Grace, Faith, Courage and Strength

I guess it has been over a week since I have last blogged. Mostly because there is not much to blog about!! We had a different kind of Easter celebration this year. Tony and I have both been working so hard on several different projects-- work, school, ministries, etc.-- which SORT OF culminated with a large BBQ at our home on Saturday and then the launch of an entirely unique and fun curriculum for our children's ministry at church, of which I am intimately involved :) So... by the time we got home on Sunday, there was no impetus to do anything but sit... and sit... and finally stop sitting long enough to make some deviled eggs and call it an Easter dinner-- HAAAA!! I'm not kidding either! That is exactly what I did! We had left over BBQ, chili- cheese dip, salsa and chips and deviled eggs. I think that is sort of hilarious. Tony certainly didn't care-- he was watching Basketball. The boys didn't care, all they wanted to do was play with their friends, and I was perfectly content sitting on my BACK porch (not the Front porch) on my new cheap patio set that is really so cute and read a book. And it was these words that kept rolling through my mind: "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, He is risen!" Those were the words of the angels who met the women at Jesus' tomb that first Easter morning. I can only imagine the confusion, wonder, amazement and hope which must have filled those women the rest of their day... I don't think they were worried about ham dinners, easter egg hunts, baskets or traditions. Don't get me wrong, Team Dragovich woke up to some candy filled eggs inside new bicycle helmets hidden throughout the house; traditions are nice. But they aren't essential OR eternal. Accepting Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and His victory over death... living in the Grace (free, undeserved love that keeps no record of wrongs) He so freely gives to all who have Faith and understand His sacrifice was for THEM and comes with no strings attached... having the courage to BELIEVE even when all the world around us can seem so grim... TRUSTING in the Power of the Holy Spirit, which is given freely to all believers for the continual renewing of Strength and living with the unexplainable ability to live free from sin, death and the power of the devil. These are eternal.

For those who read this and believe-- it makes perfect sense. For any who read who do not yet believe nor have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ-- this sounds like foolishness. For our family, the words, "He is not here, He is RISEN!", are not just empty words associated with a metaphor or analogy-- they are TRUE!! Jesus really did rise from the dead and show His power over even death. And He did it out of love for mankind-- ALL MANKIND. And now these three remain... Faith, Hope and Love, And the greatest of these is LOVE.

On the adoption note, three more families from our agency received their referrals this week for children. Self-lessly I am excited for these families because my heart and prayers are for them and I celebrate with them. Selfishly I am excited because I LOVE to see movement in our agency-- it means... well, MOVEMENT!! :D

Grace and Peace,
Shari