Easter Celebration

I feel so grateful for the Easter messages of love that came my way! Thank you! I CAN imagine what it would be like without Easter because it is not on the Japanese calendar. Bill and I would go to church and then go to TGI Fridays for lunch. There were no Easter decorations or hams to be found. I was homesick because Easter was a huge celebration when I was growing up. We all had new spring clothes and went to a first class restaurant (courtesy of the funeral home where Dad officiated). As a child, we loved to dye eggs and hunt them over and over. Mom and Dad taught me that Easter was as important as Christmas and should be celebrated as such. Since coming back to the States, I try,

Sunday, Bill directed our chuch Easter musical. I could feel the spirit of God as I sang my solo parts. Many people told me that they were praying. Mom said she could feel the Spirit falling on the choir. The musical titel was, "Champion of Love". There were two funerals in the church last week, and all of the flowers were left to beautify the service. What a perfect reminder that "death has no sting". All believers will rise with Christ. Death and suffering is is wrong! Jesus came to tell us that someday He is going to make everything right!

After church, Mom, Ian and Phyllis came home with us for dinner. I made several salads on Saturday and baked a berry cobbler. Then I put a spiral ham in the oven before going to church. The house was decorated with the Easter egg tree that Mom and Dad brought back with them from Germany. I was also given Mr. and Mrs. Peter Rabbit. My gift to Bill was a Professor chocolate rabbit and of course, he gave me Jr. Mints and Peeps. As dinner favors, each person was given a small rabbit on a tricycle. Ian and Bill figured out that if you wound them up, they could be raced. Bill's went across the table to Mom. She would it up and sent it back to him. You would have thought they were all little kids! I was dying laughing! That is what Easter should be!!

We missed Noel and Janice and Mark. They had to go back to Springfield so that Janice could be back to work this week. Noel said he made the trip fine and had slept without pain medication. Yeah! We continue to pray!

I thanked God all week that I do not have maculer degeneration in my right eye. After being given an IV of yellow dye and having photos taken of my retina, I learned that my retina is swollen. I'm taking eye drops similar to Ibuprofen to reduce the swelling. I'm blessed to be near OU Medical Center where research is being done. Thank you, Lord! I can never be depressed if I focus on all of my blessings! I love my family and my friends! Happy Easter!