March 31 – “Empty”

Well, God must have something really good in store for us tomorrow morning.  Why do I say that?  Because we have some key Seasiders who are dropping like flies beneath the dreaded flu invasion.  Our event coordinator and her husband both went down.  Her mother has been on the verge, but fighting hard for over a week.  Then I got a text yesterday from our key prayer warrior and unique welcomer, Mister Bob.  He is now officially down for the count as well.  He promised his prayers wouldn’t be any less fervent, though.  Then two nights ago, at 2:15 a.m., I was awakened like someone slapped me in the face with what I could only surmise was an allergy attack.  I couldn’t breathe.  I started sneezing.  My nose started running.  Drainage poured down the back of my throat.  I took some medication, but it took me a few hours to get back to sleep.  Last night I slept in my easy chair so I wouldn’t keep Chris awake.  I did sleep some, but it was quite fitful.  And right now I still have the drainage and a scratchy throat.  Might need someone to do the scripture readings for me tomorrow.  They are kind of lengthy.  I’ll drink lots of fluids today (as per instructions from my personal private-duty nurse wife), and we’ll see.  Keep those prayers coming.

We did our family Easter egg hunt yesterday.  The kiddos came over and dyed eggs first, then we had a great crockpot roast.  And after the roast it was egg hunt time.  While Nathan and I were hiding the eggs, the little girls from next door came over and asked if they could do the Easter egg hunt with us.  I told them that this one was for our children who were inside the house.  Little did they know, however, that we had a surprise in store for them.  They went back into their house after a while, so I raced inside and spread the word.  Christina had Noa and Josiah ready, and Brennan and Cailyn joined in.  They snuck into the yard next door and hid some eggs.  A sign was placed on the front door that said, “You have been egged.”  A description followed that explained twelve eggs had been hidden, and one of the eggs was especially special.  See, it was empty to remind us that on Easter Sunday morning the tomb of Jesus was empty as well.  He is risen.  He is no longer dead, but alive.  A little while later the doorbell rang.  It was the girls from next door, coming over to say thank you.  And the one who found the empty egg was so proud.  Nothing inside, but she was excited to have been the one to find it.  How cool is that?  There’s a lot to be said for “empty.”

Luke 24:5-6 says, “and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living One among the dead?  He is not here, but He has risen.’”

Father, thank you for the joy we saw on a bunch of little kids’ faces yesterday.  And thank you for … “empty.”