“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!”

Palm Sunday begins the journey through Holy week and to Jesus’ death and Resurrection. As we celebrate on Easter Sunday, we are reminded that Jesus came into the world for us. Jesus came to restore our relationship with God. And in return we are called to be forgiving and to be forgiven. One thing I love about the 40 days of Lent and Holy week is the reminder of this awesome hope…a hope that comes in the midst of death and the Resurrection.

And in that hope, we are reminded of life…that life does come out of death. What a beautiful reminder for us all. This week I have spent a lot of time around new life. On Friday, a dear friend and I met up for lunch where I got to meet her new son who is almost a month old. We sat and visited for quite awhile. And as we visited, the little guy snuggled down on my chest and just slept. I think I held him for like an 30 minutes or more. I was hoping he would open his eyes for me but he never did. Apparently he was content just the way he was. Today, I sat and held a church member’s new little baby who is about two months old. Again he snuggled right down into my chest and listened to my heart beat. I literally could have sat their all day with him snuggling in. I returned home to open up FB and read that my dear friends J and C’s daughter decided to make her entrance into the world today too. There is something absolutely spectacular about new life. Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t have to be asked twice to hold an infant?

(It also happened to be First Communion Sunday at DLC this morning for our 5th graders and their homes. In coming to the table, we are reminded again of what Jesus did for us. Jesus died on the cross for us; to restore our relationship with God and each other. At the table, God also reminds us of God’s grace and hope; reminding us that we are forgiven and that we too should be forgiving as well. Yet another reminder of God’s grace, mercy, love and hope…)

And in the midst of this new life, I am reminded of this amazing grace…this amazing hope that God offers to all of us; a hope that is always there. Yes, I still deeply yearn to be a momma and to have someone call me “mommy”. However hope outweighs that yearning. (I’ll be honest there are days when that hope is clouded by the deep yearning but most days, God reminds me of this hope; a hope that I cling to in the midst of this thing I want so deeply!)Because God in sending God’s Son into the world reminds us of this amazing love, grace, and mercy that only God can offer.

“This is how much God loved the world; He have his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him,anyone can have a whole and lasting life(John 3:16-17;The Message).”