The Pictures Between the Pictures

 

Easter has come and gone and I hope it’s obvious our primary, over-arching focus was joining once again in the death, burial and resurrection of the Risen Lord.  But let’s all be honest with ourselves and admit as gifts are to Christmas so outfits are to Easter.  True to form I was shopping at 11:00 pm Saturday night trying to find clothes in a color palette that coordinated enough to satisfy me without matching too much for the teenagers.  You’d better believe after all that heartache I wasn’t about to let the day get away without a few pictures.  It didn’t take long for Luke and I to decide the pictures between the pictures tell the truer Story of Us.

 

Show me your best side.

 

 

Not you, Bailey.  That is inappropriate.  You are embarrassing Sawyer. (Don’t look, son.)

 

 

 

 

It’s important to clarify which kid you are talking to when instructing on how to stand like a girl.

 

Syd’s laugh.  It cures all that ails.  Except Sam’s head.

 

You didn’t believe me, did you?  Please look at that face and just try to have a bad day.

 

 

This is the picture we were going for.  Almost.  We have some eyes closed.

 

And…. better.

 

 

And yet these poses lasted only a moment.  I like to call this one, “I Crack Myself Up”.

 

 

This laugh.  It cures all that ails.  Wait, don’t I have another kid with that same super power?

 

And my favorite…the rare photo where all six of us are on the same side of the camera.  The better shot would have been the one of me sprinting across the yard to beat the timer in stiletto heels.  Easter is work, man.

As much as the Resurrection deserves profundity,  I will instead leave you with the simple truth that I look at this picture and am so incredibly grateful to God who died for us and lives in all 6 of us.  He lives for us while we are putting a great deal of effort in to having it all together but He works best in us in those pictures between the pictures where are most authentic selves are revealed.

It took some time but I’ve learned to love and embrace those moments the most.

Please remind me I said that next year if you see me shopping at 11 p.m. on Easter Eve.