It's Just a Matter of Time

Two Saturdays ago, we celebrated Emily's sweet 16 birthday.

She wanted to do some painting for her birthday. She's quite the artist this one! I love her!

I love her brother Andy too!

I'm not the only one who loves this guy! Look at the love his cousin Sarah is pouring on! Heart melts!

Years ago these two kiddos took up residence in my heart. They cozied in right next to Miss Sofia and Miss Emma Bean. The more the merrier!!

Oh my word! They are so blasted cute! I just want to wrap my arms around them and kiss their foreheads and tell the I wuv them!! I shall restrain myself however. They are much too grown up for that. It would be so-oo embarrassing! And eyes would roll. -sigh-

I am utterly blessed that their Mom, my very good friend Amy, allowed me to love them like my own. I'm ever blessed that she loved my girls as her own.

I couldn't help, as we enjoyed each other's company, laughed, and celebrated Emily's birthday with her Dad, Andy, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends, but miss Amy's presence. 

I can't believe that June first will mark one year since Amy died. How can that be? How can time move on so swiftly? Time, it seems, is no respecter of grief. 

Joy and sorrow, side by side.

The day after Emily's birthday was Easter Sunday. The celebrating continued.

And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit." Having said this, He breathed His last. Luke 23:46

I know what it is to grieve, yet I don't know if it can compare to what Jesus' followers experienced when they watched as the Christ, the son of the Almighty God, their teacher, the One they witnessed perform miracles, their beloved friend was unjustly hung on the cross to die.

I wonder how they managed to move through the days that followed.

I wonder how Jesus death shook their faith.

I wonder if they too felt that time should stand still to mark the moment.

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb...they found the stone rolled away! They did not find the body of Jesus! They were reminded that, "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again!" (This passage can be found in Luke 24:1-7)

Jesus had risen from the dead! Jesus conquered death!!

Where time felt as if it should stand still, it moved forward to the fulfilling of the promise.

When Jesus gathered with His disciples...Then He (Jesus) said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:46-47

Where their faith, days earlier, may have felt shaken, ROCKED! It was now proved!

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive! 1 Corinthians 20-22

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life! John 3:16

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." 
John 14:6

Time marches on. The question is what is your time moving on to?

This year's Easter celebration left me greatly comforted that though time moves on, because of Jesus, time is moving on to eternity with Him. 

Eternity where, through Jesus, God will...Wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death shall be no more, neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for these things will pass away! Revelations 21:4

Oh yes, Whoever believes in the Son, Jesus, has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. John 3:36

Time moves on. I miss my friend very much. I still shed tears. 

Easter is the great comfort!

It's only a matter of time. A short amount of time actually, to have to wait for an eternity of joyous celebration, and to be reunited with dear loved ones!

Christine