Easter

I've been contemplating what to write today and was reading some of the other blogs I follow when I came across a post from Mary Beth Chapman. For those who might not know Mary Beth is married to Steven Curtis Chapman, the Christian musician and their youngest daughter, Maria, died in a car accident last May. Over the last several months, Mary Beth has started blogging about the journey God is bringing her through as she grieves for her daughter yet continues on as a mom to her other children. I've been so encouraged to read her blogs and see the amazing things God is doing through her and through their family in the midst of such a great tragedy. I'm so blessed through her willingness to be open and honest with people who she doesn't know and who she will probably never meet. At Christmas her blog post completely pulled me out of the craziness that is the Christmas season and reminded me that Christmas is really just another day without Easter. Over the past several months I've pondered her thoughts on how Mary must have felt that morning in the stable when she held her son in her arms for the first time. She knew the prophesy about the Messiah. From the time the angel told her she carried the Messiah in her womb she knew that He would only be hers for a short time, that he would bear the torture and shame of death. Imagine as a mom what that must have been like and how you would live life differently if you knew. As I read Mary Beth's blog today I was reminded again that we make such a big deal out of the Christmas holiday and yet, really without the salvation that came when Jesus conquered death on Easter Sunday morning, Christmas is just December 25th, another arbitrary day on the calendar to fill up with meaningless tasks and busyness.

Here's the link to Mary Beth's blog: http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/marybeth/. I think you'll find it poignant and encouraging to read the words of a woman of faith who is struggling with her grief in the only possible way, clinging to God and His promises of eternal life that came on the first Easter Sunday thousands of years ago.

I've posted a few pictures of Bella below. She wasn't very cooperative for me this morning when I tried to take her pictures, so there's not many. I think Rhonda got a couple of good pictures and she was really hamming it up for Davra, so I can't wait to see those pictures too! :-)