Emily called this morning: "Are you coming home for Easter?"

No Emily. How would I do that?

"You could drive."

Well I do have this thing called a job.

The conversation continued with her getting more and more irratated.

"You need to come home because Jesus died on a cross."

What's that got to do with the price of bread? That doesn't pay for a plane ticket. That doesn't give me my $95 a day salary if I take days off to drive (plus gas money).

"That's stupid Ann."

Jesus? or my job?

Needless to say, Emily lost the argument for me to go home for Easter, so it will be spent here among friends and acquaintances. I preach at FBC Austin's Lenten luncheon service Maundy Thursday and then Mosaic services begin that night. We have one each day: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and then Easter. Each service (following church tradition) will be darker and darker until Sunday morning when we reveal that Jesus rose from the dead (hope I didn't ruin the ending for anyone). The lights are turned on again (having been slowly removed or turned off during the previous 40 days of Lent), icons and art will be returned to their place on walls and tables, and we will rejoice. Should be an exciting, draining, refreshing weekend.

But it won't be at home with my family. And there will be no Wyatt Park's unified service where they'll probably sing a "He Lives" or something like that. So there are pluses and minuses.

But it will be Easter and it will be rejoicing, and like Christ, if I can't be with my family in person, they will be with me in spirit.