Happy Easter:)

We love our family!

I was so excited to hear about my brother and his family coming to stay, and then I realized I was going to be hosting Easter at my house...

I went into anxiety/OCD over-drive... We're talking about me, on my knees, 10 o'clock at night, scrubbing the kitchen floor with a magic eraser (the same floor I vowed NOT to clean, since it's going to be replaced)...

I'm not proud of it, but those feelings come flooding in- the need, the desire to be- Great. Perfect. Creative.  I know, in my head, that my niece and nephew wouldn't even look at my floor; my sister-in-law is SO sweet, and gracious that she wouldn't see the dust-dirt-looking-stuff in the corners of the grout; my brother could care less how clean the ceiling fans were... They just wanted to visit.

I even know that my mom and dad just wanted to visit with the people in their family- not my carpets... And sweet, wise, old G-ma  is 90.  She is just loving being able to love and be loved.

The anxiety and OCD overdrive was so NOT necessary. I know this. It's in my head. I know it is a tool of the enemy... Definitely not from God.

And, there it is: Grace.

Only one person has been perfect. Ever. And he walked on water. And he didn't judge dirty floors and old carpets... He loved. He loved. He loved!

And... It is Easter Sunday.

An epiphany.

He came, He loved, He died, He rose again, and He is coming back for us, all because He loves us. He loves people- not carpets, or ceiling fans, or any of the trying-to-be-perfect housewives, like me:)

He forgives us our pride.

So, those of us that are challenged by these feelings, we need to go beyond the feeling of needing to be perfect- because we aren't. And we won't be. Not in this lifetime,anyway.  Perfection is not part of our life on Earth- it is only what we can anticipate for Heaven.

So- on this side of my Easter weekend:  we had fun, and loved on each other.  We took up a whole row at Easter service. We had a glow-in-the-dark egg hunt, that did NOT go as planned, but was still fun (and the easter-bunny's reputation came out intact- us moms can get pretty creative with our story telling, when we need to be). We ate on paper plates this morning- not the plan, but clean up was so easy!  And we got to just visit, love, and build relationship with one another, and  celebrate the hope that is in Christ.

Peace!