The Story of Easter

We have heard the story about the adorable little rabbit hopping down the bunny trail delivering baskets full of chocolate bunnies, marshmallow Peeps and colored eggs.  That's a wonderful story too, but the one I am talking about is "THE" STORY OF EASTER.

I grew up with a wonderful memory of Easter with all the trimmings for children. Dying the eggs was always a ton of fun! How we all loved dipping all those eggs into all those colors making them brighter and brighter with each dip! I loved the smell of the vinegar and color tablets!

  Awaking to a huge basket of goodies was so exciting. We even found bunny prints on the front porch and on our cheeks where the bunny must have stopped to give us a bunny kiss before he hopped to the next house! Easter egg hunts at my Granny's house underneath the big oak tree, among the wild violets ,was probably the most memorable. 

We always dressed in our best cloths for Easter church service.  Many times Granny would make our dresses and some times we'd have store bought.  But we always looked our best.  White gloves, white hats, black patent shoes with lacy socks ...the whole package.

        

Allen Easter egg hunting 1984

I passed the same traditions on to my son and they enjoyed the same egg hunts under the oak tree and bunny visits and Easter baskets.  I always made sure the Easter Bunny gave Allen a rabbit of some kind .  I still have MANY of those bunny's at home! 

Easter1984

I remember one Easter morning and we were getting ready to go to church.  Mother had gotten Allen brand new black shiny shoes to wear.  I helped him slide them on his feet and he jumped to the floor to try them out 

Allen in his JESUS shoes 1985

"Look mommy!  These are Jesus shoes!"  same day during the service,the music was softly playing and he leaned over to me and said" Shhh...I hear Jesus!" Such wonderful memories!

Even though we enjoyed the kid side of Easter tremendously, we were always taught what the true meaning of Easter was. In fact me and my sister Lisa were both baptized on Easter 

Sunday when I was 9 years old. 

( that would be 39 years ago, wow, where has the time gone?)


The TRUE story of Easter is far more important than that silly old rabbit.
Jesus died on the cross for you and I. So that we can live an eternal life!
 This is where the REAL story begins!

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THE STORY OF EASTER

Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 

Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them,
 “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the
 linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

 (John 20:1-29, NKJV)

"Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” 

(Acts 1: 9-11)