Easter

Easter Sunday was a little on the weird side and yet it was wonderful too! We did not have any colored eggs or chocolate bunnies at our house. Of course, our children are grown and I have type 2 diabetes so sugar-free is my new lifestyle. We streamed our Easter service and did not bother with making the usual Easter dishes for dinner. There were a lot of changes to embrace this year for my family. But the one who has never changed and never will change is My Savior, Jesus Christ. He was crucified, dead, and buried, and rose for my sins thousands of years ago. Easter came as faithfully as all of God’s promises!

I am enjoying the new weirdness of worship that churches have come to embrace this past month. And it is exciting at how churches have stepped up their technological game. Their outreach has not only surpassed the pews but they are now venturing where even the missionaries can not go; i.e. directly into American homes and homes worldwide. For someone like me, who for the past two years has been unable to attend church services and bible studies on a regular basis because of health issues, these technological advances have blessed me with the opportunity to rejoin my fellow brothers and sisters in worship. And I pray churches will continue these opportunities after we have been released from our quarantines.

There have been other options when I am unable to attend church events like numerous televangelists who flood our airwaves. But, after spending eight years in the Houston, Texas area, my eyes were opened to the prosperity preachers, the scamming pastors, and a slew of other devious individuals using the name of Jesus and God for their own wealth and sinister devices. Funny how a big city can take the blinders off your eyes. I will admit to watching some of them on tv only to be disappointed at their money-raising telethons or the way they manipulate the viewer into giving their money to them. The promise of healing or release of debt if you provide them with your funds seems absurd to me. God loves a joyful giver, not a twisted arm one. I want to be able to watch my church that preaches God’s word truthfully and interact, even if it is virtual. A place where I have roots and connection, even when I can not attend in person.

Before the coronavirus, I believe we became stagnant in doing the same old things, the same old ways, and lost our vision for being God’s hands and feet to the world. It is the same experience when we sit around and stay stationary during the day, our bodies become what my Granny use to call being “stoved up.” Americans, Christians and the world became so “stoved up” that when the coronavirus hit we were unprepared and our response to action was unsteady. We were on auto-pilot with our buttons stuck in place. Circling life, around and around, daily routines and weekly routines over and over again… I think the Zombie Apocalypse really did occur in America!

So, now that we have had our merry-go-round lives derailed, what are you doing about it? Is all of this a weird way of life or a new improved way of life? I believe that the weirdness of Easter has led us to some great opportunities for our lives and we should embrace them! Quarantining does make you pick and choose what you need, not what you want. Here are a few of my suggestions I hope becomes the new normal for people.

Live by the rule that if it is not important for breathing, eating, and maneuvering daily life throw it out without second thoughts.

Honor the real heroes and not the fictitious ones played on a movie screen.

Revere the good things and people in life, and do not make heroes out of athletes, actors, and musicians. Their worth should not be in the money they earn, but the life they lead.

Stop the media drain game. Turn the news off and spend time reading your bible.

Love others as Jesus Loves You! He loves you more than you will ever know on this earth and gives you grace every day! Share His love and grace with others.

God Bless You!

The Turtle family lived in a quiet meadow on Pop Nelson’s farm. Now, Pop was an elderly man who lovingly took care of all of the animals on the farm. Every morning, during his morning walk, he would bring food to the pond animals. Pop had duck food, turtle food, fish food, and bird food in his backpack.

The pond had been the Turtle’s home since Pop’s great grandfather owned the farm. And the Turtles live in the same mud hutch that their great grandparents lived in. Grandma and Grandpa Turtle lived in the mud hutch right beside them too! Everyone’s life was very happy at Pop Nelson’s pond.

One day during Easter season, Tom and his older sister Tabitha were in the kitchen helping Mama dye Easter eggs. Tom was in a pouty mood because he felt like his friends got to dye more eggs and got better toys for Easter than he did.

“Mom why can we only dye three eggs a piece?” whined Tom.

“Because Easter is about Jesus Christ and not eggs.” Mom said firmly.

Seeing her young son’s pouty face, Mom decided to try to make him understand the real reason for Easter. And it was not dyed eggs, bunny rabbits, and gifts!

“Tom,” Mom said gently, “We dye three eggs because each egg represents something very important at Easter.”

“Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!” chimed in Tabitha.

“That is right, Tabitha.” Mom said.

Mom went on to explain, “Easter is about Jesus Christ, who was sent by the Father, to take away our sin to give us everlasting life.”

“Before Jesus left to go back to heaven, He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us out in this life and to give us a connection to Him and the Father, until we go to heaven.”

“Mom, I know all of that,” Tom said, “we learned about it in Sunday school.” “I want to know why we cannot dye a dozen eggs and get a cool toy for Easter, like all of our friends do.”

Mom sat down at the kitchen table and motioned for Tom and Tabitha to sit down. This was going to be a very important talk and she wanted their full attention.

“I believe it is my job to keep our family focused on the right things in life.”

“For us to dye twelve hard boiled eggs and no one eats the eggs is wasteful to me.”

“There are too many in this world who do not have food to eat.”

Mom continued.

“And, your father and I feel like for you to get a cool toy is disrespectful to the meaning of Easter, but a small thoughtful one is ok.”

With a smile on her face, Mom decided to let Tom and Tabitha in on a little secret!

“Besides we have a neighborhood Easter egg hunt every year, and we use over 100 plastic eggs.”

“That we put paper crowns and crosses in, to keep our friends remembering the real reason for Easter!” Tabitha said, trying to act like Mom.

Tom stuck his tongue out at his sister. Tabitha always tried to act like she was an adult too, and it annoyed him.

Mom ignored the faces being made between the two of them.

“And this year there will be a surprise at the egg hunt!”

“Huh?” Tabitha and Tom said together, thus stopping their silly face making.

“One of the eggs will have this beautiful gold cross in it,” Mom pulled out a small gold cross from her apron pocket, “and whoever finds it will keep the gold cross.”

A sly grin came over Mom’s face.

“Oh yes, along with a special prize!”

Tom jumped out of his chair and said, “I will help you pick out the plastic egg to put the gold cross in Mom!”

“Tom” Tabitha put her hands on her hips. “You can’t do that, it would not be fair!”

Before a good argument got going, Mom stood up and stated, “Only, Mayor Sam Duck will know because he gets to put the gold cross in the winning egg.”

“I won’t even know,” Mom said.

“Do you know what the surprise is going to be?” Tabitha asked.

“No, that job was for Pastor Peacock.”

“Oooooh,” both children happily said together, “Pastor Peacock finds the most fun things for us kids at church.”

“Come on now,” Mom lovingly touched each of their turtle heads, “We still have the plastic eggs to fill.”

Mom, Tom, and Tabitha filled all of the plastic eggs with the paper crowns and crosses. Tom and Tabitha eagerly ate their dinner, washed, said their prayers, and went to bed. They wanted Easter to hurry up and come!

Tag: Easter

Weird Easter

Easter at Pop Nelson’s Pond