Eastertide 2018

From the Gospel of Luke:

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking spices that they had prepared.

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.

The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”

Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.

Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

The women did the heavy lifting sharing the news, but it makes me laugh that poor Peter went to look at the empty tomb, was amazed…and then went home. For a nap?!

Wishing you a joyous Easter.

The Joy Jar 2017

Lisa and I started the Joy Jar tradition last year. We have a Mason jar in the kitchen next to a large notepad. The jar is filled throughout the year with slips of paper, and on each slip is written something that gives the writer joy on a particular day. On New Year’s Eve we get together to read each of the notes out loud.

This was not an easy year, but a lot of great things happened for which we’re grateful. Here are just a few of our highlights:

  • Better hours. Home every night for dinner!
  • Watching Aria in her first dance class.
  • Our weekend getaway to Pana-Sea-Ah on the coast.
  • Taking Aria to first day of preschool. So proud, but wouldn’t let Mommy go.
  • Walking through World War II bombers over Father’s Day weekend.
  • Our trip to Mount Hood. Fun at 7,000 feet!
  • Watching Aria and her cousin, Thad, sit together at Disney on Ice.
  • Aria climbing up into her big kid bed for the first time and saying, “Wow!”
  • Daddy-daughter living room dances in the summer.
  • Aria thinks “Roll out of bed in your jammies” is the funniest thing ever said.
  • Watching Clarke discover his talent making applesauce and apple pie.
  • Aria opening her Bitty Baby from Grammy and Grandpa at Christmas. Sheer joy.

The main theme was once again family. We saved our favorite notes and put them in a time capsule with the others from 2016 for reading again someday. The new year will have its own set of challenges and uncertainties, so a new joy jar is ready to go for 2018 as a reminder of all that’s good during the next 365 days. Happy New Year!

Before looking ahead, here’s one more glance at 2017 with a few joyful pictures:

Christmas 2017

From the Gospel of Luke (and the lips of Linus from Peanuts):

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Wishing my readers a joyous and merry Christmas.