Easter and the Days That Followed

Easter 2019 ~

The Saturday before Easter, Josh, Tamara & Co. dyed a couple dozen eggs.

We never dyed eggs for Easter when I was growing up, so my sole contribution was sitting at the table next to Jonah and saying wildly helpful things like -

"No, don't touch the dye."

"No, wait, you can't take the egg out yet."

"No, buddy, don't touch it!"

And then after it was all done Tamara and I took pictures (which is why she isn't in any of them...).

- - -

A squirrel on my tree, all settled in for a Sunday afternoon nap.  It was the cutest thing.

Sunday was sunny and gorgeous, fitting for a day to celebrate the Resurrection.  Especially since Saturday had been so gray and gloomy.

Breakfast at church, lunch at the Bible school, a relaxing afternoon, and before I knew it, that wonderful three-day weekend had come to an end.

- - -

Less than two months until I get to see them.  Can.not. wait.

- - -

Wednesday evening we had a staff ladies' tea/coffee night.  My friend Kelley hosted at her house and I brought the snacks.  She said she was glad not to have to make snacks (although she is a great baker!).  Me?  Well, I was more than happy to make snacks since it meant I wouldn't have to clean my house.  (Not that it's super dirty.  But it would have required cleaning.  Baking is certainly more enjoyable for me than cleaning, but I digress...)  I found myself thinking later about how much I enjoy teaming up with her on things like this and how we should do it more often...and then I remembered that they'll be moving over to our sister school this summer.

Sigh.

It really was such a nice evening though, drinking tea and catching up with coworkers that I don't always get much time with.

I know I've said it before, but it really is such a blessing to have coworkers who are also good friends.

Sometimes I'm fancy and painstakingly decorate the tops of my blueberry muffins with tiny blueberry juice bubbles.  Just kidding.  It happened on its own and I thought it was funny.

Thus the picture.

- - -

Your Grace Finds Me is playing right now.  It never gets old -

The same for the rich and poor

The same for the saint and for the sinner

Enough for this whole wide world

Your great grace, oh such grace

 

Grace that creates beauty and gives rest and makes the sun shine to warm us.

Grace that brings friends around and, through them, speaks truth and hope and reminds us that He can always be trusted.

Grace for hard times, for questions, for mundane weekdays.

Grace, a celebration, like a tree covered in a thousand pom-poms.

Grace, even when the skies are gray.

Grace, alive and growing and never stale.

Grace, for all our days.

Flowers, Creatures, and Other Signs of Spring

It appears that I've unintentionally gotten on a streak of once-a-month blogging.  Will this continue throughout the year?  I have no answers, only questions...

Just kidding.

I have some answers.

Just not that one.

Which you probably aren't loosing sleep over.

Anyway...

- - -

That one day on Spring Break that I took a drive up to the capital after lunch -

I figured after I'd lived in the state for over three years, I should probably see the capital.

I also poked around in a few shops in the old part of town and stopped in to check out a farm market, which turned out to be oddly overwhelming.  All the plants they had outside (like this dahlia) did make me start dreaming of the extensive garden I'd love to have one day...

Then I thought how it would be wisest to start small and slowly expand.

Then I thought about how I'll be moving in a year or so, and that kind of put a damper on the whole thing.

Speaking of moving, yes.  I'll probably be moving in another year(ish).  For those of you who get my email updates, this will be old news, but to make a long story short (and leave out all the details that I don't have yet...), the Bible Schools are going to be consolidating, and they're planning to close this campus down next summer.

I'll talk about the move more as I know more myself, but for now your prayers would be so very appreciated!

- - - 

Glorious spring -

Daffodils!  These sunny little flowers always make me happy, their trumpets announcing the arrival of cheer and warmth and other such good things.

I also like that they remind me of Mom, 'cause she's cheery too.

Violets are everywhere!  They're taking over the neighborhood one yard at a time!

I've been waiting for this day since the leaves fell off the tree last fall: the day when the branches would no longer be bare and little buds would burst into the most vibrant, celebratory green pom-poms.

The pom-poms finally opened this week.  They're still little, but their glory peak is just days away.

I can't tell you how much I love that I have a tree out front that gets green pom-poms every spring.

Wednesday I was sick.  I stayed home and rested and the whole day was one sweet reminder after another of how much God cares for me.

An evening thunderstorm rolled in - the first of the season - and I sat by the window, listening to the rain and thunder, watching the lightning streak across the sky, heavy drops clinging to the wet branches.

I had no finished to-do lists or even illusions of productivity to offer, and yet He reminded me that He loves to give gifts that delight me (like a thunderstorm), simply because He can.

There is no end to this grace!  I would see it so much sooner if I stopped thinking He could ever be impressed by my finished lists.

 - - -

The little squirrel who lives in a wee nook under the neighbor's roof -

I don't believe it will surprise anyone if I confess that squirrels are some of my very favorite creatures.

But all the things that make them so endearing - their flicking tails, their dashing to-and-fro, their inability to sit still for more than .5 seconds - make them difficult to take pictures of.

Which is why I can spend ages watching them from the window, laughing at their antics, and have so few pictures to show for it.

Still, every once in a while, I manage to get a gem like this one.

Meet Cashew.  (That's what he said his name was.  Who am I to question squirrel parents' choices in naming their offspring?)

- - -

Two little goobers. :)

Poor little dude got a black eye.

He may have been walking around with a blanket over his face.

Do not try this at home.

Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters...

Or at least, I hope they will be one day. :) 

In the meantime, their cuteness is enough to make you melt right down to a puddle.

I can't wait to "squeeze 'em to pieces" (as Grandma would have said) this summer!

"Where else should we go holding hands?"

"Hmm...how 'bout Starbucks."

- - -

Today, I remember that though He was buried, He didn't stay in the tomb.
I remember that He conquered sin, guilt, and death itself.
Today, I rejoice - because of His resurrection, life has purpose and hope and loved ones who've passed away, like Grandma and Crock, don't stay in the grave either.  They are missed so deeply here, and yet what a celebration they must be having with Jesus!  I can't wait for the day when I'll see Him, too.

Come, Lord Jesus, come.