It seems like so many of my posts have been about sad things or bad weather for the past few months, and they have, but there have been many blessings along the way, many things to be thankful to God for and I've neglected those things. So, tonight, the happy stuff!!

We are just under two months until my youngest marries his beautiful bride-to-be! Things are moving along and we are just thrilled.
In early February, A & E had their first baby. I introduced this great young couple, so I was tickled to share in their joy!

Just a few days after that a young man came into my daughter's life. He's just wonderful. We couldn't be more thrilled!
At the end of March, two days before her due date, my best friend's baby girl came into the world! She came quickly and surprised everyone. I was able to join them within a half-an-hour of her birth and was overjoyed to help everyone get situated. I can't begin to express what a blessing she and her mommy are to me!!

Less that one hour old

Her first full day outside of Mommy

One week old

10 days old

Such a perfect tiny hand with a wisp of beautiful baby fine hair caught in between her fingers

Two weeks old and perfect!

Up from the grave He arose!
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes!
He arose a victor from the dark domain
and He lives forever with His saints to reign!

He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah, Christ arose!!

Today is Good Friday and what does my brain dream about during the night, divided churches. My dream had us sitting through a church meeting in a Baptist church. The fighting was so intense. I don't remember what the fighting was about, but I remember seeing the faces of people that I love that attend that particular church (IRL) and they were crying. Weeping. Horrified to see what was happening to their church, knowing that the church no longer seemed to care why they were there, who they were supposed to be worshiping, serving. The sadness was overwhelming.

As we left this church in my dream, we walked past a park filled with statues and arches of some sort. At least 5o women were walking from across a little pond over to this area of the park. They were dressed in skirts and button-down blouses, but several of them wore habits. They walked as though they were zombies, straight-ahead, not looking around them at the beautiful spring scenery. Before long, several of the women were dancing in front of the statues and arches. My spirit felt sad.

Time to wake up. I wake up to the realization that my dream wasn't real, yet I know so many caught in churches that have lost their vision and so many others caught in idolatry. They go through each day believing that "church" is simply the building they go to on Sundays and that it's okay if their life isn't any different than their next door neighbors.

Today is the day we reflect on what it was Jesus did for us. Did He take it lightly? Did He do it so that we could just simply believe and never move beyond that? How does He want us to live our lives?