52 blessing project #12. Experiences that leave an impact.

Today was Easter and my version this year was pretty commercialized. i was obsessed with Easter dresses. and Easter baskets. and glossed over the spiritual opportunities the season had to offer.
we didn't go to Easter pageant this year. and i never made it to the special Reflections of Christ exhibit at the temple before it left. and I'm frankly bummed. i missed those opportunities to make lasting memories for my kids. memories that could have an impact in their lives . eternal impact even. i take for granted that they know the story of the resurrection. and i hope that their teachers talked about it. i didn't do my part this year.

the blessing i am thankful for this week is the memories i made and the experiences i had while in the Easter Pageant at the Mesa, Az temple. i was young. and alot of it was social for me. flirting with boys, and going out afterwards . BUT i can't hear parts of the scriptures portrayed in the Easter pageant without quoting it. songs remind me. scriptures remind me. and if i do go to the pageant, i sing along, and say the words along with the narrator. this time of year brings those sweet memories flooding back to me. and i remember the true meaning of Easter. i cry, as i see Jesus on the Cross. and the miracles portrayed. the healing the sick, and raising the dead. his death and the resurrection. the pageant made the life and death of Christ real for me.

i know that he lived. i know that he loves us and that he took our sins upon himself and died so that we may be resurrected and live with him and God again. I know this. there is no doubt.

and while i take for granted the experiences available to me this season. and do the commercial easter stuff. this is so real for me. and there is always these thoughts along with the fun.
some year soon i want to do Easter pageant again with my own little family. (well, big family- it will be insane and quite an undertaking) BUT i want them to be able to have that experience and KNOW for themselves. and to sing along and say the scriptures word for word along with the track too. even though Lance is hugely annoyed by me doing it.
it was and is a HUGE blessing in my life and left a spiritual impact that i feel this year and every year at Easter time.

Pontius Pilate, ME- a Shepard girl , and Larry a Shepard boy.

Me , my sister Maria, Gary, and my mom. we portrayed the family from Damascus.



the first year we were in the Pageant i was 14. my brother Aaron was in it with his
girlfriends family, and they let me and Maria and Gary try out with them and be in it too. i don't have pictures from that year. but the next couple years my whole family was in it. it was so fun!
i did it in 9th grade, sophomore and JR. years. my family was in it the next few years after that. but i worked and then got married and i tried out one year when Peyton was a baby but they wanted whole families with the Men too , and Lance didn't have time to do it so we didn't make it. someday. we'll try out with our family . ( maybe when they are a little older. )


I'm counting this as a blessing and a memory lane Monday.

and i'll do blessings 9-11 later.