It is Easter weekend, and it seems that no matter when Easter falls, it brings change into my life. Eight years ago, on the way to the Easter Sunday service, I was heading to church and had a major car accident. I called my boyfriend but because I just said "I've been in an accident", he didn't see the need to come (It was 8 am and he is not a morning person). When he did arrive he watched as they used the jaws of life to pry me out of the car. My injuries turned out to be minor, but I was at the hospital for 3 hours and in that time he did a lot of thinking. When he took me home and I got settled, he said that he realized something - that he could have lost me and didn't like the feeling. So he went on to say that he wasn't properly prepared for this, but would I marry him. Wow! Here I am, having made a vow I would never remarry and pumped up on morphine! But I just felt God telling me that this was safe and the path He had laid out for me. So, I said yes. And that was the start of a brand new life.
Last year I was battling with the pain of an arthritic knee. It was getting so bad by Easter that I had to choose what I did in a day because I didn't have enough energy to do much. I could barely walk and was not sleeping well. I also was having dreams about my mother, who had passed away just over 13 years before. A friend was battling cancer and was reading a devotional by cancer sufferers/survivors. The Easter Sunday entry really hit home for her and she felt it was for me as well. She was so excited to see me at church and I wasn't there - I had decided it was more important to go to my Dad's for dinner and be a witness to him. She phoned me that afternoon before we left and read the devotional and scripture to me. The devotional brought tears to my eyes, but then she read the scripture, Numbers 6:24-26
"The LORD bless you
and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace."
This was one of my favourites AND the very scripture I got in one of the dreams about my mother. It seemed to answer any questions I had about our relationship and that she was at peace. And so was I. It was a new beginning of being able to lean on the Lord and KNOW He not only had the answers, but knows when to give them to us.
This Easter, my Dad moved in with us a month ago. There have been struggles, but mostly it is working out well. I am cooking more and eating better, my hubby doesn't have to worry about me when he is at work and I don't have to worry about Dad being on his own. Again, a new beginning.
Easter represents the new beginnings of a life after death. While we are all on our journeys towards that end, I also believe that we need to focus on the new beginnings God gives us here on earth.
Happy Easter. I know I am a day early with this but He has risen, He has risen, indeed.
