What a wonderful time we had this past weekend with our grand-kids. It started with getting to Texarkana on Good Friday, just in time to leave for communion service at Fellowship Bible Church, Damian & Gabby’s church. Gabby, Isabelle and Andrew were waiting for us on the front porch, Damian was already at church because he was playing bass guitar during the service. Izzy was jumping up and down as we pulled in the drive. I rode with them to Church, so I could visit a few minutes on the way.
As we pulled into the parking lot at Church, Izzy squealed with delight, “Church, Church” she yelled. She didn’t want to go in the nursery because Pa-Pa, NaNa, Uncle JJ and Uncle Ry-Ry were going in the service, so she came in with us. She would point every time she saw a Cross on the big screen and say “Cross, Cross”, then it was “Jesus, Jesus” and “look, it’s Mary.” She was so happy. I couldn’t help but wonder why aren’t we as adults giddy with excitement at the sight of the Cross and of Jesus. If we could only have the unbridled excitement of a three year old, and so happy to be in church and not because it’s something we do as Christians, but because we genuinely want to be there.
When we got back to Damian and Gabby’s house, I noticed something on the coffee table that Gabby and Izzy made earlier in the week. It was a tomb with a cross on top. It had a white pipe cleaner figure that represented Jesus, and brown pipe cleaners that were other figures. When I was in the other room, I heard Gabby telling Isabelle it was time to put Jesus on the Cross, and then it was time to put Jesus in the tomb. Izzy protested “No Mommy, No!” Gabby insisted that Jesus had to go in the tomb because he died. Izzy again protested even more loudly “No Mommy, he is not dead! Get him out!” Gabby again told her he had to stay in the tomb.
When we got back to Damian and Gabby’s house, I noticed something on the coffee table that Gabby and Izzy made earlier in the week. It was a tomb with a cross on top. It had a white pipe cleaner figure that represented Jesus, and brown pipe cleaners that were other figures. When I was in the other room, I heard Gabby telling Isabelle it was time to put Jesus on the Cross, and then it was time to put Jesus in the tomb. Izzy protested “No Mommy, No!” Gabby insisted that Jesus had to go in the tomb because he died. Izzy again protested even more loudly “No Mommy, he is not dead! Get him out!” Gabby again told her he had to stay in the tomb.
When I walked out and looked at the scene on the coffee table, all of the brown pipe cleaner figures appeared to have their faces down on and around the Cross in the middle. I whispered to Jerry, "that looks sooo sad." Jerry replied “that’s the point”. I just wondered if my little grand-child was really ready to learn this.
Then on Sunday morning, Gabby and Damian woke up Isabelle, and Gabby said “let’s go check on Jesus.” Izzy went into the den to see Jesus standing on top of the hill with his hands in the air and all the other figures around them with their hands held up. She ran through the house yelling "He’s alive He’s alive, Jesus is alive now! Aunt Ni-Ni wake up, Jesus is alive, Uncle Ry-Ry, he’s alive, Uncle JJ, did you hear the good news? Jesus is alive. Pa-Pa get up and come see, Jesus is alive!" I was already up with them. What a way to start off our Lord and Savior’s Resurrection day!
It was a really sweet weekend. Our church's communion service and Sunday service were perfect bookends to start and finish in a way that honored the Lord and reminded us of the purpose of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. All of the hands-on activities that we'd done over the course of the week built the perfect setting for Isabelle's wonder and joy in Christ's resurrection. During the Sunday morning worship service, I felt overwhelmed at all that Christ did for us. Teaching Izzy about our Savior helped me see the events in a new light, like it was the first time I was hearing of it too.
It was a really sweet weekend. Our church's communion service and Sunday service were perfect bookends to start and finish in a way that honored the Lord and reminded us of the purpose of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. All of the hands-on activities that we'd done over the course of the week built the perfect setting for Isabelle's wonder and joy in Christ's resurrection. During the Sunday morning worship service, I felt overwhelmed at all that Christ did for us. Teaching Izzy about our Savior helped me see the events in a new light, like it was the first time I was hearing of it too.
I also felt, once again, amazed at all the incredible things God has done in our family over the past year. And it's not just the incredible healing of our son after his lung surgery, sparing his life and giving him perfect healing. It's the hearts that have grown closer to God this year, and some in my family who have come to know the Lord for the very first time this year. The spiritual healing that God has done in our family will last for eternity. God is so, so good to answer prayers that we've been praying for years. Sometimes, when I prayed them, I wondered if He would ever do this mighty work. But He did.
We had a precious time celebrating our Savior's death and resurrection, and I hope that your family did too.
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