Fancy Meeting You Here...

All might change in an instant. Poof! Like that-all plans you've made are thrown out the window.

A family at our church is experiencing this as we speak...as the Husband/Father of 53 had a massive heart attack (they call it the Widowmaker because survival is rare) and then had a heart arrythmia just days later, in which his brain was unable to get oxygen for several minutes.

It has been touch and go, progress is slow. He had a four hour long heart surgery yesterday. One daughter, who plans to be wed this winter, might not have had her father to walk her down the aisle. The wife, well, it is unfathomable to lose your spouse. She has been taking it so very hard. So many lives have been touched-so many hearts have been broken. Life will never again be the same for this family.

Through God's grace, this man has survived both attacks and is slowly recovering. His brain has sufffered damage, however, and they fear he might never again regain his short-term memory.

This family needs prayer. The husband for his health and well-being, that if the Lord wills it-his memory might be restored. The wife-for her REST (spiritual, emotional and physical)because her health has been rapidly deteriorating with lack of food and sleep. The family as whole, for sustenance, comfort, peace and wisdom in this trying time.

There is no such thing as too many prayers.

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Yesterday, Matt came home with the announcement that he has to work on Easter Sunday. The fourth Sunday in a ROW that he has had to work. I must admit, I began to cry. Not because our plans were all messed up but because he has been working so hard and it has been hard on him...and on the rest of the family. We all are in need of a break. Of family time. Of relaxing.

We had planned to head North to visit with our families over Easter and in a moment, those plans were scattered to the four winds. Praise God, it was something as simple and trivial as this and not like the family above. In fact, it may be turning out to be a blessing. We have spent a blissful day relaxing together today and we will be doing so tomorrow as well. No long car rides, no messed up schedules and thus, crabapple children...no jam-packed weekend. It will be nice because we will finally be TOGETHER and we will MAKE it nice.

This being the case, I will be making my very first Easter dinner (on Easters' eve). I don't really know what the traditional meal would require as I have never done it before. All these FIRSTS for me! I did buy a ham to cook-but beyond that, I am clueless.

Now egg-dying, THAT is basic knowledge. I hardboiled 14 eggs and the 'girlies' of the family spent the morning dying them, and our fimgers, and our clothes. But they sure are pretty. They will be equally as pretty as deviled eggs, pickled eggs, and in the form of egg salad.

But first, as the children are napping, I will hide them about the house and a good old-fashioned HUNT needs to take place and M&M's doled out.

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I hope that as you each prepare your Easter meal, you prepare a FEAST to celebrate Christ's victory over sin;
As you prepare your finest clothing to wear for Easter Sunday, you do so knowing that Christ has washed the hearts of His Children whiter than snow;
As you study in the mirror the sheen of your freshly washed cheeks on Sabbath morning, you see that our Heavenly Father sees Christ when he looks at us;
And most importantly, that you prepare your hearts in reflection and thanksgiving that through God's sacrificial gift, we are a redeemed people! Praise God!