April 25
Happy Easter!
I absolutely love Easter time! We aren't really into the buy all new clothes for the day stuff, but we do dress up and go to church.
I love to listen to the sermons about the resurrection and Jesus' atoning sacrifice for our salvation.
We do the candy too, Easter bunny and all! To this day as grown (and I use the term loosely) as the older half of our kids are, they still want their Easter candy!
We have three boys that live on their own. We have two boys and a daughter in college with another boy and daughter going off to college in a few months. The youngest, Alexi will be in high school in the fall, yet they have got to have their candy!
I do little gift bags for them each year. Sure enough every year I get calls from the older ones wanting to know," Where the candy at?"
I get a big kick out of it, while Mel says he's just going to kick them in the, well you get the picture, because they are too old to be asking for candy! F
Funny thing is he's always looking for his bag of candy too!
I remember one year I was in church with all the kids! (Yeah it was like Florida all over again! Only this time we had to all be quiet! Yeah, like that was ever going to happen!)
I was trying to listen to the sermon in between the bathroom trips and "wiggles" when all of a sudden they all got really quiet.
I looked up and down the pew and they were all busy with puzzle books, coloring books and drawing paper! Would miracles never seize?
Thank Heavens for the dollar store!
As I listened to the speaker he was talking about the symbolism of spring. He commented on how spring never truly arrives until after Easter Sunday. He said if we paid attention we would realize that the plants and flowers really don't go into full bloom until Easter arrived.
It was kind of ironic seeing as how Easter Sunday is at different times each year. He also talked about how all the trees come back to life just as Jesus did!
I had never really given this much thought and I found it amazing!
What I found more amazing was that on our way home Jose, who was only like eight at the time, mentioned how cool he thought the story was.
"You heard that?" I asked, totally amazed.
"Yeah I did! It was cool, about the trees and stuff! You know, I do hear a lot of what they say!"
"I do too!" Chris added, "Unless they have that soft grandfather voice that just knocks me out!" He laughed.
Double surprise for me, not only did they listen, they thought it was cool! Later on that afternoon I went out to our back yard and walked around checking out all our bushes and plants.
I noticed the buds sprouting and starting to bloom.
Within a few days the tulips were up, the daffodils were blooming and the trees were leafing.
Every year since then I do the same thing and every year I am amazed that spring doesn't go into full bloom until after Easter Sunday!
For me it also gives me hope! No matter how gray and dismal winter is, it always passes and spring arrives!
The dead blooms anew. Hope springs eternal! This had a whole new meaning for me after that sermon!
Every time I see a flower or a tree I am reminded of God's undying love for me. I am also reminded of Jesus' sacrifice so that I could have eternal life!
What could be cooler than that?
