Confirmation week

Now that Easter is behind us- my attention turns to the final stages of preparation for the Rite of Confirmation. We have 21 students who have been preparing for their confession of faith. They will do so (if all goes well) this coming Sunday at our 11am service.

Andrew and I have about 12 more interviews to go through, a keepsake brochure to create, thank you notes to write, bulletins and certificates to prepare etc. Please pray for warm weather on Saturday because we are baptizing 5 students in the Whitelick Creek behind our church property. (If it isn't warm- can anyone loan me a wet suit??)

As these students confirm their faith- I must confess that I am re-inspired, re-dedicated, re-newed, and re-juvenated in my own faith! Hearing how their understanding of G*d has grown, how they find worship more interesting now (that they know how to pay attention to what is happening), how they find the connection between serving others and loving G*d, etc- is so invigorating!

Thanks be to God for all these students, their mentors, and their families!

Easter Morn

Yesterday I slept in for the first Easter in about 15 years- no sunrise service! Wow- I must confess I really enjoyed the extra sleep, yet missed (in a vague way) the cold darkness of early morning to celebrate our Risen Savior. It wasn't the same but it was also fantastic too.

Worship was wonderfully inspiring with the colors, flowers, smells, and sounds of brass, handbells, organ, and voice! If you didn't notice at the 9am and 11am services- I became all weepy and teary during the pastoral prayer- couldn't help it- was simply caught up in the glory and wonder of the gift of this day. (Thanks to my Mark Kay lady for great eye products that didn't smudge inspite of my tears!)

We spent the afternoon with an egg hunt- compliments of the Easter Bunny at our house and a long visit with my husband's family.... more food, more candy, and more conversation! A great day- I hope yours was great in it's way too!

Holy Saturday is Full

Our Holy Saturday was full of egg hunts, rehearsals, breakfast preparations, easter flower watering, and a sudden appearance by the Easter Bunny who knows alot about real estate!

Not sure if the Pope had a day like ours, but it sure has been full!

He is Risen!

Good? Friday

There is nothing good in violence or in innocents dying cruel and brutal deaths. The only thing good about today's memory (i.e. Jesus brutal death on a Roman cross) for the Church, the Faithful, and all humanity is the result of what Jesus' sacrifice offers us. A gift.

Today's remembrance of an ancient act of long ago connects all of us with the Holiness of God because our unholiness is such a block/chasm/rift that we cannot reach God without God helping us. That's why this is a 'good' day.

Come walk and wander our labyrinth today as a way to be with God. To thank God for this gift. To sit with the meaning of today's good and perfect gift. Come walk and pray.

Thursday is for Holy

Twelve sets of feet, warm water, sweet bread, fruit of the vine, music, scripture, stories, prayer, and the sounds of silence- these are the ingredients of a Holy Thursday. Sweet, warm, loving things before the darkness, dread, violence and cruelty of tomorrow.

Sometimes I wish we could pause on this day a bit longer as we move through Holy Week... but the reality must be accomplished so that the wonder of Easter rises among us. Sigh. May it be so.

May your Thursday be holy.

Our Garden

Two weeks ago during my weekend message I mentioned our new family project- a garden. Our project continues. The area has been marked off in the yard. Seeds have been selected like corn, sunflowers, cucumbers (Diana likes pickles), carrots, and peas (my favorite veggie in the whole world!).

We also purchased three cherry tomato plants which are growing quite happily in a pot in my dining room along with Eric's selection of two hot pepper plants. He told Diana that the way to make the peppers hot was to shout and yell at them everyday. All this yelling is supposed to(according to Eric's story) make the peppers mad which in turn will make them taste hot.

We can tell everytime Diana is in the dining room because we hear her shouting at the peppers! "You crazy peppers! blah blah blah..."

Maybe we aren't the best gardener/farmer role models for her...

Spring breakin'

Ahh. You know it's been a relaxing and rejuvenating vacation when you can truly sigh and let it all out. Sigh. We've had a great time this week.

Bears and butterflies at the zoo send their regards (sharks do too). Indoor Splash Island in Plainfield was very fun and tiring(and crowded). The Lego Castle and Carousel were awesome at the Children's Museum (lines were l-o-n-g!).

Yesterday was a playdate day with another favorite preschooler... kite flying, finger painting, playing house, marbles, Candyland, bubbles, and bikes. Very fun day at home. And today we went for lunch with Nana and Papa in Greenfield. (I got a nap!)

I haven't got as much reading in as I would like, but I have been filling up my journal (which is always a great thing). I am caught up on my scrapbooking again. And we made our Easter cards yesterday.

Sometime soon I need to finish my errands as the Easter Bunny for you-know-who. Sunday afternoon we will be coloring eggs because as you know it will snow here on Monday.

The only thing that would have made this vacation absolutely perfect. Well, two things actually- if Eric were with us and we were all at the beach. Sigh. That will be our future.

Til then, I think I shall go read while my little one decides to nap.