Easter....

"Happy Easter!"....Does that statement just seems so ran over by the fluff and colors of culture? Is your mind jumbled with thoughts of pastel colors, chocolate bunnies, flowers, big hats, egg hunts, tons of yummy dishes and more? Easter isn't about 'Little Bunny Foo Foo', its about Jesus. And yes, I do think of Christ when I hear "Happy Easter" but living in such a colorful and visual culture, I can't help but be flooded with images of big fluffy chocolate bunnies. Now don't get me wrong here, this girl loves her chocolate and I also have no problem with all the eggs and candies and such. However, I just pray for balance...especially for the day I have children of my own. I pray that I may find balance and share it with my children that Christ comes to their mind first and bunnies are a second yummy thought. Now this Easter I had visuals brand new in my mind...visuals from my recent trip to Israel! This morning my pastor recalled much of the story of Jesus' few last days...the garden, city gates, mount of olives, Kidron valley and more! I thought I'd share photos of some of these precious places....

On top of the Mount of Olives. From here you can see the triumphal entry, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Kidron Valley and the East Gate of the city.

This is a tree just outsdie the Church of the Black Tear...notice the thorns!

The Garden of Gethsemane...these olive trees date back at least 1,500 years if not more!

The Church of All Nation at the Garden of Gethsemane. This was my favorite church on the trip.

This is the rock at the altar in the Church of All Nations. This rock is believed to possibly be the rock or close to the rock that Jesus prayed on in the Garden just before He was arrested.

The Garden Tomb!

Golgotha....do you see the skull in the side of the hill?

The tomb!!!

The best part....it's empty!

This church is on the banks of the Sea of Galilee. The church is built where Jesus reappeared to his disciples after He was resurrected. Its where he reinstated Peter.

This is a stone just outside that church by the water. I loved these stones!