Happy Belated Easter

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

My husband was parking as my daughters and I stopped in front of this gorgeous flower-covered cross on our way into church on Sunday. (I think His Highness viewed the fact that he was parking as a double mercy. He showed mercy to us by dropping us off close to the doors. And we were merciful to him by not forcing him to pose for a photo.)

Our son wasn’t with us because he was back in Arkansas for college. He’s introverted and spends a fair amount of time alone. I was worried that the See’s chocolates I sent with him when he left Dallas after spring break would serve as the beginning and end of his Easter celebration. But when I called him on Easter, I was thrilled to hear that his buddy on the basketball team (Zach) had invited him to church. And Zach’s mom (Toni) had invited him to their family’s Easter lunch. Their meal was my son’s dream come true because they had multiple meats to choose from. And THEN–wonder of wonders–Toni sent me pictures!

God blessed me when he placed this family within a thirty minute drive of my son’s college and placed Zach on the team with Colin. Toni has the spiritual gift of hospitality. She’s opened her home numerous times. She’s showed up to cheer for the team at EVERY game. She picked up and delivered a gluten free cake for me so Colin would have cake on his birthday. She made sure the seniors on the team were honored after the last home game. She’s fed the team and my son too many times to count.

Hospitality is such a meaningful form of generosity, amen?

Through Toni’s kindness to my boy, she gave an Easter gift to me, his mom.

I’ll close with these beautiful lyrics about Easter from the song In Christ Alone…

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand:
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

What was true this past Sunday — that Jesus Christ is raised from the dead and standing at the right hand of the Father — is true today. It’ll be true tomorrow. Next month. Next year. Always.

And that’s the very best reason for hope and joy today. And every day.

He is risen. He is risen, indeed!