Many years ago there lived a family. Things were not always easy for this family. There were financial struggles, health struggles, the same kinds of struggles that most families go through. There was one thing that was different about this family. This particular family was grounded in Christ.
Joanne, the mom in the family, lived every moment of her life trying to show her kids that Jesus loved them. She taught them that no matter how tough things got, He was always there for them. And, when they had no one else to talk to they could always pray, knowing that He would hear them. Joanne went so far as to walk her kids to the door before school everyday, and pray for them before they went on their way.
There was even one time, when she had gone to visit her sister, that she called her oldest daughter to pray with her over the phone in the morning before she went to school. Somehow, Joanne knew that her daughter was having a difficult time at that point in her life, and just that small act of praying over the phone with her made all the difference in her day!
Don, the dad, was a bit different in the way he showed his faith. He wasn’t quite as vocal about it, although he did pray with the family at every meal, and when they went on vacations the day was always started with prayer! And while he was sometimes gruff and abrasive the kids knew that in his heart he had a deep faith in Jesus and his prayer was that his kids would grow in that faith and not wander from it as they got older. He was always encouraging of the kids muscial persuits, and was at every concert, front and center with a smile that could light the entire building. It was affectionatly called “the dad teeth” smile and all the kids knew it and expected it at every performance, concert, recital, or speech.
This whole family was surrounded by the love of two amazing grandparents who were as close to God as two people can be. They had this amazing marriage that was loving and gentle, yet they were both strong and independant people. Grandma never had a drivers license but that never stopped her from getting here or there, and enjoying friends and family. Grandpa was an evangelist who traveled often. Grandma often joked that Grandpa was never home for her birthday because he was out spreading the word of God, but he never failed to come home with a gift for her showing his love and devotion to her and their marriage. To the very end the grandparents began and ended their days with prayer.
So, it was in this environment that this daughter, that I, learned about the beauty of Good Friday. The prayer between Son and Father in the garden of gethsemene, the tears that fell down his face, the torment and torture of the man who died for all of our sins, was more important in this family then even christmas. Because it was for this very day that that Jesus was born.
It was because of His grace, His goodness and his undying love for us that Good Friday and Easter happened.
I haven’t been a perfect person in my life, I have made many mistakes. I haven’t always treated people the way they should be treated. There are days when I doubt my abilities as a parent and certainly as a wife. My parents and grandparents are hard people to live up to when it comes to those things. There are even days that I question God and why it is that I have to go through the burden of having a chronic illness…or why my family has to be burdened by me. But one thing I know for sure, I am forgiven, I am loved inspite of all those things, and I am a child of the king who died for me on Good Friday….and rose again on Easter. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t silently thank God for the example that my parents and grandparents were to me. They showed me how to really live…and that is in the celebration of Jesus and the life he gave for me!
Happy easter!
Just got back from a great vacation at my brother’s house in Indiana. First let me say Igot the results back of my heart tests…all looks pretty good thankfully. I have a little fluid around my heart but nothing to panic over at this point. Mostly the doctor is concerned about my blood clotting disorders and watching my blood pressure! These things I can handle. A bad ticker…not so much! So, it was with a much lighter heart and mind that I took off on a plane to Lebanon Indiana to see my brother.
