Friday night, we sat on the floor in our windowless bathroom in the dark, holding fat birthday candles, four of them. Lethei didn't have one, as she's only two. Ernie read the Bible, so he didn't have one either.
He read of the first Fall in the garden that we would all repeat as we each fall as well, whether or not there's light on our paths. He read prophecy of the coming Messiah, and he read of the Crucifixion.
As he read, wax dripped on our fingers and on the floor--hot, searing.
As he read, we blew out our lights.
We left a completely dark room.

Today we greeted each other with "He is risen!"
"He is risen indeed!"
And Lici hid plastic eggs for the boys to find all over the house. The prized ones were the empty one and the one with a nail inside. The cross and the empty tomb.

We sang of a risen Savior with church family. We spoke of new life. We wore new clothes and ate breakfast together and were joyful because He knew agony for us.

We have hope for life now and to come. He is our hope. Because He died and because He lives.