I thought it was a bad sign when I looked down at the bottom shelf where the marshmallows are supposed to be and saw nothing but bare shelving. I actually got down onto my hands and knees and sure enough, way in the back on the very bottom shelf - one bag left. MINE! I got everything I needed and was back home by 9:00pm.
I decided to set up the egg hunt for the kids before I got to preparing the potato dish. See...there I go procrastinating again. So I descended into the dungeon of our basement for the Easter baskets and plastic eggs I saved from last year. Once I came back up into the light I got a sinking feeling. The baskets were covered in a fuzzy film of mildew. BUMMER!! I thought, okay, we have other baskets around the house I can round up to use instead. Not a big deal.
Then I pulled out the plastic grocery bag that was filled with all the plastic eggs and the Resurrection Eggs carton I made last year. The plastic bag looked like a bunch of holes had been eaten through it. And sure enough, there were some mouse droppings in the bottom of the bag. By miracle, my Resurrection Eggs carton had not a single chew out of it or any mildew on it - it was in perfect condition, the eggs inside were clean and symbols inside each were still intact.
For the life of me I can't get Blogger to turn this picture around so I give up:
But I didn't have any eggs to fill with candy for the hunt. I guess I could drive back out to the store and buy more eggs but I thought the heck with eggs too. No eggs, no problem! Hubby agreed.
We don't do the whole Easter basket gig full of candy and presents. It just distracts us all from the reason we celebrate this holiday to begin with. I don't even do the dying real eggs gig. Obviously a lot of people find it to be a very fun and creative tradition but to me it honestly sounds like a messy pointless ordeal that I'd rather just avoid altogether. (No judgements to those of you that do!) :) We just hide plastic eggs full of candy around the house and let the kids search for them and collect them in a basket. Until this year - apparently its just a candy hunt with no eggs or pretty baskets. I have a feeling that as long as they get to do a scavenger hunt of any sort and they end up with some candy, they will be content.
But that's not all we do around here. Each night at the dinner table we've been reading parts of the Easter Bible story. Tonight we left off at the point where Jesus was buried. I love that at the end of each evening's Bible reading the kids tell me not to stop but to keep on reading. In the morning we'll pick up reading where we left off. We'll also recap the whole story by letting them take turns opening the Resurrection Eggs and telling what the item inside each one reminds them of.
My oldest informed me this evening that "just like the women went looking for Jesus after they discovered his tomb was empty, we'll go looking for eggs!" I've never said it like that so I'm not sure if she came up with that connection herself or if she heard someone else say it. I'm hoping the former. :)
I didn't plan on writing much about Christ's death and resurrection like I did last year. But that's not to say I haven't been thinking about it. All week in the car we've been listening to my favorite album (still) - Hymn Project: Volume 1 by Chelsea Moon With Uncle Daddy. (Volume 2 should be available any day now - I'm so impatient!!!) It hit me mid-week that its kind of an Easter album and I wanted to share some of the lyrics from the songs that have really helped me focus on the significance of what I celebrate this weekend:
from How Deep the Father's Love
written by Stuart Townend
copywrite 1995 Thankyou Music
How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He would give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon the cross
My guilt upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
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 will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
from Jesus Paid It All
arranged by Chelsea Moon, Noah Needleman & TJ Stafford
based on "Jesus Paid It All" circa 1865 Elvina M. Hall and John T. Grape
I hear the Savior say
"Thy strength indeed is small"
Child of weakness, watch and pray
Find in Me thine all in all
Jesus paid it all.
All to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain.
He washed it white as snow.
And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
Jesus died, my soul to save.
My lips shall still repeat
Oh praise the One who paid my debt
And raised this life up from the dead.
from When I Survey
written by Isaac Watts
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride
See from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did ever such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all
from Nothing But the Blood
arranged by Chelsea Moon, Noah Needleman & TJ Stafford
based on "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus" circa 1876 Robert Lowry
What can wash away my sin?
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Not of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
from Before The Throne
written by Charitie Bancroft / Vicki Cook
copywrite 1997 Sovereign Grace Worship
My name is written on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tougue can bid me thence depart
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look, and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
Praise the One, The Risen Son of God!
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