R - Rejoice!

Easter Sunday or Resurrection Day is a day for me to reflect on what my faith means to me, what Jesus did, has done, and continues to do. Last week I read the four accounts of the death of Christ and His resurrection. Each gospel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John have a slightly different description of what took place. I like that there are four views of the same event. Depending on where each eyewitness was standing, each person would have a different testimony, and having all those viewpoints helps put the pieces together. Reading them made me pause and rejoice at knowing there were eyewitnesses to this event (by the way there were way more than just four).  Jesus gave His all for each and every one of us and made sure that it was documented for us today - all of that is definitely cause for rejoicing!

On this theme of rejoicing, Babe and I have been watching our grandson this week. He is almost six, on the autism spectrum and PRE-verbal. (A friend of mine whose daughter is also on the spectrum, did not speak until she was five or six, called it pre-verbal rather than non -verbal; today, she is a very smart and very articulate teenager). I know that one day Little Guy will talk our ears off! But back to the story, he has been so good and so much fun to have around. He has his own way of communicating with us to let us know what he wants to do and what he wants to eat -which is usually to go outside and swing or play in the dirt - or eat bacon! Little Guy has come so far, with an occasional real word - like "Hallelujah" or "Hey!" It's not been easy for his parents at all, and I don't know what it feels like to have a child on autism spectrum, but I see what they go through and do my best to help them. No matter what, we rejoice over the joy our little man brings into our lives. 

I have a very big family and absolutely loved having everyone over for the holidays, so I miss them most when these special days roll around. Before moving across the country, Easter was celebrated at our house. Babe loves to cook so he did all the main dishes and family brought sides and desserts. Today was a very quiet Easter. Babe is still healing so we didn't do a big meal - at all, we're still not going to church (waiting for his immune system to strengthen). We just hung out with our son and his son today (Yellow Boots and Little Guy), our daughter in law had to work. The guys put a picnic table together, that has been in the box for 2 months, while Little Guy played in dirt or sat in his saucer swing. I was kind of sad inside and missing what would have been a big gathering. I thought about how when we moved here there was NO family, a year later our youngest son moved out here, a year after that he married his lovely wife and this year we rejoice in the arrival of our second grandson!  

Tonight, Babe and I went for a drive, on the way home we were talking, and it suddenly hit me - we haven't had a conversation like this in over 2 months!! I could hear Babe loud and clear, and he was laughing and feeling better! Resurrection day of all days! I said to Babe, "You've been renewed today!" He even had to energy to be outside and put the bench together! The Lord is so good, and we REJOICE in His goodness! 

I rejoice in the undeserving sacrifice that Jesus did for me. I rejoice that we obeyed the call to move across the country, not knowing a soul, and I rejoice in the blessing that this is where God is growing our family. I rejoice that God saw the road ahead and chose all the right doctors and amazing friends to help us get through cancer. Only God!!

The lesson: No matter what we're going through there is always something to rejoice over. 

Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice! Phil 4:4

Pouring hope, 
Nen ♥