A few reasons of why we love Easter

On Friday night we attended our local community cantata service. The service was was non-denominational, held at the local Lutheran church and the choir represented all five of our local churches. The cantata was our Good Friday service and told the last days of Jesus’s life through his death. The church was packed with local community members from all walks of life. The words to “Were You There?” were projected onto on screen which we all sang as the the choir walked through the aisle to the front of the church. I teared up and tried to keep singing. 

Good Friday is one of those important church services to me that I need every year as a reminder of what my faith means to me but this service also was my reminder of what my community means to me. The choir had volunteered to do this cantata, practicing at the school on Sunday afternoons for the past month. They were from all walks of life but I knew every one of them. Many of them were gray haired and some younger aged. They are our neighbors, our local business owners, farmers, waitresses, daycare providers, teachers, grain elevator operators, nurses, bank tellers, opticians and most importantly our friends. So my tears were first for the words of “Were you there when they crucified my Lord…Were you there when they nailed him to the tree…sometimes it cause me to tremble, tremble, tremble…” but then my tears were for my gratefulness for my family and this prairie community.

Unfortunately, Miss E came down with nasty stomach flu on Saturday. 

So far…we are holding our breath while spraying Lysol and wiping everything down with Clorox wipes (and chewing on our toes) No one else has gotten the icky bug…yet.

But this morning E was back and recovered enough to sit quietly in church to listen to both her daddy and brother play for Easter church. We had a fabulous celebration service, full of music including Nathan on trombone playing “Jesus Christ is Risen Today” and Hunter on piano playing “Lord I Lift Your Name on High”. 

Last night as I was attempting to explain the true meaning of Easter and why we would celebrate at church to Miss E, she said “Oh yeah and then the Easter Bunny comes to church!” The Easter Bunny didn’t come to church. 

But Auntie Lori and Daddy did arrange for the Easter Bunny to stop by Nana and Grandpa Eldon’s house while we were at church to leave behind some goodies.

Anika got in on the Easter Bunny action and loved her first basket.

The Easter Bunny brought a bike and helmet for Elissa.

Hunter ate as much candy as he could as fast as he could.

Kirsti and Mike live 80 miles from us and made the trip to spend Easter with us. With their pending nuptials, Kirsti has decided to really dig in and learn to cook. We benefited from her baking today including Grandma Nola’s recipe of hot cross buns. (But we missed Gma Nola and all of my family that was not with us.)

For dessert, Kirsti baked a lemon white chocolate cheesecake. It was y-u-m-m-y.

We pulled off an Easter feast.

While we feasted I was reminded again of our friends in the cantata on Friday night, our family seated around our table as we feasted and the deep faith we share. All reasons we love Easter.

Easter–it is our reasons to celebrate life and be filled with renewed hope.