An Easter Miracle Possibility/Update #5

I did not post last night, mainly because I was feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, and simply could not write. On top of that I did not have much new news. After spending most of the night talking to family, praying and crying I awoke on this blessed Resurrection Day struggling to find anything positive. I went to church and was blessed by the reminder that Christ rose from the dead and is alive. I was also reminded of the fact that God does do everything for a reason, and also that miracles do happen.

After arriving home from church my dad told me that he received a text message from his brother this morning. He said that yesterday afternoon a ranger picked up a faint avalanche beacon signal. It was confirmed and digging began. A few feet down another beacon was picked up! Digging was postponed due to the sunlight fading, but was being resumed today. Please, please pray that both Greg Seftick and Walker Kuhl will be found today. Miracles do happen. God does work. Anything is possible, especially on Easter.

http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=7225

http://www.tetonat.com/2011/04/19/missing-skiers-in-gtnp-randosteves-report/

Easter Sunday and Easter Monday

I had a really good Easter Sunday. I didn't ride on the bus because the choir did a special concert Sunday morning and so everybody was required to be there, and we had an early choir practice at 8:15 that was also required. We sang 3 songs, "Up From the Grave," "It is Finished," and "Alive!" I liked all of them, but Alive! was my favorite. There were a lot of kids that rode the bus yesterday! I was really surprised! It was REALLY good. I don't think I mentioned this before, but on Friday the church had a teen activity and one of the guys on my bus route got saved!! That was sooooo cool!!
I was able to have Easter dinner with the Phillips' and the McMahon's. It was a lot of fun and good food!! :-P
Mrs. Phillips, Bro. Mike, and I had to be back at church by 5 for choir practice. I checked my phone and found out that a friend of mine had died about 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon!! He had been diagnosed with colon cancer 2 weeks ago, and apparently it was worse than I had thought. Please pray for the DeKruyter family as they are dealing with this sudden loss of a brother and uncle. I called him Uncle Dave, or Duncle Ave, and I know that I will miss him and his sweet spirit and the hours of music that we used to play together when he lived closer to us. His funeral will be Saturday in Illinois, where he lived. My family will be going. I think mom is going to be doing the music for the funeral cuz Uncle Dave was the pianist for his church. I know he has left a HUGE gap in his family, church, and friends lives. We will miss him! But he got to go home on Sunday, as he so wished to do, and not just any Sunday, but Easter Sunday.
It's a good thing that Mrs. Phillips was in the jeep with me cuz she gave me a hug, and I needed it REALLY REALLY bad!!
After that everything is pretty much a fog. I know I was at choir practice and church and I worked, but I don't remember any particular details.
After work I came back to my room to study for a World History test. That was fun....NOT! I was up pretty late. UGH!
Today dawned WAY to bright and early, well it wasn't exactly bright, just early, 5 am! YUCK again. I hate late nights and early mornings, they happen all the time. I guess that is just part of college life, but I still don't like it at all!
I think the World History test went ok. I had to use the process of elimination quite a bit. Oh well, at least Mrs. Donaghue brought chocolate to class with her, so that did help. :) Other than that classes went fine.
I got to sleep for almost 30 minutes between classes and work which was LOVELY!! Between the nap and a big mug of coffee I was able to make it through work just fine. :) There was no Christian school today because it is Easter Monday, I just think that they didn't want to have class, cuz the college still had classes. Since there was no mess to clean up in the school I was able to finish work early! I even did some extra things that I don't normally do and still was done 25 minutes early!! :) :) That made me VERY happy!
I just have some minor studying to do tonight and then I am going to work on the World History lesson that I am teaching on Friday....I think that will be fun! :)

Resurrection!

As I think about Easter and what it really is, the celebration of my Savior's resurrection, my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude to Jesus for all that He has done for me. He took my sin on Himself and for me He died so that I might live eternally with Him. I think of the pain of betrayal, I know how I feel when a friend has betrayed me, yet Jesus had the ultimate betrayal. His suffering through illegal trials, being falsely accused and yet did not defend Himself. The beatings, the mocking, the long walk up to Golgotha, the nails being driven one by one into His hands and feet. As He hangs on the cross Jesus endured more mocking and utter rejection by the very people for whom He is dying, yet He pleads with His Father to forgive His scorners. The sky grew dark and there was a great earthquake, as Jesus, the Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice, takes on all the sin of the world, past, present, and future. He took on my sin and yours. After three long hours He said, "It is finished," and died. Not believing that He was dead, a soldier stabs Jesus in the side and out of it flowed water, a wonderful symbol of living water, water that you and I may drink of and live eternally. They took His body from the cross and buried it in a sepulchre, sealed His tomb, and placed guards around it to keep His body from being stolen. For three long days and nights Jesus' body lay in that tomb. But on Sunday morning Christ arose! He now lives so that you and I may live forever!

Why Should He Love Me So?

Love sent my savior to die in my stead;
Why should He love me so?
Meekly to Calvary's cross He was led;
Why should He love me so?

Nails pierced His hands and His feet for my sin;
Why should He love me so?
He suffered sore my salvation to win;
Why should He love me so?

O how He agonized there in my place;
Why should He love me so?
Nothing withholding my sin to efface;
Why should He love me so?

Why should He love me so?
Why should He love me so?
Why should my Savior to Calvary go?
Why should He love me so?

-Crystal Lewis