EASTER SUNDAY

Easter, next to Christmas, is probably one of my all time favorite holidays.  I love it for a variety of reasons, but mostly for what this day means to me.  For me personally, this is the day that we celebrate the resurrection of Christ from the dead.  For me, it is a privilege to say “HE IS RISEN”, because I know the truth and triumph that those three simple words mean.  When I say that Christ is risen, I know that He is mighty to save and has conquered the grave.  I have a bright and beautiful future because of those three simple words.  There is power in these words; power, love, compassion, grace, mercy, and future all found in the weekend of Easter.

In our home we don’t have the Easter Bunny visit and we don’t dye or hide eggs.  I have nothing against those traditions; actually my children hunt eggs at their grandparents and even a church event this year.  We just feel like our focus needs to be centered on Christ and what this weekend means for us as Christ Followers rather than the bunny.  BUT, the kiddos did get to see a bunny this year, and I love the reason why! 

Our weekend started off with an Easter celebration with church event on Saturday.  The church had an Easter village filled with games, an Easter egg hunt complete with golden eggs and prizes, a free hot dog lunch, and the Easter Bunny.  BUT, this Easter Bunny was not here to be just fun, he taught the kiddos a valuable lesson.  As the kiddos were hunting eggs or paying games, this bunny would sneak up and try to take a piece of candy or an egg.  The pastor then explained that we can let the bunny “steal” our focus off Jesus and what Easter really means.  The bunny in and of itself is not bad, it’s what we make it out to be that can become our focus.  This was a great lesson for the kiddos and a great reminder for us.  It was also a lot of fun to see what the mischievous bunny would do next.

Cole hunting eggs with John Robert's help.

 

Maggie working one of the booths.

Ethan at the Wishing Well.

John Robert and Jacob resting.

 

Maggie and the bunny!

After a fun morning we headed over to Papa Wayne’s for the Best Family Easter celebration.  Of course we ate lots of good food there and the kiddos got to play with their cousins and hunt more eggs.  Maggie and John Robert were too big to hunt the eggs, but Ethan and Cole had a grand time!  Plus there was a money egg hidden for them, which made the evening perfect!  Jacob stayed snuggled on Mama or Daddy most of the night!

Getting ready to hunt, but first...pictures!

 

Easter morning started off with the kiddos getting their Easter baskets from Robert and me.  Of course we made sure there was something special for each of the kiddos and my favorite candy!  Then we headed to church dressed in our Easter best.  And yes, we did match (thank you very much!), we were all in blue today!

Thirty One bags make great Easter baskets!

LOVE THEM!

 

After church we stopped by to visit with Granny and Granddaddy and then headed to my parents in Davenport.  Of course Nana and Papa had Easter baskets for all of us, (yep, Mama and Daddy too), and a delicious meal.  More than the meal it was time for the traditional money egg hunt.  My parents hide a $20.00 egg and then three $5.00 eggs so that all the kiddos get a chance to win the big bucks!  This year Ethan broke John Robert’s winning streak and he took home the $20.00.  He was a happy camper!

 

As much fun as the kiddos had hunting eggs, eating candy, hunting more eggs, and eating more candy; the reason that we celebrate Easter was not lost on them.  At the end of our weekend, when all was said and done we enjoyed remembering WHY this day is so important and special to us!  Easter, as fun as the eggs and candy is, is all about JESUS!  Jesus and Jesus alone is all that matters!

HE IS RISEN, and that’s all we need!