Yesterday I walked my yard in search of a tiny replica of
the cat-of-nine-tails I made years ago to include in our homemade resurrection
eggs. My grandson intrigued by the tiny
stick with knotted threads either tucked it in his pocket or dropped it in the
yard the night before Easter. That
afternoon and on into the evening we celebrated with two chicks named Tender
and Nugget, and a wonderful spread of colorful appetizers and desserts. The night culminated in an egg hunt and the
opening of resurrection eggs out on the lawn.
Eggs hidden in the yard were filled with heart shaped pictures clipped
from magazines representing various things in the world we attempt to fill our
hearts with, both for survival and pleasure.
Prior to the hunt I informed my grandson of one very special egg hidden
with all the rest – large, shiny and silver.
He needed little encouragement to search enthusiastically, for we were
made to search, to yearn, to hunger, TO FIND!!
He searched high and low, but had to be helped to recover the silver
egg. This was intentional. The silver egg held a skeleton key. An explanation follows.
Once he experienced the thrill of finding all the eggs, he
of course eagerly opened them to discover not candy, but paper hearts. (Disappointment intended.) Briefly, I explained that God made us to
search, to desire and look for more in life.
It was fairly easy for him to grasp that that is why we are quick to
want to move on to the next thing, the next fun experience. And that we did! He opened the silver egg and I explained that
the key it contained opened an egg larger than all the rest. Inside it he found characters from the
greatest story every told: a lamb,
donkey, rooster, and king, along with a lion to narrate the story. I told him the Easter story holds the secret
to all we long for – the answer to our heart’s desire!!! To convey the mystery and value of the Easter
message, I glued a lock corresponding to the key on the large egg. I also explained that God often uses people
who know Him well to help those who don’t to find the key to a JOY-FILLED life
with Him forever. (Thus, the help given
him to find the silver egg). Finally, I
promised that if he could unlock the mystery (tell the story using the egg full
of characters) next Easter he would be given a wonderful prize!! My hope is to ultimately encourage him to
also share the story with friends using this tool. He asked if he could get a prize for sharing
the story over Christmas. Who could deny
him that request?? I can see it now, right
along side the nativity scene!!!
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| Unlocking Easter's Mysteries |
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| Characters in His Resurrection Story |
Finally, on an heirloom cross-stitched quilt under light of
a floor lamp brought outside, we pried open the resurrection eggs one-by-one in
order, sharing the gospel beginning with the triumphal entry and ending with
the Returning King!!
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| J, J, J, Jaxon and the Chicks |
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| Awwwwww!! Jax and Nelson. |
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| Attack of the Chicks!! |
In preparation for this celebration and Easter morning to
follow, I sensed the Lord saying, “Make a big deal out of My
Resurrection!!” He sparked more ideas
than I had time to pull off – providing me a jump start on next year. I decorated the Easter table with oversized
“teacups” (clay vessels to be filled and refilled!!) – from which we served
chocolate milk Easter morning with our breakfast. Two very large cups served as a centerpiece. In one, my grandson and I planted a
resurrection garden and in the other the resurrection eggs lay waiting on a bed
of Easter grass. Easter morning the
stone in the resurrection garden “magically” rolled away prior to my grandson
waking. He came to the table excited on
making this discovery. There at his
place at the table he also found a resurrection basket filled with instruments
to make a joyful noise, candy (a chocolate fish and cross, of course), small
toys and a stuffed lamb.
Yesterday, two weeks post-Easter I didn’t find the missing
cat-of-nine-tails replica in the yard, though in my searching I found so much
more!! That is the way it is with our
Savior!! He compels us to search that we
might find the more hidden for us.
Filling my mind with thoughts and dreams for my youngest grandson’s
upcoming birthday, I’d spent several nights online combing the internet for
ideas and pinning them to a “planning board.”
Mind you, his birthday is not until July 26th. Planning for Easter and then celebrating
together with family had been so rich that I just wanted to again drink in my
fill. In the meantime, tasks were left
undone, as well as the writing of all God had said and done the past few
weeks. God told me yesterday morning to
lay aside party planning and quiet my heart to listen while working on putting
up Easter and cleaning up house and yard.
I talked to Him about my obsession with pinning pictures
and He gave insight into what was driving that.
He showed me that I not only hunger to creatively express myself, but
that I also fear losing ideas, fond memories, all the treasures He gives
me. Thus I experience a sense of urgency
to record, organize, tuck away safely these precious intangibles – both the
stories, mental images and the feelings they invoke, the spirit of all – lest
they be lost forever. This contributes
to compulsive behaviors, for who can store up yesterday’s manna, so abundantly
given by God for the present day? While
searching the yard for that tiny stick and thinking about the above, I noticed
all kinds of things tucked into the grass just below eye level. Remnants of our party two weeks ago – bits of
crepe paper robbed of color by rain, colorful scraps of burst balloons, tiny
yellow flowers (like the ones I picked with Nelson to put in our resurrection
garden), and a dandelion highlighted by God.
I grabbed my camera and snapped pictures as I toured the yard. Each little shred of yesterday brought to
mind the previous event in vivid detail.
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| Spring Party Cupcakes |
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| My Life Woven Into Nest |
Then God compelled me to revisit the nest I had pulled from
the live oak not long ago and set on my entry hall table. The day I brought it in I studied with
delight all the little fragments of MY life woven into this nest. There were pieces of lace from a bridal
shower held in my yard, mesh from a tiki torch wick that lit the night that
same evening, ribbons, and cotton fill that our now deceased dog had playfully
pulled from his pillow filling the yard with “snow.” I laughed to see that mama bird’s ingenuity
in making a resting place for her eggs, a home for her chicks out of memories. Then it occurred to me, the Lord is preparing
a place for me, He who cares for sparrows and me much more, is readying home, a
resting place for me. Surely, He will take
from earth bits of the most important events, the sweetest experiences with Him
and others and creatively lay them down for me to rest upon. He assured me a picture, indeed worth a
thousand words, awaits my viewing – one that captures all I need remember of
Time. He settled me peacefully on my
earthly nest letting me know He can be trusted with future plans, memories,
stories that need be told in the here and now.
There’s plenty of time – I’m eternal, enjoy the day!!
I knew then why He highlighted the dandelion beside one
spent – for seeds with wings shall spring from my life with Him, bloom throughout
time, and with His blessing turn up again woven into rich testimonial tapestries
carpeting heaven’s halls.
Under the live oak I snapped a picture of a leaf heart, white with Tender and Nugget’s bird poop!! Another highlight – what a sense of humor He has. Outside my bathroom window I happened to notice the mirrored peace ornament alight with afternoon sun. I approached to snap a picture. A fitting conclusion to lovely day in His presence being filled with peace and joy!!!
Filled
Again At His Table,
Terry
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| Lori, Adopted Mom!! |
Thank you to daughters, Lori Anderson for fabulous menu and hours of cooking, and to Charlcie Eyth for helping with food and taking the gorgeous pictures. Visit her facebook photography site at https://www.facebook.com/AndersonEythPhotography
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| Charlcie and I Easter Morning |
Visit Spiritual Sundays at www.bloggerspirit.blogspot.com for more inspirational reading!
