Easter week: Thursday.

I told her not to worry. I told her they would be there in the morning.

She didn't quite understand how, if she picked the only 3 yellow flowers in our yard, they would return (and triple) by morning.

But I promised they would.

And she trusted me.

I'm an adult woman who understands that it is possible for it to happen, and yet I was still surprised and excited like a little girl when I woke and saw that it was so.
Yesterday we picked 3 daffodils from our little flower bed at the corner of the road. I, of course, was thrilled to see the beautiful color of bright yellow springing up from the earth.
It means it is time. It is truly time, and there is no turning back.


When we went to bed, she seemed upset. Even distraught at the thought that we had picked the only flowers in our yard. I could see that she regretted doing so if there were to be no more. But that just isn't so!
She is still sleeping now. But I am anxiously awaiting the sound of her bare footsteps coming through the upstairs hallway, and then descending down the stairs. I will grab her up in excitement and show her that I kept my promise, but that in essence, God kept His.

"Behold, I make all things new."

Isn't it amazing how, when we love the Lord and accept Him into our lives, He makes us completely new? We are forgiven and redeemed. The years that we wasted are immediately restored to us and He gives us the ability to freely enter into fellowship with Him!

Isn't it also amazing that it is during this awesome time that we celebrate the Crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus? A time when everything is changing and the world is coming back to life. The ground is softening and the buds are opening. New life that has been buried deep in the earth for months and months suddenly rises up, opens it's pedals and thrives! It is most certainly the greatest reminder of the love of our Father. Every year, faithfully, He reminds us of what Jesus did. He reminds us in the everyday happenings of a new and beautiful season.

And He is good. So, so good!

Today I will explain to Nora that even when we pick the very last flower, [or sin yet another time], God is faithful to restore those flowers [forgive those sins] and make us new again and again. I will also explain to her, however, that the Bible makes it clear that if we know the Lord, and understand His word and yet continue to sin, habitually (knowing we are doing so), we do not love God. We are liars. We are separate from Him.

But if we are striving to be close to Him and live our lives purely, He will be faithful to spring up new life in us every time.

Every single time

....even more beautiful...

...even more...

As I sat last night and thought about how it was the will of God to send Jesus to the cross, it was brought to my attention that, ultimately it was us that sent Him there.

And I cried during worship.

Because He went anyway. Knowing.

And even said to the Father, "forgive them for they know not what they do..."

And we didn't then, and we don't now.

But He still loves us and restores us.

And gives us even more than we deserve.

A beautiful garden of grace and mercy; and beautiful reminders of such.