Saturday, March 30, 2013

An End to Lent and an Easter Beginning

When do you start celebrating Easter? 

We start on Saturday night and after a Lent of no sweets (except for Sundays and Holy Days - I didn't want you to think we were saintly - ha!) for everyone in the Martin Family, sugar never tasted so good!

Baking your wife a yellow cake with vanilla frosting even though you prefer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting?
Now that's love.

Then we gave the kids an Easter gift:


 It was The Hobbit, and while the boys were thrilled somebody was definitely not...
"But that's a BOY movie!"

"That's not cool at all!"

"Yessssss!"

"Woo-hoo!"

Maybe she's just upset about her liturgically inappropriate pajamas?


We can all act like ungrateful children though, can't we?  God pours His blessings onto us, and we wish we had something else instead, something we think is better.  I have learned this Lent that God always provides the strength we need to handle life's events and we can lean on Him without fail.

I missed you all during my self-imposed Holy Week fast!  I'm not sure I'm cut out for this whole fasting business because I think the point is to help end attachment to whatever it is we've given up, but I seem to only desire it more.  Or perhaps that's what makes it a sacrifice?  And some of you made big announcements, how dare you? ;)

This was the best Good Friday (sacrilicious?) I can remember.  I felt so loved by Christ as I really was able to focus during the service at our church.  Alexander was the most well-behaved he's ever been, and we were even able to go to Confession after and remembered to start the Divine Mercy Novena that night.  Talk about God's grace!

At one point during the service, I leaned over to a fidgety child who was complaining he was tired and I said "Just know that Jesus died on the cross because He loves you so much.  Even if you were the only person in the world, He still would have died for you".  I completely convicted myself with the words that spilled out of my mouth.

Tonight, as I fill the baskets and eggs with little presents for those I love, I will remember how much God loves each and everyone of us, and be thankful for all the gifts He has given me.  A joyful Easter indeed!


5 comments:

  1. Well aren't you the sweetest for linking to my corner of the internet...:) I know it's a little early, but Happy Easter to all the Martins!

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  2. Happy Easter! My girls love The Hobbit, so you can tell Maggie it's not just a "boy movie". lol

    Your cake looks yummy! Ben and I are the opposite, I love chocolate cake/frosting and he doesn't like chocolate and only likes vanilla. So, we usually have vanilla cakes for birthdays, etc., but for Easter I make both chocolate and vanilla desserts..so everyone is happy!

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  3. That cake looks a-mazing. Test Kitchen is the best. I'm organizing our baskets now too!

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  4. Happy Easter to you and yours!!
    Missed your smilin face but am glad you had a good Holy Week!
    Hugs to Maggie, here's hoping that the Easter Bunny brought her something pink and lovely to ease the burden of all those brothers :)

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  5. Oh goodness, she is cute!!!!! We got a good laugh over here ;).

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