Easter is Approaching

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 

1 Corinthians 15:16-20

I am very focused on Easter this week. I am not focused on Easter Baskets, Egg Hunts, Chocolate or Bunnies, rather on Christ and Family. My focus this week is on the idea that one day Christ will return and am I where I want to be with my Family if that were today or tomorrow. My husbands work is thinking of him going to a 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift. That would dramatically alter our family life as most days- especially if we had school they would not see him. That got me thinking last night how important family time is even now. They all leave about the same time in the morning so they see each other in passing. The kids are all pretty much home by four in the afternoon. Most days we eat early before my husband gets home because they are hungry and ready to eat. That is especially the case if it is easy meals. We do the same routine each evening- lots of homework. We are on most days done by eight at night but sometimes like last night we were up until 11 doing homework. My husband arrives home between 7-9 on most nights so my thought was the time they have with him on school nights really is limited. I really am the one managing everything already. Thus, this new possible work schedule really won't change a whole lot. 

See I never realized how much I do, how much time I spend with them, how much influence I have in their lives. How much time we spend just doing homework together. There are many parents who leave their children to do their own homework. For the most part I sit right there and help them, read through the questions, help them when they need it on answers, help them find sources for papers, maps etc. I want them to learn how to do homework so they are prepared in life. So they know how to research, how to work hard how to succeed. I want them to live life to the fullest.

I think often that our lives focus on the wrong things, tv shows that repeat every week, video games, computer games, internet time...I want our home to resemble family. That's what it was all about wasn't it?

In the bible you saw everyone had their part. You had those that worked the fields, those that hunted, those that made the bread to eat for the meal, the wives that cleaned and took care of the little ones who had not yet left for their part. Our kids have their part too, their job to do until Christ will one day return. They go to school, influence those around them by their actions, they radiate the light of Christ through their lives and plant seeds in fellow students and teachers that they share their lives with. It makes me feel very blessed to have children who so outwardly speak of the Lord and the blessings he provides daily in their lives. I am thankful that Christ was raised so that all our time here is not just that of a sinful life but one that looks towards eternity being spent with our Heavenly Father. That family time will not even compare to the many joys of our family time now. The thought of that is very exciting.