Easter

Easter week was pretty low key as far as Easter preparations went.

We finished working on the Spring Park house (see previous blog.) You know, some people post pictures of their kids... some of their houses. One last thing to do is to get rid of the poison ivy in the front yard. I think I've figured out a way to do it. With gloves, clippers, root and stump killer and a paint brush. I'm sure you'll hear if I'm not successful in keeping the oil off me. We spent a good part of the week getting this all finished.

Did I mention that we lost a few more chickens last week? I was sad that it happened while we were out of town. The chickens are still giving eggs. But we are keeping them more confined and not letting them wander into the woods.

Monday night Tom went to the Calico Rock prison to do Bible Study with the prisoners. Most of the LDS ones are gone-- set free-- but the chaplain still wants him to come, and I know the stake president is pleased we have a presence there.

I also wrote most mornings and finished writing about cryptocurrency and about currency or forex trading. I'm seeing light at the end of the tunnel and it feels good. I also delighted in the power of asking. I wasn't sure if they'd pay for copyediting. I thought they might think that was part of my fee and my responsibility. But I asked... and they said they'd pay for it! Wahoo!

We got our taxes back and learned that Uncle Sam wants a pretty good sized chunk to satisfy his demands. Sigh. We'll have to put aside more for this year. Especially if/when we sell the house.

Thursday night we went to Branson. We stopped at Menards to return some unused tile. Tom had set out the receipt... alas, it was for the bathroom tile from Home Depot... They were very nice and gave us in store credit though. I wan't sure they'd take back three month old tile.

We met up for dinner with Miranda, Dan and family and then went to a lovely timeshare to spend the night. Friday we met Deborah at Silver Dollar City and had a very nice time. The weather was delightful, not too hot and not the forecasted rain. We saw the new shows-- flamenco dancers, balancing acts, and the earth harp that set the world's record for length. The kids had fun on the rides. 

On the way out of town we dropped off the truck because the compressor was making funny sounds. Alas, it was not just the compressor, the condenser was also part of the problem as was the 20 year old hoses that had welded themselves to the system. I keep wondering, do we fix or replace. So far Tom is opting to fix.

Then on Saturday, as I was mowing the lawn, the mower decided to throw stuff through the wall of the engine. I think this one we are going to have to replace. Sigh. All in all, it's been an expensive week. But life is good. The weather is lovely. We are healthy. We are late getting the garden in, but we are enjoying asparagus and we have some volunteer lettuce growing that will be quite tasty shortly.

Traditionally we have celebrated Easter with Easter baskets full of chocolate eggs and bunnies. As kids grew up, the basket may have disappeared, but we’ve shared chocolate candy with each other at Easter. This year, we did nothing. No basket, no candy, no treats.

But in another way, we did more. Our Relief Society lesson was on the Atonement and I read that and pondered on the last days of the Savior. On Friday I thought about Good Friday and why we would call it good when it was the day our God died. I suppose it’s good because Christ fulfilled all righteousness. He completed his mission on earth with Honor. He did for all of us what we could not do for ourselves.

Today in choir we spent an hour practicing “Oh Savior, Thou Who Wearest a Crown.” It was a wonderful time to think about the Savior’s sacrifice and suffering. Then we had a great talk about Easter in Sacrament. Then in Relief Society I was impressed by this quote from Gordon B. Hinckley:

When all is said and done, when all of history is examined, when the deepest depths of the human mind have been explored, nothing is so wonderful, so majestic, so tremendous as this act of grace when the Son of the Almighty, the Prince of His Father’s royal household, He who had once spoken as Jehovah, He who had condescended to come to earth as a babe born in Bethlehem, gave His life in ignominy and pain so that all of the sons and daughters of God of all generations of time, every one of whom must die, might walk again and live eternally. He did for us what none of us could do for ourselves. …

Wow! Of all the things that have ever been done in all of history, the atonement of Jesus Christ is the most important! And another sister said the essential thing we are here on earth to learn is to love others.