Monday, April 25, 2011

He is Risen!


Happy Day after Easter.  He is still Risen.  He is still Risen Indeed! 

I have a vivid memory of an Easter morning from my childhood.  My mother must have awakened me slightly after making her Easter Bunny delivery to my room.  I rolled over to find a pink bunny in bed with me.  I didn’t find it odd or in my sleepy haze think, “Oh yes, of course, it’s Easter; that’s why there’s a strange pink bunny in bed with me.”  I just knew I loved him so I drew him close, cuddled, snuggled and went back to sleep.  I named him Droopy.
Like most little girls, my sisters and I always got a new outfit for Easter Sunday.  Each year of our lovely ensembles are chronicled in family photographs.  The year of my blue and white cowboy styled hat shall remain one of my favorite fashion faux pas.  (You may have seen me in a Glamour Magazine with a black bar across my face.) 

As a child, Easter was all about collecting eggs and hanging with my cousins; not the resurrection of Jesus.  Thankfully, I grew up and my view of holidays grew as well.  Christmas became more about anticipating the birth of the Messiah than the anticipation of two weeks off from school.  I also learned it truly did feel more blessed to give than to receive.

 Now, Easter is my favorite holiday, even topping a mashed potato and gravy filled Thanksgiving.  Without the resurrection story my faith means nothing.  (“…if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”  I Corinthians 15:14.)

I didn’t grow up in a church that observed Lent, Passover, Maundy Thursday or Good Friday.  In recent years I have participated in these services and it has made the Easter experience even more powerful.  This season I was blessed to take part in a three-night drama of the Passion of Jesus.  After Good Friday’s crucifixion scene, as people were silently leaving the sanctuary, I wanted to holler out, “Don’t worry, Sunday’s comin’!”

So I shall shout it from the rooftops, while wearing my new Easter outfit and hugging Droopy, “He is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!!”  Hallelujah!!!

Question:  How did you do celebrate this Easter Sunday/Season?

2 comments:

wendy said...

You know this post is absolutely useless without that picture of you in your cowboy styled hat. My favorite line, though, was the one of you in Glamor mag. with a black bar across your face. I laughed out loud at that one. My church growing up never had those extra services either, and I'm like you, I've really grown to love them. Except on Friday I got stuck in that blasted traffic on 205 North and missed the Good Friday service :(

Dana said...

Wendy, My sister, holder of family pics, couldn't find the Easter pics in time. I shall search for it and post it for you later. There is one of Droopy on there now.
XO