Jonesbones5 
Astonished
She sat at the dinner table as anxious as could be, just waiting for her opportunity to share…in a family, dominated by teenage females who have many, many words….many words. During the entire dinner, she kept asking, “can I read something?”
The rest of us carried on. “Isabel, PLEASE wait. In a few minutes… Not yet… Hold on.. Let us settle!”
Isabel is stubborn. Once she has something in her head, there is no end.
What she had to share was more than words. It was more than noise.
Julia talked about her frustration with her day. She has these AP exams coming up and her stress level has peeked. There seems to be no end to the stress and her homework level is over the top.
Grace shared … “my friend said this to me and then did this…. and then we had this happen…and in music we played this… and oh by the way, my other friend got her feelings hurt… so I said this… and we ate lunch… and after drama I had to finish this project.”
Grace is my little artist and my musician… and on top of these two amazing qualities, she is in the midst of 8th grade. Enough said.
Dinner was full of words, stories, experiences, and burritos, poured out in a 60 minutes of pure noise.
I could feel the youngest daughter waiting.
“Can I share?”
“Wait Isabel. Everyone has to get their words out.” I said.
Finally, in the pause, I said, ”Ok Isabel, what do want to share?”
She pulled out her Bible that she had held on her lap.
Then she read Matthew 28….
“There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The angel said to the women. Do not be afraid for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” (Matthew 28:2-46)
“Isn’t that soooo cool?” She said, with the most astonished, overwhelmed and excited voice; as if this was the best news she had ever heard.
Her voice and her excitement at this scripture brought tears to my eyes.
I heard it.
I have read this scripture many times in my life, but hearing my child read it, with such enthusiasm, let it become real to me… all over again.
What a miracle.
And friends, our faith is to be like a child.
It’s Good Friday. It’s the day we recognize the sacrifice for those of us who believe.
Come Sunday, we get to be astonished all over!
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Happy Easter!
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Jonesbones5 
Greetings from Wordwise Hymns. Thanks for the post. Beautifully written. And one of those very special moments with our children that we can treasure for years to come.
In a similar setting, our son Jim gave us his definition of death. Jim and his wife Shari are now missionaries in Mexico. But back when he was about three years old, he said one day, “I know what it’s like to die.” To that point in his life, he’d had no experience of anyone dying that I know of. But, I had to ask.
His response: “It’s like going up, and up, and up in an elevator. And when the door opens, there’s Jesus.”
Still stuns me with its profound simplicity! God bless.