Preparing for Easter

This year was my year to have Easter lunch. I had my whole family over, my brother's family, my sister's family, my mom and dad, and my in-laws. It was wonderful. We had such a fun time together.   

 (Side Note) It is funny how when we get together we end up telling the same stories over and over from our childhood. We are all just dying laughing and our spouses and children are looking at us like we have lost our minds. I guess we feel some wisdom can be gained by telling these stories in the first place and then we retell it because someone obviously did not get the point. Maybe we just think we are getting old and need to relive the past to feel young again. Anyway, I love my hubby for allowing me to tell those same stories and he acts so surprised and laughs at just the right spots. Bless his heart. 

(Now back to the point) As I was preparing food and table decorations, I was starting to stress out a bit. Now, I love to host a party. Absolutely love it! I would not have had it any other way than to have Easter at my house. That all said, I do tend to stress a bit when it gets to the day before. I start getting that feeling that everything is not going to come together, my table decor looks awful, the house is not spotless, the food is going to taste terrible and so on. A real little "woe is me" moment. And , of course, I started doing this Sat. night. I had to stop and remember why I was doing all of this. Not to show off my spotless house or the pretty flowers on my tables or the yummy food or even our Easter attire. It was to enjoy spending time with the family I love so much, sharing old, worn out stories, laughing together, getting so full we could barely breath, loving on each other. Most of all, I realized that in my anxious state, I was not focusing on the real reason we were getting together in the first place, to celebrate the Risen Lord! What was I thinking putting any of this Easter Celebration on me? It has nothing to do with me and everything to do with Him.