He is Risen, Indeed!

This is the first Easter EVER that my girls were not all home. Lindsay decided to stay in LA, Candyce is overseas on her outreach, and Danielle is at work. Every year prior to this, I've made Easter baskets for the girls (mostly because Lindsay insisted). I think we even colored eggs until a few years ago, even though my adult daughters were a bit past that stage. (Again, at Lindsay's instigation. That girl is a stickler for tradition!)
I thought I would be sad today--we don't even have plans to eat Easter dinner with anyone. But as I drove to church this morning, I was overwhelmed with joy. The old liturgical greeting and response--"He is risen--He is risen, indeed!" echoed in my mind as my little red car puttered down the back roads to church.
"He is risen!"
"He is risen, indeed!" the flowers responded brightly in their colorful array.
"He is risen!"
"He is risen, indeed!" chorused the birds in one twittering voice.
"He is risen!"
"He is risen, indeed!" proclaimed the sun, rays parting the gloomy clouds that tried to dominate the morning sky.
Tears of joy filled my eyes. I then thought of another whose face I would not see this day. We have not celebrated Easter with our son Jonah since 1984, when a car accident ended his young life.
"He is risen!"
"He is risen, indeed!" my soul echoed back. And I knew that--because He IS risen--there will come a day when I will embrace my son again and we will together sing the song of the Redeemed.
And I think I know how it starts . . .
He is risen!
He is risen, indeed!