THIS is the reason.

Today I learned that my friend's 12 year-old daughter passed away suddenly after a sudden, freak accident while playing.

I have not met my friend, or her family.  We have been "blog friends" for a few years, and for most of that time, we lived relatively close to each other and talked a few times of getting the kids together to meet and play, but it just never seemed to happen, and then they moved away.

When I saw that Lizzy had passed away, I told Ryan and Acadia.

This morning, we had awoken to find the Easter bunny had come during the night.  The girls had fun as they looked through their baskets and found hidden eggs.  But afterwards, when I told Acadia about Lizzy, it kind of put a damper on the fun we were having.  Cadi said, "Today is a bad day."

"Today is not a bad day," I told her, "it is a sad day for her family and friends, but it's not a bad day.  Easter is not about bunnies, chocolate, and eggs.  THIS is the reason Christ died for us.  THIS is the very reason why we celebrate Easter."

I am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  I pray that my friend and her family will find comfort in their understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the promise that their family will be reunited after this life.  Please keep my friend, Julia and her family in your prayers.