This past Sunday our small group celebrated its one year anniversary together! It was so much fun to be able to fellowship with a group of close friends that we have come to love and cherish! We ended up having a cookout and were just able to hangout and chat! It was the first time that all of the children have been together since Noah and Kinley have been born! Although most of them were upset, including Caleb, they are still great pictures! I think its going to be so cool to see these childen grow up together and hopefuly become close friends!

Oh, Happy Day!

This weekend was so great! Not only were we able to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus, but we were able to spend some great family time together. The weather was amazing yesterday and Caleb was able to spend a lot of time outside. Grandpa helped him dig in the dirt, he went for a bike ride with Grandma, and the three of us(matt, caleb and I) went for a nice long walk when we returned home from Easter dinner. I cannot express in words how much I love my family. I am so thankful for what the Lord has blessed me with! As we were walking, we talked about how the Lord continues to reveal to us, in small portions, the plans that he has for our future. Last year at this time we were really in the dumps and lonely, as we had just moved to Kearney a month earlier. The week after Easter the Lord brought together our small group, that are now, some of our closest friends. God is so good!

Matt recently accepted a postition as Executive Director for Youth for Christ out of Holdrege, NE. He's in his second week, and so far, so good! I think we are both just really excited that he finally has a job in the ministry! This is also a job that will help to equip us for church planting! I just recently accepted the Assistant Manager position at the Ramada...and so far, its been ok! Im not too keen on working and would rather be home--But it is going to be wonderful to be able to pay down our student loans faster! Marie, my mother-in-law has decided to stay home and watch children, starting in May--which means Caleb will be with her while we are both working! This has been an answer to prayer, because I didnt want to put him in a daycare where I didnt know the person who was watching him. Caleb is now almost 15 months old and is hilarious! He has starting saying a few things, one of which is 'Hi Kitty'! So funny! He loves playing outside, and going for walks in his stroller! He also loves sweets, just like his mom! But, dont worry, he rarely gets them:)

Well, thats all for now! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Here are some pics of the fam on Easter!

WHAT?!?

Our friend Josh Howerton is the paster of The Bridge in Spring Hill, TN. Although I don't go to the site much, I came across this post today...

Easter is a pagan fertility holiday.

The term “Easter” was derived sometime before the year 900AD from the Anglo-Saxon pagan goddess “Eostre”. Eostre was a goddess of fertility who was said to visit the earth each Spring in the form of a hare (Easter bunnies are “hares”, not “rabbits”!) who annually birthed a fertility egg that went into the ground, causing the earth’s “fertility” that gave rise to the growth of the spring season. Hares and eggs have been symbols of fertility in paganism for millennia.

As is the case with many holidays, as Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity they redeemed their celebrations, replacing pagan practices with Christian ones but sometimes retaining forms and customs from old rituals. This is how we came to celebrate the resurrection of Christ on a holiday called “Easter”, dyed eggs began to represent the spilt blood of Christ and a tomb, and the Easter Bunny became a holiday “mascot” instead of a goddess-avatar.

But Eostra was a legend, nothing more, and every one of her followers’ bodies stayed in a grave.

Don't we all suffer with forgetting the real meaning of Easter?! They may not be the same; but easter egg hunting, candy, candy, more candy, dying eggs, easter baskets, wearing bright colors and big hats? Not to say that I don't participate--of course I love to dress Caleb up, eat lots of candy, and be sure that Matt and I are in our Sundays best. I mean, who doesn't?

But sometimes I need to sit back and think--Christ died for my sins, but would I be willing to die for the gospel? Christ was missional beyond my imagination, but am I willing to even share the gospel with my friends? Christ will never leave me nor forsake me, but do i sometimes leave and forsake him? I am constantly being drawn back to the cross because I have a Father who cares to continually watch over me and bring me back.

I just hope that I never forget what Christ has done for me. In the midst of prayer, he was betrayed and taken to be persecuted. His own friends turned their backs on him--strangers spit on him--He was nailed to the cross and put to death. and for WHAT?! For our sins...OUR sins! I am so thankful for his death, for a loving Savior, and for the resurrection. I am a sinner and deserve only hell, but my Lord is RISEN!

Jumping on the bed?!?! YES, PLEASE!

I was changing the sheets on our bed the other day and Caleb took that as his cue to play on the bed! How could I refuse?! Needless to say, it took awhile to make the bed:)

Plaid Shorts Sunday!

We are so happy that it is finally warm enought to wear shorts! Caleb is thoroughly enjoying being outside and HATES when we make him come back indoors! I predict that we are going to have a GREAT summer!! Summer plans? We are headed to Louisville in May--and New Mexico in August! ...and we plan on using our pool a WHOLE lot! Easter is coming up soon--so we'll be sure to post some pics of our family!

Love, Meredith(for the Svoboda's)