Friday, April 22, 2011

Stone Could Not Hold Him

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What an amazing five weeks it has been for us celebrating Easter with books, crafts, treats, activities, and testimony.  I think that we have successfully proven that it is possible to keep Easter holy while truly CELEBRATING what the Lord, Jesus Christ has done for us.  It has been a joy to"talk of Christ" with my children, and with each of you through our Easter Blog Party.  Thank you for all of your comments and guest posts!

For one of our last Easter activities, I took the children to a local park to get a sense of how heavy the stone might have been that was placed in front of Jesus' tomb.  If I were to put myself in the shoes of his apostles, friends, and loved ones on that first Good Friday, my heart would probably be as heavy as that stone.  

That stone--an insurance policy for His persecutors--must've felt so final to those who mourned his death.  Did the stone make a cold, ominous sound when it was rolled into place?  Did that sound haunt the dreams of those who missed their beloved leader and friend?  Was that scraping, crushing noise followed by the ultimate hush of God, man, and nature, and by muffled tears?  Surely there was no coming back from this.  

But He did.  He did come back.  Jesus Christ overcame death.  As the poem Empty Linen by Emily Harris reads "the door stands opened, the stone is rolled away...linen cannot hold him. Stone cannot hold him....hallelujah, it is empty."

He moved mountains.  He created the very earth on which we stand.  Of course, stone could not hold him.


It is comforting to know that the Savior of the World can and will help us remove the "stones" that stand to obstruct our path in life if we trust in him, apply his Atonement, and seek His face.  He has already removed the biggest stone that stood between us and returning to the presence of our Father in Heaven.  


Through this Easter season with my kids, I have come to love Jesus Christ in a much deeper way.  I have read the Book of Mormon in its entirety this Easter, and I testify that it truly teaches of and brings souls to Jesus Christ.


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For more ways to create a fun and Christ-centered Easter for your family, check out my 


{I am also participating in an Easter/Family History Challenge.
Check out the #MyForeverFamily page for ways you too can participate!}

And, please, have a most wonderful Easter weekend...

9 comments:

  1. thanks for all you've helped us accomplish, I am just finishing up rereading the book of mormon...Happy Easter

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  2. Nice teaching lesson for your kids. They will always remember these weeks. Good job mom!

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  3. I've never thought about the stone in this way, and I thank you for pointing it out to me. I always love getting a new perspective on the atonement.

    Wonderful!

    =)

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  4. This has been so great! I love that you put this together and well..I love you!

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  5. Hey, Jocelyn, just thought you'd enjoy reading this (if you haven't already):

    http://www.mormontimes.com/article/20547/Easter-celebration-ideas

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  6. Happy Easter - thank you for all of the wonderful posts!

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  7. I loved your thoughts in this post. I hadn't given a lot of thought to the stone. Thanks for the enlightenment.
    Blesssings to you !

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  8. What a wonderful way to make it visual for them. I love it.

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  9. What a beautiful post. I too hadn't thought much about the stone and although have been to the actual tomb several times, I always just paid attention to the door--and not the tomb. Thanks for this lesson!

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