We had a simply wonderful Easter! Just love these little sweeties. Notice the hats, the gloves, the jewelry. the vest, the tie. Yes, this is one of the best things about Easter. I guess I am to blame for this, since Gwen was saying that she remembers always having a hat and gloves for Easter. I am responsible for the girls matching dresses. I just love finding these and I figure we only have a few years until they refuse to wear them!
This got me thinking about one Easter that I remember. I believe it was 1962 (it could have been a year or two later, I am really not sure). I had gone with my mom and dad and brother Greg to visit my sister Karen and her family and celebrate Easter in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. While I was still young enough to really wait for that Easter basket, my brother should have been beyond the basket stage. But, to keep the peace and humor Greg, he was getting a candy filled basket also. In my family we always had to find the basket that had been hidden somewhere in the house. We never hid eggs or did an egg hunt. I remember that I found my basket quite quickly in a sort of "window box" that was on the stairwell of their house. I was so delighted. However, Greg could not find his basket. He looked and looked and as time went on, got more and more upset. My favorite memory of this day is my mom and sister Karen sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee, just laughing. The funny thing was, they were watching the clock very closely! They needed Greg to find that basket that was hidden in the oven so that Karen could start the Easter ham! I think that they finally gave him so many hints that he found it. My mom always laughed about this whenever we talked about Easter. I love thinking about Karen and Mom having coffee around the kitchen table, laughing and talking.
Our day yesterday began with an amazing worship service at Gwen and Tim's church. During the service the pastor talked about church being a place that welcomes anyone and everyone comes exactly as they are. Of course, he shared that Jesus is the answer to every problem and situation that we might have. During the final song, people from the congregation went to the front of the sanctuary holding signs that represented many common situations - divorce, cancer, depression, anxiety, illness, worry, hopelessness, fear, pain, addiction - among other things (this is just a sample of things I remember seeing). During the song, they turned their signs over to reveal things like HOPE, RECOVERY, FAITH, PEACE, HEALTH! It was such a visual reminder of what all of us have gained because of the cross and the resurrection. I loved this! Everyone could look at those signs and look into their own life and see what Jesus has done for them. It was wonderful. Thank you Jesus!
I am so grateful that Easter fell right in the middle of this difficult month for me. I love that there is this reminder for me that Jesus is ALIVE and because of His great love for us all, we can celebrate in the midst of loss. What an amazing gift of life and love.
Jesus, thank you for Easter, for resurrection, for joy and love and life! Thank you for children and grand children and smiles and laughing and fun. Thank you for 75 degrees and sunshine and the bursting forth of springtime. Holy Spirit, remind all of us what you have done in our lives. Thank you for loving us and redeeming us. Amen
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