Alabama VS. Auburn

(Just for the record ,I didn't write this and I am not sure who did.  I got the rough draft in an email and loved it and added some pics and now am sharing with you.  

It  is always a tense and tough rivalry between these two great teams...some how, I think this year it will be a little different)

Alabama VS.  Auburn

It isn't a rivalry. Ohio State-Michigan is a rivalry. USC-UCLA is a rivalry. Texas-Oklahoma is a rivalry.

Alabama-Auburn is an all-consuming football holy war. It is more primal, more organic and more self-defining than anything else in college sports. It's forgotten more about intensity and an addiction to bragging rights than, say, Florida-Florida State or West Virginia-Pitt will ever know.

Forget about table manners; it doesn't have any. It also doesn't care what you think … especially what a Yankee thinks. It is unabashedly and unapologetically over the top in a jump-the-shark, provincial kind of way.

Babies are taught to say "Roll Tide," or "War Eagle" at the same time they learn, "Mommy" or "Daddy" -- maybe earlier. The entire state counts the days -- each and every one of them -- until the annual, season-ending Iron Bowl is played. And then they start over again.

"The best thing about this game is also the worst thing about this game," said then-Auburn equipment manager Frank Cox in the definitive Tide versus Tigers book, "A War In Dixie ." "It's too important to too many people."

And then last Wednesday a monstrous, unforgiving band of killer tornadoes dragged their funnel spouts through parts of the South, including Tuscaloosa , home of the Bama campus. Now almost nothing, most of all a football game, seems too important anymore.

They called it a natural disaster, but there wasn't anything natural about the carnage and despair the hundreds of twisters caused. Wind speeds on the most vicious tornadoes reached about 200 miles per hour -- or more than 85 mph faster than what Kyle Busch averaged to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Richmond on Saturday.

Entire neighborhoods were pulled apart like cotton balls. Houses vanished. Cars were flicked away. Forty of the 236 Alabamans who lost their lives last week were in Tuscaloosa -- the latest victim a 22-year-old student from UA. More than 300 people in the city are unaccounted for.

The figures change each day. And in a heartwarming and wonderful way, so does the relationship between those who wear Bama crimson and those who wear Auburn blue and orange.

There is no war in Dixie . A football game pulled two football nations apart. Tragedy has brought them together.

Late last week, a 70-person Auburn contingent including coach Gene Chizik, players and administrators traveled in two waves to the Birmingham area -- a Bama stronghold -- to assist with the relief effort. They weren't dressed to the nines in Auburn gear. They didn't burn up their Twitter or Facebook accounts with updates. It was just 70 Auburn folks trying to help those in need.

Chizik did the same sort of thing when he coached at Iowa State . When a tornado tore through little Parkersburg , Iowa , in 2008, Chizik and about 30 players and staff members drove unannounced to the town.

The devastation throughout Alabama and five other southern states could melt a heart made of dry ice. But then you stumble across Toomer's For Tuscaloosa on Facebook and you discover the goodness of those at Auburn and beyond.

Toomer's Corner is the legendary gathering place for Tigers fans after an Auburn victory. And Toomer's Trees are its signature landmark. No trees have been draped in more celebratory toilet paper than those oaks.

When a Bama nut job recently poisoned the trees, Crimson Tide fans expressed their disgust with the chemical sabotage mission and created a fund to save or replant the oaks.

The simple gesture of sympathy didn't go unappreciated by Auburn followers.

Toomer's For Tuscaloosa is a simple idea too: provide a human chain of support and relief for those tornado victims whose stories of loss make you want to sit on a curb and cry.

A young mother needs clothes to wear to her children's funeral.

A triage center needs blankets for its injured patients.

A call for prom dresses goes out -- just so a devastated high school and its senior girls can have a moment's worth of normalcy.

There are diaper drives. Food drives. Fundraisers. The Auburn University Psychological Services Center has provided a hotline number.

Buy a houndstooth magnet in support of the tornado victims. Buy an "A United -- Two teams. One State" T-shirt and a chunk of the sales proceeds go to a relief fund.

Auburn alum Charles Barkley flew to Birmingham to personally thank volunteers and Red Cross workers. And the highways don't lack for relief trucks and cars making the nearly three-hour drive from Auburn to Tuscaloosa. 

In a show of solidarity, the Tigers ‘baseball team wore state of Alabama stickers on the back of their batting helmets last weekend. When the Auburn and Bama baseball teams play each other this weekend at AU, count on a collection fund. And count on Auburn fans happily reaching into their wallets to help.

Chizik and Bama coach Nick Sabin stood side by side on the stage of Radio City Music Hall on Thursday as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell asked for a moment of silence in honor of the tornado victims. They were joined by the likes of Auburn 's Cam Newton and Nick Fairley and Bama's Mark Ingram, Julio Jones and Marcell Dareus.

"We will move mountains to help each other," wrote a woman named Pam Crawley on the Toomer's ForTuscaloosa site. "We are family -- father, mother, sister and brother. Thank God we live in such a great state. Where people give their all no matter what it takes.

"Roll Eagle and War Tide."

It would be nice if the truce between these two programs would last long after the Red Cross trailers leave. Or at the worst, if the unhealthy holy war was downgraded to a healthy rivalry. But it probably won't happen.

Too bad. The Tigers and the Tide have more in common than they'd like to admit.

It's called the state of Alabama .

April 27 2011...My Mother's Prayers protected us...

Waking up at 3:58 am on April 27th, 2011 by tornado sirens was not the perfect beginning to a new day.

A possible tornado near Waterloo, Alabama . The storm passed quickly over the county,
 only later to find out a F1 tornado had touched down then.

I was to awake at 4:00 am anyway , for a meeting in Huntsville with my assistant manager Kat.  We were both already a little hesitant about the trip any way, severe weather had been predicted for the day and we had hoped they would cancel the meeting because of the threat. But work must go on and we drove through rain and storms as we headed to a Kmart store in Huntsville. Our working meeting began immediately .  Thanks to a dear friend/Kmart associate Janice,(she and I are known as the weather girls at our store), we were kept updated to the upcoming storms.  It wasn't looking good as she sent pictures of weather maps showing the intensity of the storms approaching our area. Soon an announcement came over the intercom for everyone to go to the back of the store immediately   Looking towards the front windows you could see dark clouds, pouring rain and wind whipping the trees around, we all filed to the break room of the store and sat waiting on what came next. I called Janice and she said that a huge storm was right up on us and tornado warning were out. My husband John, called telling us that we needed to leave soon , it wan't looking good. After a 20 to 30 minute wait, everyone was allowed back out to the floor.  We returned to work and continued to get updates about the weather from The Weather Girl.  I sent a message asking when the bad stuff was suppose to hit... she wrote back saying, 

"Late afternoon is when it will hit...these are the one's they said had the supercells" 12:58 pm. 

She sent this map showing approaching storms.

After having lunch we received another text from Janice at 1:35 showing the storms growing and larger .

"Hittin' the Shoals around 3:00pm " she said

 Kat went to our fashions district manager and told her we were leaving, the weather was

gonna be rough on the way home. Thanks goodness we left right then.  We had no idea what we would have ran into if we had waited until the end of the meeting. 

Driving home the rain was bad and power was out  on down highway 72.  Tree's were knocked over and uprooted along the way from the storm that had came through earlier.  It was a long stressful trip home.

We continued to get updates from The Weather Girl as we traveled.  When we finally arrived at our Kmart in Florence right at 3:15 or so. I told Kat to look up at the clouds and the flag as we entered the parking lot. Both were blowing in the opposite direction they should be.  The storms were moving in from west and the wind was blowing to the east. It was very eerie.  We both were exhausted and wanted to get home quickly so out of sheer stupidity we both left to go to our homes, knowing that the terrible storms were right at our backs. 

As soon as I turned around and went back east on 72 ,I could see the clouds behind me getting darker and darker.  I called my mother as I drove home to keep me company in the stressful situation.  As I crossed Shoals Creek bridge I noticed in my rear view mirror a flash of light and saw sparks falling from the transformer on the opposite side of the bridge.  I knew something wasn't right.  The sky had an eerie green cast and the wind was getting worse.  I told mother that something was going on ...as I continued to drive my heart was pounding. Mother told me that the day before and that morning she had prayed for all of our family's protection by name from the up coming storms. As I drove into Killen  and looked to the sky up over the ball field and could see the tops of the trees thrashing in the wind. As I approached the post office I could see a white twirling cloud over the tree tops.  Limbs and leaves were spinning over head.  Realizing what was happening above and my heart racing I told mother "Something is happening" I jumped from my car with the phone in my ear and ran into the post office.  Two workers held the door for me as the wind tried to keep it shut. I rushed in shaking from head to toe and we stood watching as the clouds passed over us spinning, rolling and dipping from the sky. I held the phone to my ear wanting my mother as close to me as possible through this storm. John beeped in soon telling me there was a really bad storm on 72.  He was at a convience store and the doors were rattling and bowing in. Through tears, and my entire body shaking I told him what was going on outside right then. Soon we heard sirens and saw rescue vehicles outside.  Something had passed over us ... John called again and said there had been a funnel cloud sighted over Lock 6 road, right next to the post office. I think I was slightly in shock.  My couldn't stop the shaking through my body.  I was terrified at what had ALMOST happened to us three in that post office.   I know in my heart that a tornado has passed right over us.  I cautiously opened the door and thanked the employees for letting me in and slowly walked to my car.  The clouds rolled away from us but the sky was dark still.  I wanted to be home desperately. I tried to call Kat and Janice but cellphone service was acting up.  I finally called the store and heard Janice's voice and fell to pieces. Telling her about my terrifying experience , I sobbed and she cried along with me. Kat beeped in and we cried together too.  When I finally arrived home the weather was going from bad to worse all around us.

Another call from mother said that Tanner was in direct line for a 3/4 mile tornado.  I called Allen and Natasha and told them what was heading their way.  They had no power from an earlier storm so couldn't get any information. They said they were going to the closet now.  There seemed to be one wave after another going right through their area .  I continued to call and text them with warnings. Cell service was about out and their phones were loosing battery power. A text from Natasha at 4:59pm read:

" Please let us know if there are any more coming here! Thank You! Love You!!"

I got through to Allen once more.  They were still in the closet wanting to know what was going on.  I told him there were so many storms going on I could hardly keep up with them.  He opened the closet door and looked out and said, " The trees are touching the ground!!!"  I yelled for him to get back in the closet!I told him that Mother and I were praying for them to be protected.

We lost our connection.  I was horrified as there was no contact for several minutes.  I got several calls from concerned John, Mother , Janice , Bridgette and family and friends during all of this... I soon got another text from Allen,

5:11pm."What's going on now, are we clear?"

"Stay where you are!" I told them .

another text from Natasha:

5:25pm " Let us know when it is over."

Soon another message came,

5:45 "We just drove to Athens"

With no contact for over an hour , I finally got another message from Allen

7:18pm" We r at a church near our house"

7:34 " We ok at storm shelter"

8:38 "we at home"

This home was located in Tanner in the vicinity of Rosie Road.

Daily Photo by Gary Cosby Jr. A large tornado sweeps through Limestone County near Stewart Rd. Wednesday afternoon. The twister was on the ground through at least four north Alabama counties including Limestone County where this photo was taken.

Electrical towers in Tanner

If we had only known what was really going on April 27th 2011, all around us that day in those several hours of phone calls and texting !  Alabama was hit by 71 tornadoes that day.The south had a total of 312, setting a one day record from the Outbreak of 1974 of 148 tornadoes.  Hundreds of lives lost, thousands of homes destroyed and thousands of lives completely torn apart . I have watched hours of news footage of the complete annihilation of Phil Campbell and Hackelburg by a EF 5. Mass distruction in Madison and  Limestone county and Tuscaloosa and  even the little town of Tanner where my son lives. 

As my son and his wife sat huddled with their dog in a tiny closet, the neighborhoods down the road from them were in the midst of devestaion.  Just blocks from their home lives were lost and homes destroyed. I thank God everyday that He was there in that little closet with them.  I know the prayers of my Mother kept that horrible storm from away.  Just a tiny turn of the path of the tornado and I know what COULD have happened. .

Daily Photo by Gary Cosby Jr. Residents along Ingram Rd. in Limestone County's Tanner community south of Athens, Ala., recover belongings Thursday, April 28, 2011 in the aftermath of Wednesday's devastating tornado. Billy Hughey takes a pain pill he found after uncovering part of his living room floor. Hughey and his wife were in the home when the tornado struck.

They did not have power for days and their storage building where they had put many of their belongings for a future move,was demolished .  Yet they were able to save most of what was inside.

Ariel  view of storage units 

18 wheeler on the units where my son and his wife had things stored for a future move

When I look back at the trip Kat and I took to Huntsville that day, I again feel my Mother's prayers and Janice's weather reports protected us there and back.  If we had waited and left at 5:00 when the meeting was over we would have been right in the path of several of the tornadoes paths crossing highway 72.

In the aftermath of this horrible storm , I have seen a wonderful out pouring of love and support from our very on communities like never before.  One FEMA representative said "In one day here in Alabama, we have seen more of an out pouring of support than in several days in the Katrina disaster in Louisana."

But we knew that about Alabamians, did'nt we?  But the world see's it now the bond we have here. Even die hard football rivalries Alabama and Auburn have laid down the gridiron hatred to join hands in this tradgedy .

Auburn University students started this group Toomers for Tuscaloosa that has been  pivotal  in getting all kinds supplies to every county in Alabama that was effected by the storms.It has been amazing what they have been able to accomplish by just asking others to pitch in.

 For once we Iron Bowlers can say Roll Tide and War Eagle! Neighbors helping neighbors , friends helping friends but most of all strangers helping strangers all in the name of love. My home's in Alabama...Sweet Home Alabama!!!

(P.S.  I have formally retired from being the other weather girl at Kmart, lol!)

Video of Phil Campbell Alabama after the tornado

Happy Mother's Day

• M is for the many hours spent praying for her children.
• O is for the open arms, always there to hold them.
• T is for the tears she cried, when one of us was sad,
• H is for the hurt she felt when one of us felt bad.
• E is for the endless love she gives to us each day,
• R is her renewing spirit that helps us choose or way 

                                               by Laura Brown 5-2011

When I reflect back throughout my life,I have so many wonderful memories that she has given us. Surprisingly enough, the little things even make me smile.

I remember:

• making cookies, cakes and candy.. always including us to help add stuff or stir the bowl ...we even got first choice to lick the spoon, bowl and beaters!!
•  putting  bread bags over our shoes(we didn't have boots) so we could go out and play in the new falling snow. 
• allowing us to go out and play in the rain and splash in the ponds of water that formed on the sides of the streets
• playing board game for hours with us...oh what fun!
• lining up coffee mugs on the table at Easter and dropping egg dye tablets into vinegar and letting us monitor our eggs until they reached the color we desired
• singing to us with her "Angelic" voice... I always wished I could sing like her. I loved listening to music and playing records and remember practicing to "shake" my voice like she could...all the practice never worked for me...but I do love to TRY to sing, HA!
• telling us stories, bible stories and reading books.  We were always on the edge of our seats waiting on the next words.
• sharing her tales of the fairies and telling us how to build houses for them so they would come and dance in them at night.  My brother and sister and I  used to collect green moss, broken bits of colored glass and match sticks to build beautiful dance floors and houses for them.  We would fall asleep seeing them dancing and twirling on the colored glass floors and walking through the soft green moss as we slept. We never saw one ,  but they were always in our dreams.

• going to the creek by Mars Hill in Florence, was a fun time for me. I was a BIG rock hound and loved looking for SPECIAL rocks.  She would walk along the banks and watch us wade looking for the perfect rock. I still love looking for special ones!!
• going to Granny Mae's house before Mother's day services at church and picking that special rose to wear on our dress in honor of our mothers.  This is such a touching memory, we all got little red rose buds, Mother picked a bloomed red one and Granny Mae chose a lovely white one...I learned that the white one meant your mother was no longer here with us. 
• sharing her faith and love of Jesus was always a part of our lives.  Her love of the Lord shined through in her talent for singing and from the deep love for Him in her heart. I saw that...I wanted that too...and because of her teaching and gentle leading...I gave my heart to Him, nearly 40 years ago.

There are soo many memories I have that I could list and they would go on and on.

In my Mother,I have been highly blessed and greatly favored by God to have been given the most wonderful gift a child can have. My mother is a mother to all that she meets...so many call her Mom! 

She is my mother, my confidant, and my best friend. Like my cousin Danny Richey said today in an email
"All the good things you see in me came from my Mother!"

Wishing my mother a blessed and beautiful Mothers Day!

 I Love You Mother!!!!

Easter writings from Ruth Martin

The Preacher's Wife 

Comments and Poems

 By Ruth R. Martin

  I am well aware that to a Christian every day is Easter, every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday. Every minute should be a celebration of the miracle, Had there been no Resurrection of the Lord from the dead, no return of LIFE to His lifeless body, no emergence of His glorified body from the tomb, then the agony of Calvary would have been in vain But when Jesus came forth as our RISEN LORD He was God's living stamp of approval upon His sacrificial death for our sins . He had conquered the last enemy...Death. He had crushed the head of the the old serpent Satan. From Death, He brought ETERNAL LIFE. During this Easter season I wanted to pay special honor and homage and praise to my Risen Savior by running various writings and poems for your shared praise and joy.  Let us make this entire month one of joyous praise and celebration to the power and glory of the Resurrection in Christ Jesus. "Because He lives, we too shall live." . FOREVER!!. 

                           Please enjoy these writings in celebration of Easter. ---  Ruth Martin 2006

While reading again the new-old story of the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus, I found myself, as I often do when viewing That Day from this side of Calvary, trying to place myself at the scene in various situations and from different view-points. I have sometimes compared that history-turning , life-changing, event to a huge priceless jewel, cut with a multitude of facets, ever shining, constantly flashing brilliant points of light from directions overlooked before. We tend to see that awful, wonderful Day as a solitary event, and indeed it was and is and always will be, when the Sinless Savior gave Himself for sinful mankind, a once-for-all and for- all- time sacrifice of Divine Love and Atonement. But there were many smaller stories being lived that day. I believe every person present that day had to have felt his or her own inner reaction to what they saw taking place that day. Some felt horror, anger, revolt. His followers felt personal grief, loss, confusion, doubt, even fear. His mother felt her own heart break as she watched her Son's suffering. His enemies gloated, congratulated themselves, satisfied they had silenced the Carpenter and His teachings forever. But there were many pilgrims and visitors to the city who knew little or nothing of what was happening on a hill outside the city. I imagined myself a stranger in Jerusalem, knowing little of local customs, holy days and celebrations. Hearing loud voices raised from what sounded like a crowd of people I drifted toward the people rushing to and lining the narrow street. Curious, I looked toward what I gathered was a parade of some kind moving rapidly in my direction. I could see armed soldiers attempting to keep order as they moved down the street. In front of the on-coming crowd I saw a lone figure stumbling along beneath a heavy wooden cross-piece borne on His shoulders. Thinking this was probably a symbolic person dressed in what appeared to be bloodstained garments, I wondered what could this parade and this Man represent to these people. It seemed a cruel way to celebrate anything. And then, oh, horror, as the Man drew abreast of me, I saw that this was no celebration. I was witness to a real death-march , for a Man I did not know, for a reason I could not imagine. What terrible crime had He done to merit such agony, shame, and death? I saw His bleeding body, whip-lashes criss-crossing the weary, weak and broken form. My eye traveled upward to the twisted wreath of huge thorns pressing down into his scalp and forehead like a travesty of a crown. I saw the rivulets of blood streaming down His face into His eyes.....into His eyes... His eyes. He turned His head slightly and those magnetic eyes met my own and I could not look away . No hatred, no anger, nothing but Love... such Love I never knew existed, boundless Love that knew no limits, and as His eyes held mine it was as though He spoke to my heart, in tender, compassionate words of Infinite Love."I bear all this for you, because I love you ." The soldiers shoved Him and He fell forward to the pavement. Dazed, unable to move or break the spell I was under, I watched a man they called Simon, forcibly drawn from the mob, forced to lift the heavy cross piece to his own broad shoulders and carry it beside the cruelly treated One they called Jesus. ....Jesus... what a lovely Name for the Owner of those eyes that pierced my very soul. I, too, was now drawn into the mob that followed after Jesus. Where else could I go? To Whom else could I go? Who else could I follow? Nothing else mattered. I only knew that I must be with Him. I no longer had any personal dreams, or desires, or goals. Blinded by tears, I followed as the soldiers led Jesus outside the city limits, up a hill I heard someone call Golgotha, and numb with shock and grief I watched them drive spikes through His hands and feet, watched as rough hands raised Him on a cross, heard the cruel laughter and jests of the soldiers and some of the mob gathered around the cross. I crept to the foot of the rugged tree, kneeling in total love and surrender to the One who hung there, dying that I might live... forgiven, accepted in the Beloved, loved beyond measure. How could it be? Why should He love me so. As I knelt there, bent with contrition and sorrow, I felt something fall upon me, something wet and warm; falling, dripping, drop-by-precious drop , and with each scarlet drop I felt cleansing, healing, peace and joy flooding my grieving soul. And I gave Him myself ...it was all I had to give. From that day, my heart, my life, my all- belongs to Jesus, the Crucified, Risen Lord . (How well I remember the time when 

"He turned and looked at me") 

RRM/8-01 

 He Turned and Looked At Me 

I followed Him to Cal'vry 

Along a rugged road, 

I joined the crowd that thronged Him 

As He bore His heavy load. 

I saw His wounded, bleeding form 

Nailed to a cruel tree. 

I wondered why He suffered so, 

And what His crime could be. 

And then, He turned and looked at me 

With eyes that pierced my soul, 

So tender and forgiving, 

As near His Cross I stole. 

That gaze of Love and Sorrow said, 

"I bear all this for thee." 

Such love my heart had never known; 

To think He'd die for me. 

I knelt that day at Cal'vry, 

Beneath that rugged Tree. 

I felt the cleansing blood-drops 

Bringing Peace and Joy to me. 

I thought my grieving heart would break; 

To think for me He'd die. 

That hour I knew my life belonged 

To Christ, The Crucified. 

And then, He turned and looked at me 

With eyes that pierced my soul, 

So tender and forgiving 

As near His Cross I stole. 

That gaze of Love and Sorrow said, 

I bear all this for thee." 

Such love my heart had never known, 

To think, "He'd die for me."

~~Ruth Martin~~

For more beautiful Easter writings from Ruth Martin go to:

http://www.theprayerlife.com/preacherwife%20Easter%20Special06.html

The Story of Easter

We have heard the story about the adorable little rabbit hopping down the bunny trail delivering baskets full of chocolate bunnies, marshmallow Peeps and colored eggs.  That's a wonderful story too, but the one I am talking about is "THE" STORY OF EASTER.

I grew up with a wonderful memory of Easter with all the trimmings for children. Dying the eggs was always a ton of fun! How we all loved dipping all those eggs into all those colors making them brighter and brighter with each dip! I loved the smell of the vinegar and color tablets!

  Awaking to a huge basket of goodies was so exciting. We even found bunny prints on the front porch and on our cheeks where the bunny must have stopped to give us a bunny kiss before he hopped to the next house! Easter egg hunts at my Granny's house underneath the big oak tree, among the wild violets ,was probably the most memorable. 

We always dressed in our best cloths for Easter church service.  Many times Granny would make our dresses and some times we'd have store bought.  But we always looked our best.  White gloves, white hats, black patent shoes with lacy socks ...the whole package.

        

Allen Easter egg hunting 1984

I passed the same traditions on to my son and they enjoyed the same egg hunts under the oak tree and bunny visits and Easter baskets.  I always made sure the Easter Bunny gave Allen a rabbit of some kind .  I still have MANY of those bunny's at home! 

Easter1984

I remember one Easter morning and we were getting ready to go to church.  Mother had gotten Allen brand new black shiny shoes to wear.  I helped him slide them on his feet and he jumped to the floor to try them out 

Allen in his JESUS shoes 1985

"Look mommy!  These are Jesus shoes!"  same day during the service,the music was softly playing and he leaned over to me and said" Shhh...I hear Jesus!" Such wonderful memories!

Even though we enjoyed the kid side of Easter tremendously, we were always taught what the true meaning of Easter was. In fact me and my sister Lisa were both baptized on Easter 

Sunday when I was 9 years old. 

( that would be 39 years ago, wow, where has the time gone?)


The TRUE story of Easter is far more important than that silly old rabbit.
Jesus died on the cross for you and I. So that we can live an eternal life!
 This is where the REAL story begins!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE STORY OF EASTER

Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 

Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them,
 “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the
 linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

 (John 20:1-29, NKJV)

"Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” 

(Acts 1: 9-11)