the 2015 garden

Our fifth garden.  Not our fanciest, but the craftsmanship was totally out of my hands.  The big three did their best, and the little two proved to be a challenge.  This is still a favorite of ours - a solid combination of excitement and significance - and even on years when the clover-carpet wilts within hours and the dirt resembles rubble we are sticking with it :)

I missed a picture of praying Jesus on Thursday night, and intended to get Jesus up on the cross at breakfast on Friday.  But he didn't make it there until lunch.  {sigh}

On Friday night we read from the Jesus Storybook Bible and then took our Jesus down from the cross, wrapped him in a napkin and placed him in our potato tomb.  Each kiddo contributed to the process and Julianna finished it up, working to get the big rock in just the right spot, blocking the entire entrance.

By this point our garden was brown and wilted and limp.  It's dreary, and the situation is not looking hopeful at all.

Which is the point.

Entirely.

I think we can tend to forget how terrible Saturday was for the disciples.  Sure, I can spend the day excitedly preparing for the party-to-come {I know who wins the battle, I know who walks out of the tomb!}, but those who loved Jesus on the very first Easter?  Surely their hearts were wilted and limp.

Looking at our box of brown we talked through the story again, since John Paul was concerned we were just going to leave our Jesus in the potato.  It was clear that he was trying to wrap his mind around death... and resurrection .... and the whole thing was leaving him a little confused.  Which is understandable, since it's completely NOT understandable that a man rose from the grave.

I wish I could say that I patiently explained it again, and John Paul's eyes lit up with understanding, and the whole bunch of kids sat attentively, just awed by Momma's wisdom and insight.  But reality is that I gave a half-hearted response and Luke concluded that the angels were the ones who restored life to Jesus and I was too worn-out-with-motherhood to even care to correct him.  I hurried them away from the table, eager for bedtime to be behind me, John Paul still a little perturbed that Jesus had to stay in the potato.

Half an hour later we were in the final stages of bedtime prep when Matt called.  John Paul got first dibs on talking to Daddy and he excitedly hollered into the phone "Daddy! We put Jesus in the tomb but on Easter He will come out!"

It was awesome.

And my heart lightened just a bit with the timely reminder that God is the one who changes hearts and minds.  

We finished our garden this morning, loaded up the van and headed to worship.  Afterwards, a big group of friends gathered at our home for food, fun, fellowship, and an egg hunt.  The last guests didn't leave til after 5pm.  It was a sweet day, and the camera is loaded with pictures, but they'll have to wait for another time.

Happy Easter friends!  His glory shines bright in our imperfections.  Rejoice!