A beautiful day was ahead of us. Although expected to be a little chilly, the sun was going to shine and highlight the beautiful white pear tree blossoms that had bloomed overnight. Rich and I woke up early this particular morning, anticipating an exciting tradition that has been in our lives as far back as we can remember. This time, it was our own children's turn to wake up with puffy eyes to realize that the 'Easter Bunny' had come for a visit.
"There's no such thing as the Easter Bunny Mama," Noah told me one day last week. "Is that right?" I said, amazed at how my children come up with these ideas despite the absence of conversations of such things. Contrary to how Rich and I grew up, we both agreed that we were not going to raise our children with the belief in things that are not really real. Instead, we would raise them up in believing in who is real ~ Jesus Christ~ and let their own imaginations come up with the rest of the stories. It's really cute having the boys come up to me during Christmas time, one day telling me there is no such thing as Santa and then the next asking me if Santa was going to put coal in their stockings because they've been pouting.
Although it was a little stressful getting four little ones out of bed to see what's in their baskets and then quickly get ready for church, seeing their excitement about it all was a joy to Rich and me. We even gave in a little bit and let them each have one candy from their baskets after they were dressed and ready to go. Of course, Josiah was already through opening and eating his two mini Cadbury eggs he found in his loot.
So off to Huntsville we journeyed, to join our church family for a finger-food breakfast before an enriching Easter worship. As I listened to Gary Bradley's thoughts about the empty tomb and the hope we have as christian believers, I was brought back to the realization I had a few years ago about our risen Savior. Born and raised catholic and then baptized into the Lord's church at 19 years of age, I must have heard the resurrection story hundreds of times. However for some reason, on this normal day in the life of Rachel Flood, I realized that if Jesus died on the cross on Friday, came back to life on Sunday and then ascended into heaven later on, then that means...he is STILL ALIVE! How amazing is that? Jesus is still alive, to this day, living up in heaven with God, waiting for those who love him to join him. To me, that is AWESOME. I hope it serves as an encouragement to you all as well.
After all of the festivities of going to church, sharing an Easter dinner at Uncle Richard's and Aunt Janice's, hunting for easter eggs and playing at the park, the kids fell into their warm beds at 7:30 pm and didn't get up until 7 am. If you ask me, I thought it was a great Easter Sunday.
