Sickness, storms, spring break, and The Story

Yo all,

Thanks for the kind comments and for being quiet and all that jazz. I have been sick and rather miserable, but hopefully (wink wink, Lana) I'm getting over it. Yesterday was a horrendous day, full of high fever and upset stomach and barely being able to move. Today I've had a low fever, I'm still pretty tired, and I've had a splitting headache. But it's definitely better than yesterday. The strangest part of this whole thing is that even since my stomach settled down, I haven't had much of an appetite at all.

Anywayz, so that's my report, now that's enough about sickies.

I don't remember the last time we had this much rain. It rained most of yesterday evening and most of the day today. The most exciting part of it came early this afternoon when heavy winds swept through Branch. I was standing in the dining room, watching the storm rip branches off our neighbor's tree, and saw a huge something fly by the north window. What in the world was that? I shifted my gaze to the east windows, which overlook our front yard and the highway. Next moment, our trampoline soared past the neighbor's tree and onto Highway 41. The wind had carried it all the way from its place in the back yard, over the fence, past Dad's truck in the driveway, over the ditch, and onto the road. That trampoline is now famous in the Branch area.

Such are the thrills of a small town in Arkansas. It's still raining right now, and according to the local weather reports, it probably won't stop anytime soon. I'm just glad that, like my sickness, all this rain is coming in the early part of this week. Our church's Easter program is this weekend, and I certainly don't want to be sick -- or to have it rain this much -- then.

It's also nice that it's spring break and I don't have to miss class. But as glad as I am to have some time off from school, I'm pining for my Lana. She was supposed to get to come over today, but my sickies prevented that. I'll see her tomorrow, Lord willing.

The attempts at sappiness to her over on her blog made me chuckle. You guys have got a ways to go, but that's okay.

Easter Week is one of my favorite weeks of the year. Obviously it's exciting because of the Easter program, one of the biggest events our church does all year. But so much more than that, this is the week when we give special attention to the story of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.

It's such a fascinating story, and it never fails to hit me whenever I read it in any of the four Gospels. A spellbinding plot with twists and turns. Glorious love. Wrenching betrayal. A climax followed by a bigger climax. Memorable villains. And the greatest Hero of all time.

Take some time this week to read it in your Bible. Experience anew the crowd's Hosannas, Judas' treachery, Peter's tears, Pilate's dilemma. And rejoice for the King who did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

Praise forever the Name of Jesus.