My Easter

Good Morning to all! Hope your Monday flew by as fast as mine and that you are ready to tackle Tuesday!  So right to the chase of the matter: I love this time of the year. Easter, that is. The flowers are blooming (even though the pollen doesn’t help with my allergies/ asthma, but oh well), the weather/ temperature is just to die for, and the skies are so blue, with the occasionally tornado and severe thunder storm warning. Trying to think positive, I must say! However, the main reason I love this time of the year is because of the meaning of Easter.

Easter and Christmas are my two favorite times of the year. Yes, it might be that we receive presents on both occasions. As a little girl I was horrified to come down the stairs, overwhelmed with excitement to find a VHS of “Pinocchio” in my Easter basket. “Pinocchio?” Really Mom and Dad?  I think I might have watched half of that movie; it was definitely no “Lion King.” However, today I like to think of the non- tangible presents we receive far out do any of the tangible one that came in our stocking at Christmas or my cute little pink Easter basket; that I STILL put  out when I’m at home, and I am NOT ashamed. It is during these two times throughout the year that I find myself more emotional than usual, and again, I am not ashamed.

Sunday, I found myself sitting in church waiting for the service to start. They always play a video of amazing scenery (think Bing pictures, but videos) while contemporary Christian music plays in the background as everyone is greeting and deciding where to sit. I go to church by myself and often find myself thinking about what I will get out of the service or praying or watching some of my Younglife kids during that time (I’m not a stalker, promise) . But Sunday I found myself amazed by the gorgeous scenery that was playing. It looked like it could have been of the path where Jesus had walked in Jerusalem, or where he was forced to carry his cross until he couldn’t any more, or leading to the place in the woods where he was awaiting his arrest.  Now, I know I have never actually been there before, but I think my imagination was pretty close.  But as I was sitting there, thinking about everything that Jesus had to go through, I began to cry.

My tears continued to dwell in my eyes throughout the whole worship. And it wasn’t necessarily because I was moved from the words of the preacher: actually, they did a comedy “late night show” theme with Pontius, Mary Magdalene, the un-named thief, and Maximus. So during most of the service, I was laughing with tears in my eyes.  It’s just the thought of what Jesus went through for me and for you that does it to me. For the first time in my entire life, I wished I was there. Like on the side of the road as he walked by, so I could look into his eyes. In the crowd, as he was being tortured. On Calvary, as they lifted the cross. At this very moment you might be asking me why I wish I was there and to witness all these thing. I mean come on; even his disciples who had followed him had betrayed him and denied his name 3 times. So it isn’t because I think I would be his follower, standing tall right next to him being the “Jesus Freak” that was cheering him on; but I wish I was there to simply say, “thank you. For all you have done for me when I have not been worthy.” I know no sin because of his graciousness. I got the urge to see his face that Sunday, and saddened that I hadn’t. But then God spoke to me. We all fall short of the glory of God, but we are all redeemable of the gift we received through his sufferings. And I will one day see the face of Jesus. When it is my time to spend eternity in paradise, and I am face to face with God, Jesus will be on his right side for me to see and I’m sure I will fall at his feet in thanksgiving.

So I hope during this time, we all remember the importance of Easter Sunday. For this holiday is not about us one bit. It’s about  Jesus.