April 16, 2017
I’m grateful to have been able to spend this Easter with my Mom. I’ve mentioned before that this Lenten season really brought home some heavy introspection in my life and I’ve felt that this was really my own personal Easter awakening. I’ve come to terms with some sorrow and anguish, find forgiveness in giving it and been able to close some chapters in my life. I finally feel able to lift up my eyes and look forward, to engage with life again – this blog has been no small part of that reconnection. As always, there will be hard times ahead, times in which my gaze will be drawn backward to events which had no closure and never will, but I’m feeling grounded again, ready to begin.
I stayed overnight with Mom to have the most time together that we could. We had a wonderful dinner out Saturday evening at Andy’s Fish House in Snohomish – we each had a cup of chowder, I had a Shrimp Louie salad and Mom had a green salad – the chowder is amazing! Sunday morning we had a light breakfast and went to Easter service at Advent Lutheran in Mill Creek – one of our previous and favorite Pastors and his family are there and I hadn’t seen them for ages. Lovely service! Straightforward, simple and clear message, encouraging and uplifting! I had really felt the need to take communion, it had been a long time and the soul needs refreshing.
We followed church with a quick stop at StarBucks for a treat, then back to her place for rest and relaxation until later in the afternoon when my sister-outlaw joined us for Easter dinner: ham, potatoes au gratin, asparagus, cranberry sauce and caesar salad – delish! What a beautiful day!
Mom was thrilled to find her gardenia had bloomed for the very first time this Easter morning!
Happy Easter! He is Risen! Christ is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Hymn: Christ the Lord is Ris’n Today!
by Charles Wesley, 1730
- Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia! - Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia! - Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia! - Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia! - Hail the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia! - King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy pow’r to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing, and thus to love, Alleluia!
JulieAloha 
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