April 1, 2013

better late than never.

mattmaher
lyrics from the amazing Matt Maher's "Christ is Risen"

How was your weekend, friends? My Easter was pretty low-key, but I loved it nonetheless. Let's just say it involved dark chocolate, good worship, and tons of sunshine.

I realize this Easter-y post is written and posted a day late, but in a way, I'm kind of glad I waited until now to post this. Mainly because I don't like having that mentality that holidays like Easter should be celebrated only one day a year.

If it were up to me, Easter and Christmas would be celebrated for at least a month (or maybe a week for productivity's sake) just so we could all soak up the goodness that is Jesus. Okay, maybe so we can also eat holiday goodies a little bit longer without all the guilt, too. But who's counting?

But seriously, Jesus should be celebrated everyday. On the good days, on the bad days, and on those in-between days, too.

If I'm honest, however, I feel like I only celebrate Him on holidays and happy times. Not when I'm sad, not when I'm mad, and not when I'm anxious; but when I've gotten an A on a test, lost a pound or two, or had a great weekend. That's when I find myself celebrating Him most.

Which is all a little backwards seeing as my happiness comes from Him and should come from Him alone, right?

Anyway, that's why I'm pushing myself to celebrate Him everyday. Not just on the good days, not just on the holidays. Everyday.

After all, it's because of His goodness, His love for me, and His sacrifice that I am free. It's because God loved me so much that He sent His son down to earth to die for me. Sometime so hard for my mind to wrap around but something that is so comforting to me as well. It's because of His love for me that I am free. Free from stress, worries, and sin.

And free to be happy and free to find happiness everyday.

So here's to a week-long, month-long, and year-long celebration of Jesus and all that He gives us each and every day. I could sit here and list everything He's blessed me with this year, but that would take ages. So I'm just going to end this post by saying He is risen.

Because He is risen indeed!

16 comments

  1. Yes & amen my friend...though I wrote something similar yesterday, I suppose God's testing me on it because it is snowing up here--dark & cloudy--& I got called into work on my day off. :/ SO--I guess it goes back to tht old song, "When the sun's shining down on me, blessed be Your name...when I'm found in the desert place--blessed be Your name."

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    1. So sorry to hear about your weather and having to work on your day off! Here's to a good week, friend! :)

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  2. It's so true, dear! Jesus should be celebrated every hour of every day!

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  3. I was definitely thinking about this same thing yesterday! We humans have such an inclination to only worship Him when things are going well for us. I struggle with it a lot of times but make sure I try to fit in a prayer of praise even if it's hard. Let's push each other to celebrate Him in the everyday! Loved your words here friend, so full of truth :)

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    1. Yes! So glad you agree. It's definitely something I struggle with, too--especially the praising during hard times. Thanks for the sweet words, too! It's so nice to know that I'm not alone and that there are others who agree with what I have to say. :)

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    1. I know, me too! That song has been stuck in my head (in a good way) this past week. Fortunately, the lyrics are a good reminder for me!

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  5. truth. daily. I think my biggest struggle with holidays is exactly that so many people get excited about the one day. But not the other days of the year.

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    1. Yes and you are definitely not alone in that struggle! That's why I'm so glad to have friends like you to keep me accountable and a God so loving and forgiving who cleans me white as snow everyday!

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  6. makes me think of this quote I read today!

    "The season of the resurrection isn't over. It's redeeming light shines over every day of your life."

    lovely post, sweet girl!

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    1. LOVE that quote!!! Seriously, what a wonderful reminder to not only praise the God whose light shines so brightly but to shine mine, too. Thanks for sharing that with me, girl! :)

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  7. So true. I think Jesus should be celebrated every day...but we are so human! Holidays are great reminders throughout the year that help us refocus on what's important. They re-energize me and help me focus on Jesus and what He did for us!

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    1. Yes, I couldn't agree with you more! We are definitely human (I'm the perfect example of an imperfect human!) and I totally agree with you on how powerful holidays are. They are not only a wonderful time to celebrate but to refocus ourselves on Him, too.

      That's actually what I was thinking when I was re-reading my post! I have to balance between celebrating Him everyday and putting a little extra praise for Him on those holidays, too (if that makes any sense!). :)

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  8. love this! i'm right there with you in the year-long celebration of Jesus :)

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