DEEP WATERS

My Parents in their Twilight Years -- Still Sharp and Beautiful Last year Easter was very challenging for me.  When Easter arrived last year, I was reeling from the loss of my parents just months before. I was deep in the "acute grief" that a counselor had taught me about, given me vocabulary for and helped to walk me through. Honestly, I don't even remember anything that happened on Easter day last year. I think I was pretty numb to the celebration of Jesus' death and resurrection. In my head I knew that He'd given me - and the whole world - the most awesome gift ever when He died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead.  But last year, I wasn't exactly feeling it. This year has been different. As I've approached Resurrection Sunday, I have been very contemplative. I've thought a lot about the depth of Jesus' sacrifice. I've been reading the Passion story -- the story of Jesus' death, burial and resurrectio...

As a skinny little girl in pigtails, I never understood the "Seven Last Words." "If there were seven last words, why in the world is the preacher saying so many words?" I'd think. No longer a skinny little girl in pigtails, I've come to know the Savior that spoke those last words. I thought I'd share a few words about each of the seven words with you on Good Friday, and more importantly, right before Easter Sunday. I. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do A powerful first word from our Savior. Can you imagine His eyes surveying the crowd as He spoke those words?  His mother Mary, his beloved friend John and other loved ones surely wept until they had no more tears. But His enemies were there too -- jeering and casting insults. And how did He respond? With mercy and grace. Oh, may our lives reflect the heart of our Savior. May we be vessels of mercy and grace -- not only for our loved ones, but for those that reject and oppos...