Potpourri Friday

One lonely bunny. That's all that is left these days. There used to be a whole litter of these Easter bunny baskets at our house. But one by one they have left with their girl - to houses of their own. I miss them. And the girls too! Sigh. I miss buying little lip glosses, and colorbooks and story books and cross necklaces, and the chocolate bunnies to fill the baskets with. I miss getting up early on Easter and watching the girls dig into their baskets. But there are new grandbabies on the horizon and so there will be new bunnies too. Life does go on. I'm so happy about that!

Oh, I have some winners from my drawing from the Ultimate Blogging Party week. I didn't get to participate as much as I'd hoped too - it was such a busy week for me. But I had three prizes to give away and here they are:

The little stack of fat quarters go to Paula H. She doesn't have a blog. The little Mary Engelbreit photo album goes to Teri. And the stocking ornament pattern goes to Blessed at A Blessed Crazy Life. Isn't that a great name for a blog? So true.
Thanks girls for visiting me during the party. I hope you enjoy your prizes - they will be going out in the mail next week - after Easter. Because I have a ton of things to do before then!

Like attend an Easter sunrise service that my husband is speaking at, attend church, and then feed 35 people at my house afterwards. I know - I'm crazy. I don't really plan these things - they just happen to me! I always tell my husband, I don't run my life - my life runs me. I guess I need to work on that.

I'm still so thrilled that I am attending the She Speaks conference this summer. I go to sleep thinking about it. I wake up thinking about it. I eat my lunch and dinner thinking about it. I know there will be many bloggers there. If you are going, let me know. I would love to meet you in person! That would be the icing on the cake!

Oh, and I hope you like the new look of my blog. I have tried for months to change my header. I never could make it work. I can set blocks on point in quilting, I can hem a pair of jeans so they look professional, I can make a great Italian Cream Cake. But put the letters h-t-m-l in front of me and I freeze. But I kept trying. And I don't really know what I did different - but it worked this time! I hope I can do it again - later.


Happy Resurrection Day!
I wanted to close this post today by focusing on the truth of Easter. The absolute truth. In the busyness of the holiday, I pray you find the time to focus on what it means to you and me. Because without it Christmas would have no meaning at all. It is everything to the Believer.

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. Luke 23:45

The sun stopped shining. The Son stopped shining. I'm so glad I wasn't there to witness the absolute and complete desolation and depression that must have filled the air. I'm so glad I wasn't there to see a mother broken in grief as she witnessed the beaten, broken, crucified body of her son. I'm so glad I wasn't there to see my Savior bleeding in agony on a crude instrument of torture and death.

"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary." John 20: 15-16

One simple word was all He said. Her name. Mary. Can you just imagine the look on her face? How I wish I had been there to see that joyful reunion! How I wish I had been there to see the look of confusion change to recognition and finally to understanding and acceptance. The Son was shining again.

The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will regin forever and ever. Revelation 22:3-5

The Son will shine forever. I WILL be there! Will you?

Last Sunday in church we had a "Meaning of the Passover" service. A Christian Jewish man held a Seder for us and explained one by one the Jewish traditions that take place during this meal. I've seen this done before but it always brings me to tears as the traditions become alive with meaning as the identity of the Messiah becomes so obvious and apparent. Only a God could come up with such a perfect plan of redemption.

I pray that the truth of Easter will imprint itself upon your heart this weekend.