Friday, April 24, 2009

Lemon Cupcakes and Ice Cubes

picture of Lily and her beautiful curls
My precious little grandchildren, oh how I adore them.
On Tuesday I spent the day with my four-year-old granddaughter and my year-old grandson. My heart was dancing as Lily answered the door, all excited as she squealed, "Grandma! Grandma! Grandma!" She greeted me with a big hug and the prettiest smile I've ever seen.
While Mike worked with Andy around the house all day, getting things done that needed fixed or built, I spent hours with Lily and Liam, playing, chasing, watching, and thoroughly enjoying being a grandma!
I think the sweetest part of the day was when Lily brought a lemon cupcake to the table and asked me if she could share it with me. She'd break off a piece and give it to me, and break off another for herself, and on it went till the cupcake was gone.
In the afternoon, she took a cup of ice cubes outside to melt in the sun, and then came back in and read me story after story. Really, truly ... she's actually reading! When she finally went outside to check her ice cubes, they had begun to melt but the cup still had bits and pieces of ice in it. She brought them in, got a plastic spoon from one of her kitchen toys, and began feeding me the ice cubes with it. It was such a special time of sharing and snuggling, and I'll remember it for the rest of my life!
picture of year-old LiamLiam is still too little to do much aside from chasing around and exploring new ways to get himself into mischief, but I hope one day we'll have the same kinds of tender moments and priceless memories.

Friday, April 10, 2009

A Holy Weekend

three crosses against a darkening skyThe Passion Of the Christ. It's a movie I wouldn't want to watch very often. For one thing, I'm afraid I'd be desensitized to its gut-wrenching content. For another, it's such a horrific movie to watch.
Tonight, I chose to watch it in lieu of Good Friday services at church. Just me, all alone, to absorb the full impact of just what Jesus went through from His prayers in Gethsamane all the way through to His death. The film was so well made with so few liberties taken, that it's absolutely believable that's how it actually went down.
The real impact of it, though, came after the movie when I pondered how that event affects my own heart, my own life, my own spirit. Although I never ever forget what Jesus went through to save me, I do tend to get busy with so many things that it loosens its grip a little. Maybe it has to be that way or, again, I'd be desensitized. I don't know.
Every once in a while, we need to stop what we're doing, tune out everything else in the world, and think. Really think about the agony, the humiliation, and the torment of the Cross. I can take it personally because, even if I was the only person on earth, past present or future, who ever committed a single teeny little sin, Jesus would've gone to the Cross anyway ... just for me, because He loves me that much.draped cross with lilies
I had some really nice prayer time outside tonight after the movie. I love to pray outside. It was windy and chilly, just lovely. Now very late tonight, my heart still feels a heaviness around it, having been so vividly reminded of Jesus's suffering. But unlike the disciples who were hiding in fear and despair that first Good Friday, I can rejoice tonight because Resurrection Day will be quickly upon us!