"Tis the season..."

Easter was one of my absolute favorite holidays growing up. As a kid it meant easter egg hunts, dressing up in foo foo clothes and fancy shoes, getting to see family we weren't able to see too often, and of course way too much free chocolate. As I got older, my understanding of lots of things changed, and the more I learned and the more I grew, I realized what Easter really meant. Not only is it the start of spring, where we see new flowers sprouting up and the return of color and beauty to the earth, but the day in itself symbolizes the new life that is offered to us by the total grace of God. This past weekend our dear dear friends from Enid, Nate and Haylee Johnson, came to visit for the long Easter weekend, and we heard the WONDERFUL news that they are having a baby!!! During one of the conversations, Haylee was excitedly talking about how life will never be the same after the birth of their baby. I got to thinking about what she had said after they left and realized just how right she was on so many levels. They are now going to have a family of 3, and someone who will completely depend them in order to survive. They will sacrifice so much of themselves out of love for their new baby, and over the rest of their years they will have the opportunity to share their life, faith, and love with a brand new human being, and develop a relationship with him/her that only they will be able to understand. What a precious, precious gift. . . and what gift could come at a better time? Easter, the season of new life. What a huge sacrifice that God made out of nothing but love for us, so that we could have the opportunity to truly live and know Him. . . what a reminder of all of my blessings that I too often forget.