The first bouquet of spring of one of my favorite flowers.

Making a dam

Josh has watched a few shows about beavers.  He decided to make himself a little dam.

He said he was too busy to look up.

Afterwards he got a hose shower outside and a tub bath inside.

The Passion of the Christ

Last night we took Ellie to a small outside re-enactment of Jesus' last week.  It reminded me of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."  After the kids were in bed, I put it on.  I have seen it once, back when it came out in February 2004.  When I wasn't a mother yet.

I watched up to the part when Pilate washed his hands, claiming innocence.  I expected to be affected, knowing my sin and seeing Jesus sacrifice.  And I was.

I did not expect to relate to Mary, watching her son be accused, mocked, beaten, tortured.  She knew it was coming.  She knew her son would die, and that she could not do anything to help him.  And I believe that even knowing what was to happen, knowing the long ago words of Simeon, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed - and a sword shall pierce even your own soul - to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed," that she was not ready for that sword.  Who would be prepared ?

The anguish this mother had for her son, I was not prepared to feel.  I have been taught about, read through, and seen re-enactments of the torture and sacrifice of Jesus.  But  before last night I never really saw it from a mother's point of view. 

It was hard.  I thought of my children.  Of the pain I'd feel if anything happened to them.

But of course the movie is more than what we think or feel about it.  Christ hurt.  He bled.  He died.  Jesus brought redemption.  For us.  And seeing it adds to it's meaning.  At least for me it does.