Chickadee has a new favorite look. It all started on Easter:
Shorts and a t-shirt, her Easter hat, and boots. She has continued to wear this look in various forms all week. I love her individual sense of style!
Here is today’s version:
And when she’s done being fancy, she hangs her hat on pony:
I know this is all part of being four, but I really hope she never outgrows her uniqueness!
While most of my purchases from Pinup Girl have been skirts, I knew when I first started shopping there that I would need to own a Lydia dress eventually. And this gorgeous Mary Blair mother and child print is my favorite of all the Lydias..the pattern is fun and the colors are beautiful. I was a little worried about the fit, because I always worry about the fit of dresses, but this dress is amazing…it’s like it was made for me!
Did I mention that the Lydia dress also has pockets? I don’t use pockets very often, but I really like knowing they’re there! I also love how well it goes with my Starlite jewelry set from Meteor Jewelry…the colors and styles are a perfect fit!
I’m not really sure what they were trying to accomplish, but they were happy, and the sight of the tangle of arms and legs made me laugh!
Of course a holiday means a family feast!
I went with a primarily gold and white table again this year…I think it’s very Easter-y. And as always, our new Paschal candle was the centerpiece:
This year’s menu was a little bit the same as last year’s, and a little bit different. We had roast lamb, a lovely trio of vegetables (asparagus, carrots, and brussels sprouts), roast potatoes, Jell-O “salad” and some mini croissants that were a huge hit!
For dessert, there was a choice of carrot cake or French silk pie…two of my favorites:
We have enough leftover lamb to enjoy gyros for dinner tomorrow…it’s a feast that keeps on giving!
We had a very joyous Easter morning!
The big four all got to play parts in our church’s annual reenactment outside before the sunrise service. Turkey was the angel, Moose was a guard, and Bunny and Ladybug were the women on their way to the tomb:
It was a beautiful morning, and we had plenty of time for taking pictures outside between the services:
I also took a lot of pictures inside…our church looks so beautiful at Easter!
I even harassed everyone into taking a family photo!
I hope your Easter was as blessed as ours was!
Remembering my children’s baptisms and watching them learn and grow in the faith make it a very Happy Easter indeed!
If anyone is devout and a lover of God, let him enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival. If anyone is a wise servant, let him rejoice and enter into the joy of his Lord. If anyone has wearied himself in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If anyone has labored from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If anyone has come at the third hour, with thanksgiving let him keep the feast. If anyone has arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; for he shall suffer no loss. If anyone has delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near without hesitation. If any have arrived even at the eleventh hour, let him not fear on account of his delay. For the Master is gracious and receives the last, even as the first; he gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, just as to him who has wrought from the first. He has mercy upon the last and cares for the first; to the one he gives, and to the other he is gracious. He both honors the work and praises the intention.
Enter all of you, therefore, into the joy of your Lord, and, whether first or last, receive your reward. O rich and poor, one with another, dance for joy! O you ascetics and you negligent, celebrate the day! You that have fasted and you that have disregarded the fast, rejoice today! The table is rich-laden; feast royally, all of you! The calf is fatted; let no one go forth hungry.
Let all partake of the feast of faith: Let all receive the riches of goodness. Let no one lament his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one mourn his transgressions, for pardon has dawned from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free.
He that was taken by death has annihilated it. He descended into hades and took hades captive! He embittered it when it tasted his flesh. And anticipating this Isaiah exlaimed, “Hades was embittered when it encountered thee in the lower regions.” It was embittered, for it was abolished! It was embittered, for it was mocked! It was embittered, for it was purged! It was embittered, for it was despoiled! It was embittered, for it was bound in chains!
It took a body, and face to face, met God! It took earth and encountered Heaven! It took what it saw but crumbled before what it had not seen! “O Death, where is thy sting? O Hell, where is thy victory?”
Christ is risen, and you are overthrown! Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen! Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is risen, and life reigns!
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in a tomb!
For Christ, being risen from the dead, has become the first fruits of them that slept.
To Him be glory and might unto ages of ages. Amen.
Paschal Homily Of St. John Chrysostom
What is happening? Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages. God has died in the flesh, and the underworld has trembled. Truly he goes to seek out our first parent like a lost sheep; he wishes to visit those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. He goes to free the prisoner Adam and his fellow-prisoner Eve from their pains, he who is God, and Adam’s son. The Lord goes in to them holding his victorious weapon, his cross. When Adam, the first created man, sees him, he strikes his breast in terror and calls out to all: “My Lord be with you all.” And Christ in reply says to Adam: “And with your spirit.” And grasping his hand he raises him up, saying, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.” “I am your God, who for your sake became your son, who for you and your descendants now speak and command with authority those in prison: Come forth, and those in darkness: Have light, and those who sleep: Rise.” “I command you: Awake, sleeper, I have not made you to be held a prisoner in the underworld. Arise from the dead; I am the life of the dead. Arise, O man, work of my hands, arise, you who were fashioned in my image. Rise, let us go hence; for you in me and I in you, together we are one undivided person.” (quoted in For All the Saints, vol. III, p. 1037)
Thus says the Lord: What have I done to you, O My people, and wherein have I offended you? Answer Me. For I have raised you up out of the prison house of sin and death, and you have delivered up your Redeemer to be scourged. For I have redeemed you from the house of bondage, and you have nailed your Savior to the cross. O My people.
Thus says the Lord: What have I done to you, O My people, and wherein have I offended you? Answer Me. For I have conquered all your foes, and you have given Me over and delivered Me to those who persecute Me. For I have fed you with My Word and refreshed you with living water, and you have given Me gall and vinegar to drink. O My people.
Thus say the Lord: What have I done to you, O My people, and wherein have I offended you? Answer Me. What more could have been done for My vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? My people, is this how you thank your God? O My people. Lutheran Service Book