A Daddy and a Butterfly playing Rummikub. It was still quite early, with Trev still asleep. We had gone swimming last night and went to bed worn out and freshly bathed, and I think we all slept soundly. I put a Breakfast In Bed coffee pod in my Keurig and stepped outside to see what the weather was like. And oh my goodness...
The morning was pristine. The air was so fresh and the breeze was coming strong off of the lake. The sky was blue with only a few clouds and the sun was bright. Though the day would get warm, it was probably not quite 70 degrees outside. It was the kind of morning that takes your breath away, where you want to close your eyes and soak it all in, letting the breeze invigorate you and the sunshine keep you warm.
So that's what I did. I set a chair on our front stoop and brought out my coffee, ice water, Bible, Paul Bible study, a biography, and the latest issue of Southern Living magazine (which I observed is a combination that could sum me up pretty well). I had a few moments of quiet, and my mind kept going to the Resurrection, as we are celebrating it tomorrow on Easter Sunday.
As the cool breeze blew and the warm sun shone, I imagined what it would have been like to be one of the women at the empty tomb. I pondered those powerful words, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" I read through I Corinthians 15 and Luke 24. I tried to contemplate the tension that must have been present during those three days before Jesus arose as the battle between God and Satan, life and death was fought. I thought of the power that must have ripped through the earth as the grave was overwhelmed and Christ conquered sin and death. Song lyrics from an old Sandi Patti song, Was It A Morning Like This, came to mind...
What is a morning like this, When Mary walked down from Jerusalem?
And two angels stood at the tomb, Bearers of news she would hear soon.
Did the grass sing? Did the earth rejoice To feel you again?
Over and over like a Trumpet underground, Did the earth seem to pound: “He is risen”
Over and over in a never ending round “He is risen, Alleluia, Alleluia!”
I wondered if that morning that the tomb was found empty and the stone was rolled away, was it a morning as clear and glorious and perfect as the one that found me sitting on my porch surrounded by books, sipping coffee as the breeze blew my hair? Where the birds chirped and the sun shone and the earth seemed at peace? In my imagination, it was. Of course, I don't know for sure what it felt like that day. But I do know this...He is risen! He is risen, indeed.
Of course my moments of solitude and contemplation were short-lived. It seems wherever Mommy is, the rest of the family soon follows! One by one everyone came in and out to join me on the stoop. It turned into a sidewalk chalk and pinwheel morning, followed by a dig in the dirt, back porch sunshine early afternoon.
Later in the afternoon Jimmy took the kids swimming again while I ran errands, and the rest of the evening has been a blur of cooking and baths and laying out everyone's Sunday best and preparing Easter baskets. Tomorrow is sure to be a glorious worship celebration and wonderful day of family.
All because on a morning like this, an empty tomb revealed that Jesus conquered the grave. He is mighty to save.
Blessings this Easter,
Jennifer
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