Memories & Nostalgia

During my childhood “Good Friday” was good because we would be dying eggs, and in a day or two I was going to be hunting for Easter Eggs. I knew it was also a day that we took special time to remember Jesus dying on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, but as a child, the fun part of it seemed more important. The depth of meaning of what Jesus did came later.

When we were children, there was a point where my parents decided that we would do our Easter Egg hunting on Saturday morning rather than Sunday morning, so that we could have fun on Saturday, then focus on the joyful significance of Easter on Sunday. My husband and I carried that tradition on with our own children. I remember going to sunrise services some Easter mornings, not every year, but several years. I remember wearing dressy cloths on Easter; a frilly dress, a nice Easter bonnet, white gloves, and white patent leather shoes. From Easter on the bright colorful spring cloths were what you were supposed to wear, no more dark colors of winter.

Being raised by a father that was an intellectual, I approached new things with some skepticism and researched almost everything that I was told about anything, including the reality of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on a cross for my/our sins. Being raised by a mother who accepted things easily by faith, I learned that there is a point where you have to put aside skepticism and by faith, believe in what is written in the Bible about what Jesus did for us on the cross. Then when I was old enough to think for myself, some very real spiritual things happened within me, it is hard to explain, I just knew that I knew that it was all true and real, and that God and I had a close relationship because of what Jesus had done on that cross…”The Old Rugged Cross”, do you remember that song? I’m going to try and write the words from memory, there may be a mistake or two, but here goes:

On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame,
and I love that old cross, where the dearest and best,
for a world of lost sinners was slain,
So I’ll cherish that old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down,
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it one day for a crown.How did I do? These are words with great meaning.

Since Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ” movie was produced, I try to watch it on Good Friday, I can’t bear watching the beatings, and have to turn away, but it impresses on me the reality of what was done.

But Easter Morning is a celebration, a celebration of the fact that Jesus conquered death, rose again, and because He did so, those who believe that He is who He said He is, and that He did what He said He did, can look forward to living forever with him and all those who have believed before. It can’t get any better than that.

Wishes for a wonderful weekend from our home to yours.