Easter Sunday, April 9 - Drive to Vicksburg, Mississippi

 This drive has earned it's own post.  While we wanted to visit as many of the southern states as we could, we didn't want to go through the big cities on the ordinary Interstate that would pretty much look like every other one we'd been on.  So we took some scenic drives to just get away and see some sites.  I'm guessing in a week or two these trees would be more bloomed, but the serenity of the drive was just perfect with leaves or not.  

This drive is called The Pig Trail scenic byway.  It's been called one of the top 10 motorcycle routes of the US.  We were not disappointed.  We didn't get the best pictures, but we are struggling with enjoying the moment and view without having that view be constantly behind the lens of the camera.  Trust us, it was twisty, turny, and beautiful.  At one scenic point we stopped for pictures and ran into a biker who was enjoying his own Sunday ride.  He shared some pointers for us and made us feel like a part of the community just for choosing the road less traveled.  

What made the day extra special was while we drove we listened to a fabulous podcast about Easter that kept us in the spirit of the day:  Follow Him:  The Easter Espisodes.  This is a YouTube version so you can see what they show.  Their guest is Dr. Anthony Sweat who is also an artist and sees things in an enlightened way.  If you listen, make sure to do both episodes.  Well worth the time.

In January when I was in San Diego with Aubrey, I learned about a concept that I have missed all my years.  We talk about Crucifixion (or Good) Friday and Resurrection Sunday, but we tend to skip over Holy Saturday.  So much of our lives are in stuck on that sort of mode.  Friday, when Christ died, there were storms, loss of hope, such confusion.  What were the believers supposed to do?  Their Messiah was gone.  They had no idea, though Christ told them, what miracle Sunday would bring.  That was incomprehensible to them to even imagine.  How often are we in our own storms, with loss of hope and confused about how we will get out of the hole we're in?  On that Holy Saturday, many could, and did, give up their hope and faith in Christ.  They saw with their own eyes that Christ was dead.  What sort of Messiah dies?  They walk away before they remember that ours is a God of miracles.  We have no idea how the Lord can make things right again.  We need to hold on to that faith and hope that things will be brought whole again.  It is often in ways that are incomprehensible to us. We may not know how, and that is our test.  Never, ever lose hope in our Savior, Jesus Christ.   Happy Easter, indeed!