Easter 2011, just some thoughts

Easter
The time of renewal.
The time of new life for Christians in the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ.

Easter brings about such precious memories. Some of my earliest ones are of Easter baskets, a new dress and a bonnet, probably not unlike most children. I fondly remember one year when we hosted an Egg Hunt. I remember Mom making baskets out of construction paper. It was a lot of times a weekend that Grandma Angle came to visit, sometimes some of my Angle cousins as well. I still have a few ceramic eggs that Grandma gave us in the era. I remember the year I got a stamp collecting kit which started a childhood love of history and government that was the basis of my interest in both still today. Memories of family dinners with Grandma Barnes making her traditional Angel Food Cake, but decorated with green coconut 'grass' and jelly beans.

As I got older, I too, began to embrace the joy of cooking and crafting in preparation of Easter. The first time I attended Hasekamp Easter, I made my first 'Easter' cake to bring along, covered in coconut and decorated to look like a bunny. (I HATE coconut, LOL) After growing up and marrying, Church Services switched from Sturgeon First Christian to Tulip Christian Church. The tradition at Tulip was an egg hunt at the end of Sunday School Class. The first year we were married, David was Sunday School Superintendent. We learned the hard way not to wait to buy Easter candy. In the following years we started being green before it was the in thing to do, we bought the plastic eggs to fill and recycled them year after year.

After we started our own family, we started some of our own traditions. We dye Easter eggs. We make Easter Story cookies. In the last several years we have hosted a large family dinner, at supper time. For the first several years it was only our own children hunting the eggs, but in the last few years the hunters have grown, now our nieces and nephews hunt with the kids. It's sometimes the first 'outside' gathering we have had, so we like to barbeque or fry fish, that has sort of become a tradition as well as Easter Bunny Kathy gets all the kids new swimming suits.

Our children have offered many Easter memories. One that comes to mind would be the Easter of 2002. Our family was getting ready to grow although no one knew it. YET. During the childrens sermon, our pastor at the time Bobby Stanford started his lesson with 'Have you ever had a secret?' To which Samuel (then about 3 and half) frantically raised his hand and began 'Pawecha Bob, Pawecha Bob' Trying to ignore him a little, Bob tried to begin the lesson, Sam wouldn't be denied, so he called on him. Sam blurted out loudly and plainly 'My Momma has a BABY in her Belly!' You could have heard a pin drop. Eyes looked around at us from all over the church. The look on Bob's face was priceless. He looked out at the congregation, repeated his original question, 'Have you ever had a secret? How do I top that?' :)

Easter memories are sweet ones. That's probably why this year not getting to add to them has made me so sad. I did however look forward to this mornings' message of hope in the Resurrection, can still hear the music and congregation singing while Susie played 'Up from the Grave, He Arose'

Still learning to accept 'new normal' and not particularly thrilled with it,

From Tulip~

KH