an Easter walk

This morning I pulled out the stroller and took the boy on a walk with me. (We did this last year too, so maybe now it's a thing?) We walked around our little neighborhood listening to the birds and feeling crisp, fresh air on our cheeks. We saw fuzzy dandelions coated in a thin layer of frost and tulips blooming with abandon. We walked mostly in silence. We walked and noticed the spring and thought about Easter.

Every Easter morn I feel a stirring in my heart. It's unsettling, yet familiar, a stirring that reminds me of my own humanity, weakness, and humility. It's a stirring that makes all my expressed gratitude insufficient, because the gift He gave me is so momentous, so all-encompassing, so intimate, that nothing I could ever say or do will ever be enough to express those raw feelings in my heart. Every Easter I wake up with tears close to the surface, because without Him, I'd have nothing. Because of Him, I have everything.

Because of Him, I have my family, and because of Him my family can be eternal.

Because of Him I can start over again and again and again.

Because of Him I can feel love.

Because of Him I have answers, and because of Him I have purpose.

Because of Him I can remake myself each day.

Everything good in my life--my husband, my son, my people, my friends, and even books and tulips--I have because of Him. He is everything good.


The sun rose this morning over my neighborhood, that same sun that rose that morning Mary found the tomb empty. The sun that melts the frost today is the same star that lit the days of our Savior. Every Easter my heart is tender and raw and full, because I know that He--Jesus Christ, the literal Risen Lord--is everything.

#BecauseofHim

the whole point

Easter embodies everything about Christianity, the heart of my entire belief system, the crux of our existence and purpose.

What more meaningful holiday is there than this which celebrates and rejoices over His life and triumph? What can bring more peace than a knowledge of our eternal redemption, than a promise of our ultimate deliverance? What greater image is there than the empty tomb, the proof that death is not forever?

The prayers uttered in that sacred garden changed the world--changed my world. He suffered over two millennia ago yet the results of those climactic and eternally decisive garden moments are very much alive in my life and world every day.



Today, I'm celebrating my Savior. Without Easter Christmas is moot, this life is devoid of design and direction. I wish you the happiest of Easters, an Easter that focuses not on spiral-cut hams or Easter egg hunts, but one that is full of humble and happy rejoicing.

Happy Easter--I can't think of a more important celebration.

a very non-crafty Easter outfit

:: headband, CJW
:: earrings and necklace, Grandma (or CJP, if you prefer), also worn at my wedding
:: white cardigan, Gap, $15
:: green shirt, DownEast Basics, $10.99
:: polka-dot skirt, CJW
:: taupe shoes, Ann Taylor outlet, $42 on sale

No comments on any skirt craftiness said all day. Success.

All skirts and vanity aside, Easter was wonderful. It's probably my favorite thoughtful holiday. I'll reference last year's Easter post here. This time is a time of pure rejoicing--and we have so many reasons to rejoice. He lives, and He triumphs. What better reason to celebrate than that?

lovely Easter

I have so much to catch up on, so I'll just start at Easter. Maybe I'll rewind, maybe I'll fast forward. Hold on for Charlotte's blogging ride. Man, school has been eating me alive. But I'm still alive. Pretty much. Last day of class was today--ShamWow.

And my Easter . . .

was stellar.

Emily and I exchanged Easter baskets on Saturday night (followed by a Brooke date to dinner at Red Robin and "Bedtime Stories" at the dollar theater)

My basket was awesome, complete with Coke Zero, dish towels, Burt's Bees, a Borders gift card, and more.

Oh yeah, and the creepy clip art.

I gave Emily a couple cute Target plates and glasses, and among other things a super creepy miniature lawn gnome found in the dollar (which has recently been more like the $2.50) section.


Anneli asked me to play my violin in Relief Society, and I had a pretty arrangement of "Beautiful Savior" prepared. I took out my violin to practice the piece a couple more times until I had to go to church, and much to my dismay, my D-string snapped. (Please, please, don't read that wrong. Ha.) So, no musical number in RS. I'm scheduled to play next week.

The best part of the day was going over to Michelle's. We ate dinner, talked, and played Cities and Knights of Catan with Max and Lucas. Lucas is quite the competitor--he completely betrayed Emily at one point in the game. He's ruthless.

The most important part of the day, however, was the opportunities I had to reflect on the Atonement and the Savior. What I love about Easter is that we have the chance to simply rejoice; it's important--essential even--to understand how we can and need to use the Atonement, how to take advantage of its all-compensating power; however, sometimes we need to take a moment and simply offer gratitude and praise for that miraculous power. That's what Easter is--a celebration.

It was a good Easter :)

Easter

I just love Easter! Today has been a really great day and I've really felt the Spirit. Last week I bought this book at the Bookstore called The Infinite Atonement, and I was reading it more today. It is so good! Some favorite insights so far are:

"Like a skilled magician, Satan's every move is to divert our attention and dilute our focus from the primary object at hand, namely Christ's atoning sacrifice, in hopes we will turn exclusively to doctrines of secondary and far lesser import."

Quoting Elder McConkie: "The atonement of Christ is the most basic and fundamental doctrine of the gospel, and it is the least understood of all our revealed truths. Many of us have a superficial knowledge and rely upon the Lord and his goodness to see us through the trials and perils of life. But if we are to have faith like that of Enoch and Elijah, we must believe what they believed, know what they knew, and live as they lived."

Speaking of the incomprehensibility of the atonement: "Our inability to 'know it all,' however, does not absolve the need (nor should it diminish our desire) to know what is 'knowable.' Perhaps by so evaluating the knowable, we push and probe and occasionally penetrate the infinite."

And I'm only on page 24.

So basically, this book is amazing and I can't wait to make it through all 335 pages. I think that any time is an opportune time to reflect on and apply the atonement, but Easter is an especially special time for such thought. So, take time to think about Christ and the atonement, and have an excellent Easter!