Holy Friday

I really thought yesterday's post would be my last for the week. With the boys being out of school today I didn't anticipate I would have time to even sit down much less blog. However, they decided they wanted to play school. Yes, boys play school too. I, however, am not allowed to play school with them. Apparently I'm too much like a real teacher. A killjoy. If they want to write on Sissy's dry-erase board that 2+2=5 or that "kej" is a real word (in Bueller's defense, it IS a nonsense word) they can. Plus, as Grant said, "You know why we like to play school, momma? Because we always get along when we play school."

Cue the Hallelujah chorus.

So I just enjoyed a full cup of coffee while I read my daily devotional.

Repeat chorus.

Pinch me.

Plus I may have said something about dyeing Easter eggs after lunch so long as I didn't have to play referee before then. ;)

I'm always a mix of emotions Easter week. I've had the hymn He Lives stuck in my head all week with the verse that says "the hope of all who seek Him, the help of all who find..." really speaking to me.

I've never really understood why Good Friday is called "good." It's the day of Jesus' crucifixion. I personally think Holy Friday would be a better term. I read ahead a day in my devotional (Journey) this morning since I had time. It spoke of Jesus' prayer at the crucifixion saying,

Prior to being nailed to the cross, Jesus was brutally flogged so He was already physically compromised due to the loss of blood and dehydration. Isaiah 52:14 says, "His appearance was so disfigured that He did not look like a man, and His form did not resemble a human being."

After the nails were driven into His wrists and feet, the weight of His body hanging on the cross caused severe muscle spasms. His outstretched arms made it impossible for Jesus to breathe. As he was suffocating Jesus used His limited breath to pray, "Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). Jesus, the perfect, sinless Lamb of God paid our debt of sin on the cross. His last words were of forgiveness - for your sins and my sins, past, present and future.

I hope that hit you like it did me. He suffered. For you and me. He died. For you and me. I'm thankful, grateful, humbled.

I wish I kept the mindset all of my days that I have in the days leading up to Easter. I should be ashamed that I don't.

Christ's death, as awful and horrible and cruel as it was, led to His resurrection on Easter Sunday which brought new life to those who believe. When you think about it that way, "good" is quite fitting to say the least.

My children know and understand why we celebrate Easter. However, I think the boys are a bit too young to hear the gory details of the crucifixion. It's hard for me to hear. So to retell the Easter story, tomorrow evening we will be making Easter Story Cookies (I found this link through Google- you can find many recipes for these if you search; however, this one also contains the scripture that goes along with making these. I printed it all out so I can have everything handy when we're making them). We have done them the past couple of years, and I hope we continue making it a tradition. If you've never made them I encourage you to this year - whether or not you have children. It's one thing to hear the story. It's another to be able to, in a sense, show the story.

I do have a few pictures from Mac's Easter Egg Hunt at school yesterday:

Patiently waiting for Ready.Set.Go

I don't know why but pictures like this crack me up

Mr. Competitive - hunting eggs is serious business :)

With his lady friends :)

Decisions, decisions. They could choose one piece of candy to eat at school

Reid helped me hide the eggs for Mac's class. On the way back to let everyone know we were ready he saw Grant headed to lunch. He tagged along with Grant to lunch then Ms. T was so sweet to let him spend the rest of the afternoon with them. Reid loves Ms. T's centers. Grant loves having Reid in his classroom. It gives me one-on-one time with Mac. It's a win all the way around.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend!