~ Country Roads, Take Me Home

Here are just a few of the reasons yesterday's snowstorm was so hard. I had just spent 10 days enjoying Springtime in Tennessee in my hometown:

The trees were magnificent.

Bradford Pears lined driveways and properties...

and the Weeping Cherry Trees were a fountain of pink profusion.

There was color everywhere.

The tulips and daffodils were blooming...

the woods were full of redbuds...

the grass was like a green carpet...

and the forsythia was like sunshine spilling over.

No matter where you looked, you could see mountains in the distance.

Here are some of the special moments from my trip:

Swimming in the hometown pool with cousins

My four boys with my sister's kids

Saying goodbye to my childhood pastor (He passed away while we were home.)

Hiking at Old Stone Fort with the boys, Aunt Lori and Christopher (beautiful)

Sittin' in the driveway (You had to be there!)

Hugging a friend I haven't seen in 20 years

Running into another friend at the store

Having a day to myself to shop and wander while the kids stayed with Granny and Aunt Lori

Enjoying Happy Hour at Sonic way too many times

Watching my children hug my grandmother and watching their eyes light up when she asks if they would like a piece of candy (Funny - I used to get a piece of peppermint and they get a whole Reeses Peanut Butter cup candy bar!)

Watching my nieces and nephews use thier gifts - Elizabeth singing, Christine''s beautiful solo, Jonathon's amazing monologue, and Ethan's acting

Hunting Easter eggs with all the cousins

(1st row) Christopher, Aidan, Ellis, and Andrew (2nd row) Faith, Emily, Andrew, Siah, Ethan (3rd row) Christine, Bennett, Elizabeth (not pictured: Jonathon & Hannah)

Watching my brothers organize a game of kick ball with 8 children under the age of 8 who didn't know how to play (pretty funny)

And the best part:

Spending Easter Sunday with my parents and all my brothers and sisters and all their kids (The only one missing was my husband.)

~ Washed Clean

I had a little talk with the Lord this morning.

I reminded Him that it was April.

For a brief moment, I wondered if He forgot.

We were caught a little off guard.

In the night, it seems He had decided to spread that soft white blanket once again.

The boys scrambled to find snow pants and boots, hats and mittens that had been shoved away in favor of jackets and flip flops.

I was a little confused!

I mean, what good could possibly come from this set back?

So I did what I always do when I can't make sense of things or I'm just a little miffed.

I went for a drive.

It seems I wasn't the only one perplexed.

All I could think about was how, just four days ago, I was in Tennessee where it was really spring, where God had used every color imaginable to display His artistry.

Why do we only get white?

And then as I was driving, a blue bird flew in front of me. I've never seen a bluebird up north, and I almost went in the ditch. It was the most vivid shade of blue. If you've never seen a bluebird against the backdrop of a snowy day, you can't really appreciate the depth of it's color.

As I thought about the snow and the blinding whiteness all around me, I thought about Easter. We just came through a weekend of remembering -

His sacrifice

His hands and feet nailed

His side pierced

His blood trickling, spilling, flowing

down the cross,

puddling on the ground,

covering us,

covering our sins

past, present and future.

And in that moment when He breathed His last breath, He made a way for us to be cleansed,

to be seen as pure,

to be washed white as snow.

Perhaps the white today is to remind me:

~ how brilliant life can be when you view it against the backdrop of God's grace,

~ how you can see life in a vibrant, new way once you know you are forgiven,

~ how stunning His plans are when you find your purpose in Him,

~ how alive you really are when you have died to self

~ how colorful your days can be when you are washed white as snow!

"Though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow."

Isaiah 1:18

Walk with Him today with Ann @ Holy Experience.

~ Happy Easter

Happy Easter

from our family to yours

~ Jesus Understands

I felt like I was interrupting a private conversation.

I didn't mean to.

She had asked for help with her computer.

I was just straightening her documents,

giving her files some structure so she could find things.

I would click, read a bit and determine the best place to file it away.

I was almost finished when it happened.

I could not tell by the document title where it should go,

so I opened it.

I began to read, amazed how the words flowed.

It was clear that this was no ordinary document.

These were grief words, from one too young to know such pain.

They were the opening up and the pouring out of a heart full of confusion and hurt.

They were words from a son to a father who had chosen, in one moment with one act, to stop being a dad, to stop living.

It was a one-sided conversation, full of questions - questions His dad will never be able to be answer.

Feeling like I was over-stepping my boundaries, I stopped reading and closed the document.

My mind went back to the day we had gotten the news.

I grieved for this young man all over again.

I remember calling my mom. I knew she would understand.

She was 13 when she lost her hero, her protector, her daddy.

Again, too young to have to navigate the waters of agony and grief.

I remember her exact words.

"You tell that young man that when he thinks no one else can understand what he is going through, Jesus understands."

She had experienced it, found it to be true.

She had talked to Jesus when there hadn't been anyone who could give her any answers or understand the depth of her grief.

Jesus understands.

As I think about her words again this week as I prepare for Easter, I am reminded of His suffering:

~ His agony in the garden

"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." (Mark 14:34)

~ the betrayal by those He loved

"Then everyone deserted Him and fled." (Mark 14:50)

~ the false accusations

"They all condemned Him as worthy of death." (Mark 14:64)

~ the mocking & humiliation

"And when they had mocked Him...they led Him out to crucify Him." (Mark 15:20)

~ the Father turning His face away

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34)

~ The excruciating pain

from the fists,

the taunts,

the scourge,

the thorns,

the nails,

the spear.

If anyone understands, He does!

No matter what we face, no matter what this world throws at us,

we are never alone.

There is one who knows our hurt, our anger, our pain.

Jesus understands. Easter makes it clear!

I'm preparing for Easter with Ann @ Holy Experience.