Quarantine Easter and Jesus

So I find myself typing this for,I guess, more a documentation of this state of affairs we are in right now as a world. Not to document the sadness or negative and not even to take a stance on anything. Maybe more for myself like a journal entry as one would. Blogging has never been a "diary" for me. I don't really put down daily or weekly happenings- not many would honestly care about any of that. Truly. I like to put out ideas and hopefully inspiration (not in any way a self help guru AT ALL), but if it falls upon my heart to put it out in the world, I usually will. This post will act as a time stamp for quarantine for me, but also holds a random idea/moment that I didn't want to forget. If you find it useful then- added bonus!

So Easter is this weekend. I have such fond memories as a child of celebrating together and remembering HE IS RISEN! 

This is not necessarily one of my "faith" based posts, but I mean how can we not shout out our Savior and HIS PROMISES. 

While it is ALL about JESUS and his resurrection (can I get an AMEN for that?!), I also have memories of all the egg hunts we'd have as kids. Running, pushing, shoving...oh wait that was just me and my sister? I mean... all the civilized egg hunts we'd have as a family.

Okay I digress for a bit. Well it may look a little different this year for everyone. Celebrating together in general will be different. My husband's birthday will look a little different too. We won't be able to celebrate the same way as we would being able to go out and about. 

Well thank goodness I am an OCD organized hoarder of certain things (is that even a thing?). I just so happen to have plastics eggs on hand....not because we have kids and not because I plan an egg hunt each year.  Maybe because I am a teacher and that's what we do sometimes. Say: "I might need these one day." Sound familiar?

Anyways, Easter + eggs + quarantine + Hubby's bday=inside the house egg hunt for him/ scavenger hunt/ who knows all the crevices I placed them all and how long we will be finding eggs in this house. But isn't that part of the fun? 

So this is just what I did, but you could totally modify to your people and needs. Again, this is a time stamp mainly for me to remember- but if it works for you-have fun!

So I filled the eggs with some of his favorite candy, some words of affirmation, and some "coupons" I knew he'd appreciate. Like...play video games 48 hours straight without interruptions. Just kidding. Kind of. 

I then piled them in my sweatshirt and started quickly placing them in places I knew, well hoped, he'd come across organically. 

Side note- since in quarantine, he is working from home. So I had to try to be quiet and sneaky. Didn't work too well. I was in the closet placing eggs when I heard him running to find me (probably to scare me) and I had to dump all the eggs out into the corner of the closet. He walked in as I was frantically shoving eggs under my clothes and inside shoes. I don't think he fully understood what was happening. That doesn't surprise me though-mainly because I think after 10 years of marriage he has come to realize he married a very random human being. 

Moving on,  I kicked him out of the closet and proceeded to find hiding locations. I did place this one on the door handle of the room he is working out of-so when he came out the next time it would be the first one he found. Inside was a little note about the egg hunt- to give him some background info)

Here are just a few. So not totally "hidden" but still not sure the time frame he will actually come across them. It could be all weekend and into his birthday he's finding them. Or next year. You know just keeping things interesting over here. 

I mean I guess if I was really prepared I could have bought the over sized eggs and hid TP, sanitizer, Clorox, etc inside each one. You know the treasure of 2020. But seriously who could have predicted this. Well I guess maybe....no this isn't that kind of blog we will not be getting into that rabbit hole. 

Overall- keep being good to one another, pray for one another, pray with one another, be loving, give grace, help each other, check on each other, PRAY BIG PRAYERS for our world. 

I know we may be in a tough spot right now and I can't in any capacity speak truth to the situation ( I am just an IC hiding eggs over here) but what I DO know is that our GOD is bigger and HIS son IS RISEN. He is our hope. This life was not meant to be easy or give all the answers. We will suffer and feel pain. We will also experience joy and love. Often time not understanding the mix of all of those things. If we were satisfied with this world we would never YEARN for our eternal home. This time away from society and self discipline (yes and some pain) can only bring renewal, thankfulness, and perspective. At least that is what I am praying for-for everyone. God is a God of MIRACLES. 

"He is risen, just as he said." 

Matthew 28:6

"Put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption."

Psalms 130:7

*Update 12:02 pm - I haven't even published this post yet (well I have now that you are reading it) and he already found the first egg (outside in his shoe when he took the dogs out) His face was hilarious and now he keeps walking around saying, "Where are the other eggs?!" I keep saying "What other eggs?" and just walk off. This is fun. 

Amazing Grace

Grace. 

What do you think of when you hear that word? It is a pretty powerful word. Someday's I feel like this word is unattainable, and I always feel it is undeserved. 

Grace- noun

-the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.

Let that sink in. FREE. UNMERITED. FAVOR. 

Wow. How can a sinner like me even deserve that or even give that out? 

How? Because of JESUS! 

Thank GOD right?! I mean I would not make it through a single day without some GRACE! The minute my feet hit the ground in the morning the enemy is ready to pounce. Some days he seems to win, but by golly God swoops in and covers me. 

Now I also believe I have to put in the effort to seek HIM out, but no matter how far I may fall God covers me in that GRACE. I know for a fact I don't deserve it at all. That's the beautiful, amazing, and sometimes confusing thing about GRACE is that he freely favor's us. Seems easy right? Just to go around handing out freebies of Grace. I mean everyone loves a freebie. Yes they do, and no it's not easy. We are a fallen people and sinners. We are selfish and self absorbed. We are mean and we can be hateful. But we have a God that sacrificed his only son to save us from all of those things and grant us Grace and forgiveness even when we are those things and totally do not deserve it. 

Depending on which source you read, the word Grace appears in the bible over 150 times, some sources say over 200...either way it is a lot! So obviously God is all about that Grace, bout that Grace, no trouble....those are the lyrics right?! ;) 

So back to giving Grace. The struggle is real. People are going to disappoint and fail you. People are going to act a fool and say things you don't agree with. People are going to not agree. People are going to make mistakes daily. People are sinners. But how can we best represent Christ than to offer Grace as He does. Some days it takes a Uhaul of Grace, and other days a sprinkle will do. Either way our goal should be to extend Grace. 

The quote says it all: Grace is forgiving. Grace is For Giving.

We are forgiven through Grace by God. We also need to be giving Grace. 

Now, are there times when someone can use it as a crutch and not be a responsible human being at some point? Well at that point we have to give it to God. 

Grace epitomizes the character of God's attitude in providing salvation for a fallen world. We will fall short of God's glory, (Romans 3:23) but we have a God that loves us unconditionally. His Grace is a gift. Something given without requiring anything in return. 

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound. It is amazing and so hard to fully understand sometimes. 

"He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness." John 1:14

"Yet now in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins." Romans 3:24

"Instead you are free by God's grace." Romans 6:14

"God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this;it is a gift from God." Ephesians 2:8

Now please tell me how that is not AMAZING GRACE!