Easter 2012

For the first time in many years we braved the early morning and made it to the sunrise service.  He was good - hundred's of Christians circled around on a ball field near old airport worshiping our Lord and Savior for the resurrection of our King.  Autumn woke up slowly and cuddled with her new bunny.  During worship she put the blanket up over her and rested for a few minutes.  The Christian Hula was fun - I never tire of it.  Autumn sat with the other kids on my lap for the keiki message and we heard a message about taking the gospel into the world.  All in all, worth the very early wake up time!

Next we headed to breakfast - sadly McDonalds egg mcmuffin sounded all too delicious!    It worked out perfect though because our friends had chosen the same destination and we got to sit and chat for breakfast!  Next it was a toss up - head home for rest or use the surf board we had packed just in case.  Then I checked my phone and my surf friend said they were out and the waves were good.  So to Limons we went for a mama surf session while the kids and daddy's played on shore.


 I didn't catch anything, but it was a good learning session.  We then headed home, opened fun gifts from grandparents and Amazon (I didn't think the stuff I had ordered would arrive in time, so I was very excited)  Autumn got her first Bible, finger paints, a big ball, an outfit, kite, puzzle, and sand toys!  Made her day!
We tried to interject a lot of we celebrate Easter to celebrate Jesus saving us as well!!  We then got to Skype with Aaron's side of the family, finger paint and play. I assumed it would be another nap free day, as the day before she played hard on the beach for 2 1/2 hours and didn't take one.  But 15 minutes before we were to head to a friend's, she fell asleep on the couch watching George.  We canceled friends and let her sleep for awhile, as we still had communion dinner at our Church.  We packed up the Challah Bread and headed out to church.

Our pastor is passionate about having communion in a different fashion than pass the juice at the end of a sermon.  He believes that communion is a community event taken together over a meal.  We had our first one on Easter.  It was a lovely potluck, time to share about our lives and Christ's power to release us from our bondage to sin.  It was very powerful.  I look forward to more of them when we return to the Big Island next year.

Side notes: I acutely realized how much my focus on Autumn affects my ability to focus on Christ during events like these.  Then in life, there is not excuse - I have time to spend with God and I make other choices.... I had planned to read John before Easter and only made it to Chapter 5, I desire to keep a prayer journal and be more faith in my prayers and am struggling to be consistent...  Definitely need Christ's help to overcome my life long struggle to carve out time and be more disciplined.

Easter was good! God is so Good to us!!!  So thankful that He rose, that I live with Hope!!!!!