Easter Reflections

I was reminded by my mom through a link on Facebook that yesterday was the anniversary of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s death. The comment (not Mom’s) was complimentary towards Bonhoeffer’s piety but critical of him as a theologian. This naturally prompted me to think of all the reasons I love Bonhoeffer’s theology. These are too many for a single blog post, but the one that stood out on this third day of Easter is Bonhoeffer’s love for this real, concrete world and his unflagging hope that it would be redeemed by the Christ of God.


Sunday in church we sang a song that Nathan wrote that includes the lines:

You raise me up in this flesh,

With these eyes I will rise

And see your goodness!

And I was suddenly reminded that seeing the goodness of God is not confined to seeing God himself, although certainly that would be enough!   But as always, God is more than generous, so seeing all that he has made good in the resurrection is also a way that we will see God’s goodness. When we see all the ones we have loved and lost, that is seeing God’s goodness. When we see an earth made whole and beautiful, that is seeing God’s goodness. When we see the Church perfected, that is seeing God’s goodness. And seeing it with our own eyes, these eyes that have been raised up from the grave, that is God’s goodness.

So now, in this time before the resurrection of all flesh, we anticipate and reflect the goodness of God when we love the things of this world, when we practice an earthy faith that refuses to believe that anything is unredeemable, when we see the world as it will be even as we live in it as it is.

"We cannot pray for the coming of the kingdom on earth if we try to flee from the cares and responsibilities of earth, this earth.  Our prayer . . . places us in complete solidarity with our fellow men in their evil and their guilt.  When we pray for the coming of the kingdom of God we stand together  with the world.  We grind our teeth with them and with them clench our fists.  This is no time for lonely piety." 
   - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Battleforce 5

Z is crazy about  Battleforce 5.  He has a DVD that has an advertisement for it, and either he has a very good memory, or he's watched the DVD way too many times.  See for yourself . . .

Christos Anesti

We had our usual Easter festivities this year, with a few extras thrown in.  It was a wonderful day.

Dying eggs was a new excitement for the Hitchcock family.  Z had a great time.  I was a little worried because we used brown eggs, and they didn't seem to be taking the dye very well.  But we left them in for a LONG time and the color ended up very deep and pretty.  (Except for the blue and purple.  Those didn't turn out so well . . . although Z did say they were his favorite.)

Believe it or not, this was the best picture I could get of these two in their Easter finery.

The fun and excitement of Easter baskets (or boxes, in our case)!

Z's favorite Easter gift -- Kalus and his vehicle, Fangore.  For the uninitiated, Kalus is a bad guy in Battleforce 5.  It's his latest obsession.  Since he opened the gift, I seriously don't think he's talked about anything else.

This is the first week I've been able to get a barrette to stay in.

The every exciting and challenging Easter Egg Hunt!

Lisa of course joined us this year.  Really, I should say, we joined her!  She very gladly hosted the whole party -- all 18 of us!

The end of a long but happy day.

Eden's Birthday

Pictures of the big day and the sweet, sweet, girl!

One

Today is Eden's first birthday.  We are so thankful for her and love having her in our family. 

It's seems she's gone from this . . .

to this . . .

. . . in the blink of an eye.  Happy Birthday beloved Eden! 

You have more than lived up to your name in this first year.

More pictures later of the birthday party!

Two Stories

Yesterday after church our pastor's wife was helping me get the kids out to the car.  As we walked through the parking lot, she asked Z what he wanted to be when he grew up.  He thought about it for a minute and then said, "When I grow up, the job I want to have is to be someone who has money to give to people who need money."  Barb and I were both touched by this answer, and I asked, "Why do want to do that job?"  Z answered, "Because when you give people money you help them get what they need."

Today as Eden and I walked home from Walgreens, we passed one of our elderly neighbors out raking his leaves.  I decided to stop and help, because we had never met.  As we were raking up the last of the leaves he asked me about my family, so I told him my husband's name is Nathan, we have a son named Lazarus, and this is our daughter, Eden.  "Eden," he said, "is that a Bible name?"  (He had already told me that he attends the local Catholic church.)  "Oh yes," I said, "you know, the Garden of Eden."  He kind of gave a self-conscious laugh and said, "Of course!  But that's just a material thing!"  Then he paused and said, "But I guess she's just a material thing, too.  Of course, she'll have a soul when she gets older."  I think the last statement was a bit of joke, although honestly I'm not sure.  I said something in agreement with her materiality and added that God loved her no matter how old she is.  I didn't take any offense . . . he meant it kindly.  But it is an example of the Christian tendency to be somewhat dismissive of the material things!

Pictures

Z and I made a snowman on a winter day not too long ago.

We also made a snow turtle.

Eden isn't crawling yet . . . she lacks ambition.

Contentment after a supper of rice, beans and yogurt.

Look at those beautiful green eyes!

Happiness after a snack of bread and jam.

Extra sweet kisses.

Super fashionable!

Potluck at church.

The sweetest baby I know!