wonderful surprise

I woke up at 6:30 am to the sound of my niece, Lily, squealing about Easter baskets as several giggling pairs of feet joined her in a tumble down the stairs. I dragged myself out of bed, aware that an adult should probably supervise the opening of chocolate bunnies on the carpet. I retrieved the one unhappy little girl that was left behind in her crib, handing her a new silky-soft lamb as we headed down to find the cousins.

"Happy Easter, guys! He is Risen!" I say to them. I try to teach them to respond, "He is risen indeed!" and they kind of humor me, but mostly they just want me to open their candy so they can eat as much as possible before someone starts handing out "growing food" for breakfast. Tristan says, "hey mom, is the egg like the big rock that covered the grave?" Kenna asks, "where is Jesus now?" Lily tells us, "he was buried but he rose again and was alive!" 

Oh precious ones.

I see it. I see why He said we must have faith like these little children when I see their excitement, their belief, the way they jump out of bed and run to greet the day, this Day!

He was dead, buried, but has risen...He lives!

And He has given us another day to believe in Him and cry thank you, with all of ourselves.

I know it was the wonderful surprise of a basket of treats by their beds when they awoke that brought us all to the table at dawn, but I also know they are learning that this all means today is a big deal. What Jesus did is a big deal. That there is a greater, more wonderful surprise at work giving meaning to the eggs and the stuffed lambs.

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!" John 1:29