Forty years ago, seven various-shaped Easter baskets lined the living room — some in chairs, others grouped on the couch. The baskets always were filled with a handful of colorful jellybeans, a colored hard-boiled egg with our name on it and a chocolate bunny.
A few of the children would eat the ears off their chocolate bunnies before going to church on Easter — a time-honored tradition.
Forty some years later, my brother Kevin has learned not to hide hard-boiled eggs in his pocket for a “middle-of-church snack” but has the learned wisdom to check his grandson’s pockets. (Scientists discovered that the smell of hard-boiled eggs comes from a chemical reaction that occurs after sulfur, in the egg whites, is subjected to heat or pressure — like a little boy hiding an egg in his back pocket and sitting on it.)
It’s been nearly 20 years since the hubby and I celebrated Easter in a New Delhi YMCA with 30 Christians from around the world — singing praises in six different languages. Twenty-four hours prior, we left our friends in Damoh, India where they were preparing their sunrise Easter service in a local graveyard — signifying that Jesus had died, was buried and rose from the grave on the third day.
Last week, I attempted, without success, to remember all 55 Easters. Only snippets ran through my mind. I recall sitting in a pew with my parents and six brothers and sisters, with new Easter dresses and hats — ah, yes, the Easter hats. Stations of the Cross services were on Good Friday.
Next thing I knew, 20 years had blown by, and I was buying Easter dresses for my own three daughters — and making sure they only ate the ears off the chocolate bunny before church and that they understood why we were celebrating Easter. Watching my daughters continue to grow in their faith, I also listen with joy to the adventures of my two youngest brothers in getting their young broods to church each week.
“We will celebrate Easter with 2 billion Christians around the world,” said my pastor last weekend.
He has risen; he has risen indeed.
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You can now view the student documentary films from the Whiteland students here: https://www.youtube.com/user/warriortvnews
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