Easter

We had a wonderful Easter weekend celebrating our risen Savior!

Saturday was a day of final preparations for the holiday, shopping, meal preparation and a favorite activity for our kids - coloring the eggs! Jaden thoroughly enjoyed this. Somehow I was the one who had the most stained fingers!

Sunday morning was absolutely beautiful. We all went to church for the early service since Mark was singing in the combined choirs for both services. During the second service, I had to serve in the two year old nursery. I love serving in there, however I was sad that I would have to miss Mark's solo - he was singing his song in the 11:00 service only. I didn't mention this to anyone. But God allowed a wonderful blessing to me through a sweet older woman. She came to the nursery where I was and asked if she could replace me while I went to listen to Mark sing his solo! What a sweet, thoughtful thing she did for me! And we barely know each other and I still have no idea how she knew I was in the nursery and would love to hear Mark sing! So just in time, I was able to slip into the back of the sanctuary and hear Mark sing his song. He sang it beautifully - "Love Crucified, Arose," an old favorite song by Michael Card.

This was the prayer that we recited on Sunday morning:

"Father of Glory, we continue praising you for raising your Son from the dead. This miracle was all your doing! Now we seek the life-giving consequences of his new life in ourselves. Establish our assurance that the blood of Christ cleanses us completely. Fortify our hope in time of death, of a resurrection body one day.

Grant us, O God, faith to live upon the wealth of our eternal fortune, not the crumbs of temporary possessions. Banish fears and discouragement that overtake us even in the midst of worship. Renew our hope in Christ's next great appearing: Come quickly, Lord Jesus! Amen."

A "new" old hymn

Last night at the Holy Thursday service at our church, we sang this old hymn written by Johann Heermann, 1630. I had never heard it before, but found it to be both beautiful and theologically rich. This morning, I read again the words as I reflected on Christ's suffering and death.

Ah, Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended

Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended,
That man to judge thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.

Who was the guilty who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee;
I crucified thee.

Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
The slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered:
For man's atonement, while he nothing heedeth,
God interceedeth.

For me, kind Jesus, was thine incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and thy life's oblation:
Thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
For my salvation.

Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee,
Think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.

An afternoon at the park

One of the best things about being a homeschooling family is spontaneous trips to the park after lunch on sunny afternoons! I may be 38 years old, but I still love to swing on the swings! I'm so happy that we have a three year old and can still go to playgrounds! Here are some pictures from our beautiful day at Amos Herr Park.

I love this picture of Ivy on the swing!

Jaden being a cowboy
green!

Jaden loves his trike

and Ivy's scooter!

Joel can never be near a baseball diamond without hitting some balls!

We walked around the Amos Herr homestead.

I love magnolias.

Spring is so pretty.

Ivy near the garden

There is a nice trail around the spring house.

My two boys on the see-saw!

Eyes at the Window

Last night I read the final pages of the historical novel, Eyes at the Window by Evie Yoder Miller. It tells the story based on a true event involving several Amish frontier families in PA and OH from 1810-1861. Each chapter speaks with the voice of a different family member allowing the reader to know the inner thoughts of each character as the tale is unwoven. An Amish baby was murdered and the case went unsolved for more than 50 years.

The themes of judgment, suffering and forgiveness are woven through the book. Although this was Miller's first novel, it is an uncommon, striking, well-written book. Admittedly, I am a very critical reader and generally shun novels written about the Amish, but this one is completely different than the plethura of others. It is rich and lyrical, haunting, deep and penetrating. Definitely not mindless "twaddle"!!! I know that I will always remember this story and the characters that became so real in my mind. I will perhaps read it again as there is much on which to ponder and reflect. Because the characters speak honestly about marital relationships and adult issues, I do not recommend this book for younger readers.