Life abundant!

After months of trying to find a free weekend, Derrick and I finally took off this past Friday morning and headed to the beach.

It was wonderful. We watched four movies. Four. Movies. That's about three more than we've watched otherwise this year. We watched Wreck It Ralph. My favorite Disney movie ever. Plus, Men In Black 2 and Rush Hour 1 & 2. I stayed awake for 3/4 of them. 

We ate at two new restaurants. A backwoods bbq restaurant at Ocean Isle and a hidden little pub in Wilmington. Irish pubs are Derrick and my thing. One day we might make it to Ireland to visit the real deal.

We walked on the beach. Went to Wilmington. Slept in. Read the Easter story from Luke together. 

It was a wonderful time away. 

This morning at church, we rolled out new signs, a new runner, new guest bags - to make everyone feel welcome in celebration of Easter. I am constantly so amazed and thankful at the way our church family comes together to serve others and Jesus. They constantly bless me. 

After church, Derrick and I had our families over for Easter. It's a tradition we started last year - everyone will always come to our house for Easter. We ate spaghetti and cupcakes and Hershey bar cake. We had an Easter egg scavenger hunt. Played Cranium. Laughed a lot. Our families are so amazing, and we are blessed with them. 

Then Derrick and I ended the day going to an Easter service at Hope Community and out to eat with our dear friends Allen and Sara. 

Through it all, I couldn't help but thinking of how awesome it is to live life abundant. The reason Christ came. So that we didn't have to live in the bondage of sin and death, but could live in the joy of a life with Jesus Christ as our Savior and Friend. He died and rose again so that we may live. 

...the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”