
