nails+grace=Easter

Easter at White House Church of Christ is apparently a two-week event. On Palm Sunday (March 16) we did the easter-egg hunt/potluck celebration that turned into one of the best days you could ask for. The night before, we showed "Passion of the Christ" in our auditorium. It had been a while since some of the group had seen it and I wanted to start a discussion about the concepts of the movie and the focus on death and resurrection around the Easter holiday. That movie led to the final step for one of our kids, Erin Bauer, to decide to give her life to Christ during services on that Sunday morning. She said, "I never understood what the big deal about the cross was until I saw the movie." That quote has stayed with me for the last couple of weeks just to think about how many other people feel that same disconnect between Christianity and the actual reason why we have faith and what grace and mercy is.

As we get older, it's as if worshipping God isn't just a joy or a luxury to do or have, it's part of the weekly checklist. I know...I've been there. My generation and Erin's generation are a very visual generation. Pictures and music are put together to pull at the heartstrings and capture that moment where we are brought to our knees and reminded that our lives are bigger than what it seems and we are not our own...we are his.

Last Sunday being Easter Sunday, that same emotion was hard to grab on to. I don't know if it was the focus of the day, if we had formally celebrated Easter a week too early or what....I found myself kicking myself in the pants because I had too quickly lost the focus on the "big deal" about the cross. I need more Erin Bauer's around just to humbly let me know that my Christianity needs to thrive on my passion for Him and not so much if I can connect on a Sunday or not.....not really sure if this made sense or not. Hope everyone had a happy Easter!