He is Risen

Easter has been a little off for me this year.  The girls are with their mom so we didn't do baskets or egg hunts or anything like that.  I did take time the day before they left and showed them a little video about the real meaning of Easter and we talked about it.  So at least I did something right?  Ed got sick on Easter Sunday so I went to church alone.  Church was great and I actually learned a lot of new things today which is always a bonus.  I came home and put some steaks on the grill and made Ed get out of bed to have a small Easter dinner with me.  So in a lot of ways today was like any other day, but in my heart I am remembering this day the right way. 

My mom sent me a text this morning expressing her love for me and that I had been on her mind and part of the text mentioned our trip to Jerusalem.  Consequently that trip was on my mind a lot today.  I thought about how we walked in the footsteps of the Savior.  Sat in places where he sat and preached.  Felt his spirit as we sailed on the Sea of Galilee.  Most prominent in my mind has been the last day or two of our trip where we went through the last week of the Savior's life.  I will start off by saying that I imagine in my head that Jerusalem would be dry, dusty, and flat.  In fact Jerusalem is green, beautiful, and VERY hilly...i don't think there is a single flat street in the whole city.  As we traveled from Gethsemane to Annais' Palace, to Caiaphas' palace, to Pilate's, to Herod's, back to Pilate's I really began to understand just the physical aspect of Christ's last days.  He had bled from every pore at the beginning of this journey, and then just the mere travel between places would have been exhausting, not to mention that he was laughed at, scorned, beaten, spit upon, had the hair from his beard ripped out, every kind of humiliation possible.  Yet he suffered through this.  And then he is crucified, hung on a cross and mocked again.  He had power to turn back at any time yet he did not. 

Finally we went to the Garden tomb and we spent a long time there.  I was able to be in the tomb for a long time by myself and I sat on the floor and just looked at the place where he laid.  I had so many feelings and emotions...sad that He had to go through so much, but so thankful that He did this for me.  I looked up and on the door is a sign that says "He is not here, for He is Risen".  I have always had a testimony of this, but that day I felt the power behind that phrase and had my testimony strengthened.  I know with all my heart that He is Risen.  I am grateful that he died for my sins, and I am so grateful that I know that He lives.