Somebody's been messin' with the stone!!

I wish I was clever enough to be able to claim the above title as my own, but alas, I had to *borrow* it from a friend. She is clever enough to claim it as her own.

I finally went home for Easter. I haven't celebrated the resurrection Manitoulin-style since I left for University four years ago. That's a lot of time to miss the Island. And, of course, it's not the same as when we were kids because, quite frankly, none of us are kids anymore. But it was wonderful to decorate eggs, go to an Easter-themed church service, have a big dinner with the whole family and the grandparents, and wake up the next day to eat the previously-decorated eggs (well, we blew them out so we didn't actually have to wreck our lovely creations...).

Dave even got to decorate his first eggs. I'm a little disappointed that he didn't enjoy it as much as the rest of us did, but perhaps the nostalgia was lost in the never-having-decorated-them-as-kids...

We couldn't dress my little sister up as a bunny, nor did we hunt for eggs, but it was family. Lots of family.

I know this isn't the typical Easter passage, but I feel as if it's appropriate as a post-Easter passage. You know, after He has risen and you're trying to make sense of everything...

"Romans 12

A Living Sacrifice

¹ Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your^[a] faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,^[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love in Action

⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[c] Do not be conceited.

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[d] says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”^[e]

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."