The Proof is in the Resurrection

For most of us, Sunday represents the beginning of a week but the conclusion of a weekend. For Christians, Easter Sunday represents the very foundation of our faith. The birth of our Savior on Christmas marks the beginning of a life prophesied in scripture which would conclude not in death but in resurrection, also prophesied. Without the fulfillment of that prophecy, there would be no Christianity. Easter IS Christianity! As our pastor puts it, "Christmas is the promise; Easter is the proof!"

In concluding our weekend/starting our week, we attended church service and shared lunch with the family. After lunch, I asked the group to pack what we have come to call our "Grady Bags", the care bags that we deliver to the ICU waiting areas at Grady and that we have now made into an Easter tradition. Each bag was filled with cookies, crackers, trail mix, Easter candy, a card game, a notepad and pen, gum, hand sanitizer, bottled water, and a toothbrush and toothpaste. We topped each bag off with a note letting the recipients know a little about Jonathon's story and telling them that they will be in our prayers. It's funny really; I never know exactly how many bags to take, so it's a bit of a guessing game to determine. I remember the first year we took them (2006), we carefully planned and decided that eight bags would be enough (based on the number of family groups we typically encountered in the ICU waiting room when Jon was there). The eight bags were enough, but we left wishing we had taken a few more to share with some of the larger groups. Each year we have increased the number that we take, and each year we leave thinking that we could have easily shared even more. We always seem to have enough (thank God) but it is such a joy to share them, we find ourselves wanting to do more. This year we took 18 bags, and for the first time ever, we were left with one bag after giving them to each family group and giving more than one to larger families. As we left the hospital, we stopped at the Information Desk and shared the final bag with the worker there. Her smile and appreciation made the decision so right! I'm not sure if she was a volunteer or a paid employee, but the fact remains that she was not with her family on Easter Sunday--something that I hope I never have to experience. The families that we met were also so sweet and appreciative; each of them sharing their story and genuinely touched to be remembered. What they couldn't know was that the greatest appreciation was ours. We are so grateful to the medical staff and to our family, friends, and even strangers for the support that they gave us during those darkest days as well as the days that followed, this is simply our way of saying, "Thank You".

One of the other highlights of my day (and by far not the least) was the pure joy I experienced as my sweet daughter-in-law let me feel our little grandson move. As we ate lunch, she said that he was moving and asked if I'd like to feel him (ha, yes!). I gently placed my hand on her expanding tummy and felt the sweetest little nudge. It was almost as if he were saying, "Hi GrandMary! Guess what? I'll be there soon!" PURE, UNMEASURABLE JOY! I'm wiping away tears just writing about it! It was simply amazing......God is so good!

As I prepare to begin another week, I am counting the blessings that we've already seen and anticipating the miracles yet to come! I am so ready!!!