Then Came The Morning...

We ­don’t know exactly how those who walked with Jesus processed the public execution of their gentle friend. We do know that one of his friends, a wealthy man named Joseph from a nearby town called Arimathea, went to Pilate and asked to have Jesus’ body released to him after it was taken down from the cross. Joseph was an official of the Jewish Council and had enough status to make the request. We know, too, that Joseph had already purchased the linen shroud and that he wrapped Jesus’ body himself and placed it in his own tomb carved into a rock.

We know that everything had to be finished before sundown that strange surreal night because nothing remotely like work or preparations could be done on the Sabbath. But after sundown, how did these very different personalities deal with the reality of Jesus’ death: There was John, the gentle lover; Peter, the impetuous; Thomas, the cynic; Mary Magdalene, the much forgiven; Luke, the scientific processor; Salome, the doer; young Mark, the observer of detail; and Mary, the over-protective mother of James. Each must have had a unique reaction.

The Sabbath was a day of required rest, but did they wait in silence? Did they meet at each other’s homes and talk it all through? Who first felt rage at the wasteful loss of this man? Who sifted through events for some clue that would make sense of it all, give some logic to this spiral of circumstances? Who of them was in denial, wondering if it had all been a horrible nightmare from which they might awaken any moment?

For the doers, the sunset on that Saturday night released them to get busy. Three of these were Mary Magdalene; Mary, James’ mother; and Salome. Preparing spices gave them a practical way to work out their grief, and preparing Jesus’ body would let them do something to show their deep love for this friend who was now gone. Had any one of them caught His line to the Pharisees about restoring “this temple in three days”? Were any of them secretly wondering if, by some act of the Divine, He would return to them? Which of them felt despair?

One thing is certain: nothing halts the grieving process like a resurrection!

~ Gloria Gaither

Another one of my favorite gospel songs...

Then Came The Morning

They all walked away, nothing to say
They'd just lost their dearest friend
All that He said, now He was dead
So this was the way it would end
The dreams they had dreamed were not what they'd seemed
Now that He was dead and gone
The garden, the jail, the hammer, the nail
How could a night be so long?

The angel, the star, the kings from afar
The wedding, the water, the wine
Now it was done, they'd taken her Son
Wasted before His time
She knew it was true, she'd watched Him die too
She'd heard them call Him just a man
But deep in her heart she knew from the start
Somehow her Son would live again

Then came the morning
Night turned into day
The stone was rolled away
Hope rose with the dawn
Then came the morning
Shadows vanished before the sun
Death had lost and life had won
For morning had come

Grandma's Easter Egg Hunt...

The best part of Grandma's Easter egg hunt was having Cash and Colby hide the eggs for Grey and Grahm, and then Grey and Grahm hid the eggs for Cash and Colby. Grey was happy because he hid the eggs so well, it took Cash a little extra time to find them all! 

I enjoyed watching this moment Mark was having with his sons. He was showing them a map of Denmark and where he served. He also told them about some the experiences he had on his mission.

Happy Easter! 

A month of more sweet moments...

Grandpa has still got it, it was good to hear him play the trumpet again.

I sure love picking up Grahm from school and he's the best lunch date.

I will always remember our stops at the Dollar Store. Grahm found a few treasures.

Wire whisk butterfly, Cash does it again with his creative ways.

Grahm came to Sunday movie night in a ghost costume and he wanted to take home the soft pillow I made. And how sweet is Tiff holding Grizz with a handsome teenager next to her.

Tiffani sent a picture of Grey participating in the Battle of the Books. His group won a few rounds.

You can never have too many Grahm selfies! 

Grey relaxing after his piano lesson, what a handsome blue eyed boy.

Grahm still likes dinosaurs!

Cash and Colby have their own room now. Grey and Grahm are bunking together and Grahm couldn't wait to show me his tent bed. 

Cash and Colby got "mission calls" and had a good experience. Cash went to Mexico and Colby went on a service mission. Colby helped clean a bunch of tumble weeds that blew into a neighbors yard. Colby told me no one really wanted to climb in the trailer and pack down the weeds but he jumped in and got busy. Colby is a good helper and I was proud of him.

Mission calls, photo bomb by Cash!

I'm so thankful for the leaders who organized these meaningful and faith building experiences for my grandsons.

We had Grey and Grahm for a sleepover while Cash and Colby were on their missions. Grandpa Leprechaun hid a few gold and green coins and the boys had fun finding them. 

Waiting for Grandpa Leprechaun to hid the coins.

And there off!

Time to trade in their pot of gold for some prizes.

Grey and Grahm like to pretend they are Grandpa's puppy dogs. They have been doing this for weeks now.

Relaxing!

Grandpa, Grey, Grahm had so much fun with the draw on the back challenge. They did good guessing the words.

This grandma life is really sweet!