Easter

Easter here is a very different holiday than what it is in the West. For one, it is celebrated for three days: Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Monday is a government holiday, but Tuesday is not. Of course, there are also services the week before Easter on different days in different churches, but everywhere on Thursday evening or Friday morning.
My last post showed a little from one of the Orthodox Thursday evening service. Friday I joined my roommate and her church group for an evening communion service. Since it is a home church it was a private and relaxed gathering. I enjoyed being able to be with other people and feel a part of the body of Christ. It was great to just listen to the conversations and watch and participate as we all joined in communion. It made me long to be better connected with a church here.
Easter Sunday Julie and I popped over to my parents for breakfast where we had a surprise Easter egg hunt (I won :D), then enjoyed breakfast together.



Julie had gone to one of the midnight Orthodox Easter services (because she's a glutton for punishment and she is doing research), so she went back home to rest while mum and dad and I attended Blagodat.
This is the first time I've been in church since January. February and March were total wipe out months for me physically and I'm just beginning to feel better now. Like Friday night it reminded me how great it is to be part of a larger body of believers. It is so easy for me to become a hermit; just me and my Bible. ;) But I thought it was very appropriate to have that particular reminder on Easter Sunday--the day we celebrate the event that made it possible for us to be all in the same family.
When we went back home (to mum and dad's) we enjoyed a great Easter dinner that included asparagus and other springy foods. It's been so wintery here until a couple of weeks ago that it really did make for a special meal to have those spring vegetables. It was a great family day, quiet, but I'm thankful that I was able to celebrate with my parents. I like to take those opportunities to be with my family when I can as I never know when one or the other of us will be whisked away to the other side of the globe.
This Easter was so different than last year and other years, but each one is beautiful in its own way and I am thankful for them. Praise God for Jesus' sacrifice!