Happy Easter!
This is our second Easter here now, but we celebrated with another first. We all woke up at 5am and went up the hill to a
sunrise service. Although the fog kept us from seeing the sun, it was nice to awake early as Mary did 2000 years ago. We
sang songs, prayed for each other, the community and the country, and remembered Christ's sacrifice. HE IS RISEN!
One of the traditions here is to transform the symbol of death and pain (the cross) into a symbol of life, by putting
flowers on it. Around here there are no florists so the flowers you see come from our own personal gardens. In fact
keeping up nice flower gardens is very useful as it is used for arrangements and boutineers etc during times of celebration.
If you notice, I got tired of standing in line so I went around back and reached up top and placed a red carnation at the
very top as only I was able to reach that place.
We then went to some acquaintances house and ate Easter ham. We dyed eggs yesterday with our Finnish neighbors and we hid
them inside the house as it was pouring rain outside.
Then we ate some homemade pie Kendal made. Very good work on the part of my wife, and finally we celebrated by having
Calvin's stitches removed and spending time together in the evening.
Yesterday we spent time making an Easter craft. I thought the kids would enjoy a more interactive time talking about the
Easter story, as well as spending time in "daddy's shop". I had some spare Kwila (hard wood) and I cut a few notches and we
made crosses while talking as a family about Christ and the symbolism. It is remarkable how much they understand and know
already. The depth of their understanding isn't your typicaly sunday school answers.
I asked "Why is Easter Sunday so important?"
"Because Jesus came back to life."
"why is that important?"
"because if he didn't, then we couldn't be saved."
on Good Friday a thought someone shared struck me.... for the disciples 3 years of living with Jesus came to an end at His
death. For those experiencing separation, this is the extreme. Imagine spending time with Jesus for 3 years, and then Him
being gone.... that resonated with me. That type of separation. I can see why people describe Hell as separation from God,
and I wonder sometimes if that is why leaving friends and family is so hard... separation is seemingly the opposite of what
God created us for.
Jesus is alive, He is risen.
We will be joined with Him some day!
From all of us here, Happy Easter!!
pictures here
