He's Alive!

So glad the ick of yesterday wore off.  I felt like I was swimming in molasses that day.  I was so happy when I got done with that paper proposal.  Took me forever to find sources.  

So, I got up this morning all bouncy.  Happy the paper proposal slavery was over (for now), happy that it was Easter, happy that I was going to wear my favorite color and put my hair up and was listening to my Ron Kenoly Easter song . . . got a phone call, chattering away while getting ready for church.  But then, sad news.

It knocked the wind out of me.  I feel bad for my mom because when she called me, she knew all along she was going to have to deliver the sad news and she knew how I was going to react, but had to tell me anyway.  Ah, well.  I started flipping out a little because I didn't get a chance to see her . . . the last time we went to the hospital we didn't make it for visiting hours.  It's okay, we'll come next time.  But you don't always get a next time.  My mom is so sweet.  She reminded me that I did get a chance to see her . . . that time a group of us went over to her house when she got out of the hospital the first time.  I brought my guitar and we sang some worship songs and she had enough strength to go over to the piano and play herself.  "You ministered to her that day."  She was basically everybody's grandmother and she had already overcome SO much.  Why wouldn't she pull through again?  You just think people will always be around.  But it was her time.  Rest in peace, Sis. Geraldine.

It's so bittersweet to reflect on death on Easter.  We're human and eventually succumb to death.  Jesus Himself died.  Willingly.  For us.  But he overcame it.  Every time I think about it, I'm encouraged.  He conquered death.  Here's an Easter thought that I'd never heard before until this morning: When the stone was rolled away, it wasn't to let Jesus out of the tomb.  It was to show the Marys who showed up that morning that he was already gone.  In Matthew, the angel was just like, "He is not here."  When God rolls away the stone, it's not to show you what He's doing, but what He's already done.  I have a tendency to work myself up over what I'm going to do about whatever, how whatever is going to work out, and all the while, God's like, "Girl, I've already handled that."  Like we're praying, "God, just tell me what You're going to do, show me how it's going to happen," and when He pulls back the curtain, it's already done. 

Happy Easter!