Hi friends! It’s a good Good Friday, and I am so glad you are here!

It’s Easter Weekend! Have you colored some eggs? Bought some jelly beans? I haven’t been in a store in a several weeks since I broke my ankle, but my husband Troy has been chief shopper, and doing a great job! Do you see the flowers in the picture above? Troy brought me those earlier today! I love them!

So last week I shared that the surgeon gave approval for me to start putting partial weight on my ankle.

My physical therapist took that direction, and have totally changed what I am doing. Now they have me standing at a safety bar, and trying to shift weight from one foot to the other, to the point I can tolerate it, for 3 minutes at a time. And then, I put my foot on something like a pool noodle that had been split in half, with my foot on the flat side, rocking it forward and back to try and loosen the muscles around the healing ankle. Then I rock it side to side. Then they have me try and take a step on a wood block and sort of lunge my leg forward… I need to work on that one! There are a variety of things like that all of which are breaking me in to putting weight on that foot.

And then, they put me on this exercise bicycle! The pedals are such that they can provide plenty of movement so you don’t hurt your foot. She put me on the bike for 10 minutes! Friends, the first time I did this was Wednesday night, and I literally cried because I was so happy to be moving like this! It was the best thing ever! And it didn’t hurt at all! I couldn’t wait to try it again, and tonight when I went in, they put me on the bike first to help loosen my ankle up for the other activities.

Do I look like a happy camper? That is because I am! I felt like I was flying! It was awesome!

So this week, I wanted to share a story with you that was on my mind. I have mentioned it before in one of my very early posts. But it seems like such a great story to share for Easter weekend. And it involves this bright stained glass lamp on the table here, we call it “The Dragonfly Lamp”.

My parents have for years enjoyed going to auctions.

They have found so many really unique pieces and antiques and of course some great deals! Their home is so much fun because there are so many cool lamps and tables and pieces on the walls! It is all so interesting! Now there are 6 kids in my family, and over the years, different kids have joined them on their visits to auctions.

Well one time, several years ago, my parents invited me to come to an auction. It was on a Sunday. Right after church, I got in my car and headed down to the auction house. I walked in and my parents were so happy to see me! That is how they always react to seeing their kids. It is like a living breathing miracle is standing in front of them! My dad handed me a bidding number. I told him, “Oh Dad, I’m just going to watch you.” And he said, “Amy, I’ve been planning this. I want you to walk around and look at everything on the tables that is going up for auction. You pick something. Anything you want. And I am going to bid on it for you.”

I didn’t know what to say! When does something like that happen to you? They had the loveliest smiles on their faces! It was my first auction. And I didn’t own any antiques or pieces like were going up for sale that day. I walked along the tables and displays not knowing what to choose. They walked with me, showing me different things.  I knew I loved the beautiful lamps in my parents’ home. So I said maybe one of the pretty lamps. They loved lamps so they began pointing them all out. And then I saw this “Dragonfly Lamp”. It took my breath away! I loved dragonflies in decor, they are such a striking and graceful creature. Dragonflies symbolize change and transformation, hope and renewal. And it had a lot of red in it, my favorite color! I showed the one I wanted to my father. And he thought it was a great choice. I told him not to go too high on it if the price went up. And so we sat down and waited for the bidding to begin.

It was fun to watch my parents bid on other things. They had a little list going of what they wanted. They had been going to auctions for years and they knew almost everyone at the auction. It was such a friendly community. And then the dragonfly lamp went up for auction. My heart was pounding like a jackrabbit!  I am not used to the big numbers (anything over 2 digits is too steep for me!) but my dad was relentless. As soon as anyone else bid, he shot his bidding card into the air. No one else had a chance. And soon the word “SOLD!” was shouted, my Dad had won, they paid for it, and he and my mom then gave it to me! I will never forget that day! Just the joy and excitement they had to lavish me made me feel so drenched in love… like a middle aged princess!  I did nothing to deserve this gift. They did it because they love me!

It was a surreal moment for me. I knew that I was experiencing a life lesson. How precious a father’s love is, and how amazing it feels to be the object of that love!

That is a lot like the meaning of Easter! God looked down at you and me and loved us so much there was nothing He wouldn’t do to restore us! He created you with incredible talents and hopes and dreams. There is no way He wanted to be separated from you. That is why Jesus came.  Sometimes in life we can be so hard on ourselves. We beat ourselves up for our shortcomings and our failures. But the God who simply spoke the universe into existence looks down at you, and says “You are My child, and I love you! Trust in Me.” You are an absolute treasure in God’s eyes, on your good days and your bad days! Easter is all about “Paid In Full”, like the lamp my dad bought for me.  He’s just crazy about you!

I wish you a truly wonderful Easter weekend!

I’ll be back Tuesday with another Tasty Tuesday!

Love Always,

Amy

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”   1 John 3:1