Happy Easter

So here's the cake we had for our Easter Celebration. (If you haven't read my previous post "A disater in the making?" you should scroll down and read it first.) It's a "Pink Azalea Cake" with a strawberry cream filling and fruity whipped frosting (from Cook's Country magazine). It actually came out pretty good. I was worried about the frosting being too liquidy, so I put it in the fridge right after I frosted it last night. The above picture is right after I frosted it and it looked like the frosting was just going to slide right off the sides of the cake. But overnight in the fridge firmed it up and although it didn't look great, it stayed on the cake, which was all I was hoping for. I was also afraid that the frosting would be too flavorful from the jell-o pack, which wasn't exactly strawberry jell-o, but mixed fruit flavor. I think the flavor was great. I used more cool whip than the recipe called for, so the flavor was subtle, not overwhelming. It was a pretty pink color and my guests liked it, so that's all I was hoping for.

For my Easter Celebration we had my parents, my brother, sister-in-law, their kids and a family friend that we've known since way before I was born, so she's practically family too. (Casey had to work, bummer. Can't everyone just agree not to get sick or injured on holidays please?) We had a great time. After lunch, the kids hunted for eggs outside. Empty eggs, because between their own Easter baskets, parties at school, church and with friends, there has been no shortage of candy in the past week. But they had fun hunting nonetheless.

At Sunday School this morning, everyone had a few minutes to share their personal thoughts on Easter. Some had memories from childhood or traditions that were meaningful, while others waxed theological about the purpose of Easter. I followed the theological path and shared about the freedom that came with Christ's resurrection. That we are no longer bound by the laws and rules of the Old Testament, but have the freedom to live in God's Grace. (And trust me, I need that Grace all the time.) It got me thinking about what if Christ never came and we still had to live by the Old Testament law. I don't think I would be able to do it. I wouldn't be counted among the faithful with Abraham and Moses; I'd be over there with the crowd worshiping whatever easy foreign god was in vogue. So today I am grateful for God's awesome plan and Christ's ultimate sacrifice and the freedom I have to live the abundant life! Happy Easter!