Frohe Ostern! Happy Easter!

Today is Easter! Normally this is a huge holiday for my family where we generally have 35+ people over and we eat WAY too much food and the little kids do an Easter egg hunt in the backyard. This year I am in Germany, Amy's in Canada and it's a small lunch at Dad's. By small I mean the amount of people, I know Mum's already making food as is Dad. She's a Mennonite we can't NoT have enough food to feed an army. Also, this is the first Easter away from our old house. I've had every Easter I've ever known there but life is always changing and given my current location I wouldn't trade it for anything. :) There's always old memories to be cherished and new memories to be discovered! 

We're not quite "stair step sisters" anymore. Mum used to make all our Easter dresses for Sunday morning. She'd stay up all night sewing and we'd wake up to them hanging on our doors. The picture to the right was taken last year, 2011, reenacting the one to the left, as we knew it'd be our last Easter in that house.


Easter is all about Jesus' resurrection and redemption. Without him we have nothing, but through him we are given EVERYTHING and a whole new life. I am definitely living proof of this promise. From almost dying in the emergency room, to now living on my own in Germany nearly 4 1/2 months later. This portrays his goodness and mercy in my life.

My tattoo I got to symbolize the promise made to me. It says Exagoradzo or "Redeemed" in Greek. The specific term exagoradzo means to be saved and plucked out of Satan's hand. I have lived that definition and continue to grow stronger through it everyday.

My whole life is a testimony to what Easter's all about. Redemption.  
From being born with hip displacia, to my family's tragic car accident, then going through my whole sickness, my family has always been there as support and God has always been there healing and saving along the way. Easter is a great time to look back and reflect but we should continuously be examining our lives. We can look all around and see his faithfulness to us. The every morning sunrise, our growing relationships with family and friends or simply the opportunity to live. 
 How is my life going to continue on from today?! How am I going to live out God's promise to me and what I have experienced? Everyday is our chance to do something new, to impact just one person in a grand way. Start today and simply live every moment to what it's worth with no regrets and to your highest potential. 

Happy Easter Everyone!!!