~Rejoice~

Happy Easter!

I really enjoyed our Easter Vigil service last night, but I’m not sure my description of it as being a more “serious” service is really accurate. Yes, it started off solemnly, but it ended rather joyously!

The service started at 8:00 pm, just as it was getting dark. We gathered outside and lit a fire in a small fire pit. The priest said prayers over that fire, lit the Paschal candle, and from that, we lit the individual candles that we each were holding.  Then we processed into the dark church by candlelight, with our Seminarian singing the “Exsultat,” a rather long prayer of praise. After that, the church lights were turned on low for a sequence of Bible readings and hymns, tracing “the record of God’s saving deeds in history,” from the story of Noah’s Ark, to the parting of the Red Sea, to Jesus’ resurrection.

While the Easter Vigil service usually has a section where we all renew our baptismal vows, last night we were lucky enough to have three young brothers being baptized. They all were precious, but the youngest (3) was down right adorable.  He was so excited about the fire and the candles and the prospect of having water poured on his and his brothers’ heads!

As the service wore on, I could tell he was getting tired–he rested on his Mom’s lap during the sermon–and when it came time for the baptisms, some of that three year-old personality shone through:

Priest: Do you desire to be baptized?
Boy: No!

Priest: Well, maybe you can help me pour water on your brothers heads.
Boy: I get to pour water on my brothers?!

Luckily when the priest asked more serious questions, the boy was more agreeable:

Priest: Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Saviour?
Boy: I do!

(Of course, the parents could have answered all of the baptismal questions on his behalf, but since his older brothers were answering on their own, it was easier for him to answer in turn also.)

The final part of the service was the Eucharist (Holy Communion). I had forgotten our priest’s tradition of popping a bottle of pink champagne and offering that instead of wine in the chalice. We truly were celebrating Jesus’ resurrection! 

After the service there was more champagne (and other beverages) and desserts to mark the end of Lent and the beginning of the Easter celebration.  I stuck with sparkling lemonade, but had enough chocolatey desserts to leave with a sugar buzz.

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This morning I woke up to find that the Easter Bunny brought me dark chocolate and black jelly beans!

I got up at 5:30, and was eager to head out for my run. I knew it was going to be warm (relatively speaking) and I was planning on an 8 mile route over the Wilson Bridge. I drove to a different starting point so that I would have a short walk to a mile marker that would be about 4 miles from my intended turn-around point.

It was about 6:30 and in the upper 50’s when I started out.  The birds were singing, and there was a pink sunrise obscured by some light, low clouds.  It was a lovely Easter morning!

Since I discovered a hole in my usual fanny pack/water bottle holder last week, I was using an old one that I haven’t used in a while–and now I remember why! It holds the water bottle at an angle, and the water bottle tends to work itself out and crash to the ground as I am running. After it happened the first time, I adjusted the belt and the water bottle stayed put for a while.  Just after mile 2, though, it fell out and the lid came off when it landed, spilling most of my water. 🙁

I didn’t worry too much, figuring that I could fill it up at a water fountain at National Harbor. When I got there, though, I couldn’t find any water fountains in any of the park areas or along the path that borders the river. I remembered a coffee shop I’d been to there before, and thought I could beg some water off of them, but they were closed! I still had a bit of water left in my water bottle, so I just gave up and headed back. I figured running low on water could be good preparation for the Zoom Annapolis Half Marathon in June.

The hunt-for-water detour added about a mile to my run, so I ended up running 9 miles. Apart from being thirsty, it was a great run. When I got home I stretched, foam rolled, and got out my old Camelbak to try out on my next long run.

Garmin Data
Total Distance = 9.0 miles; Avg. Pace = 9:20 min/mile
Split Times: 9:44, 9:21, 9:06, 9:04, 10:14 (hunting for water), 9:25  9:04: 9:00, 8: 59