On the Easter Menu

Every Easter Sunday we have a traditional meal of Baked Ham (with a yummy brown sugar glaze), Butterhorns (these are FABULOUS homemade rolls), Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Corn, Peas, Jello Salad, and Coconut Cake for dessert. It is a meal that I look forward to every year. The morning is usually spent with a nice breakfast of pastries or cinnamon rolls, bacon or sausage, eggs, and orange juice. There are also the beautiful Easter baskets to raid--filled with colored eggs, chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, m&ms, malted milk balls, various wrapped chocolates, creme eggs, marshmallow peeps--the list seems to go on and on.

It is easy to get wrapped up in the trimmings of the Holiday. We celebrate with many harmless and fun pursuits; dyeing eggs vibrant blues and purples or pastel yellows and pinks, hiding and hunting those lovely eggs, watching fun Easter movies, thinking about bunnies and colored eggs and baby chicks. All of these things are good. However, me must not lose sight of the Reason we celebrate.

In our family, we try very hard to stress the reason we celebrate Easter. Christ lived. He led a perfect life. He suffered for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane so that we can repent and live with our Father in Heaven. He died on the cross--after he had completely finished the Atonement. And, the great miracle of the world, He overcame death and Resurrected. I don't know all that was involved in this. But, I have a testimony that he alone could accomplish this first. He overcame death so that we could, too. My heart is overfilled with gratitude for my Savior, who loved me enough to suffer for my sins. At times I feel so unworthy of this sacrifice, but I am SO grateful for it. One day, when I stand before the Savior (we all will!), I hope that I will have lived my life in such a way that I caused as little suffering for Him as possible.

I think that this Hymn conveys the true spirit of Easter:

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

I know that my Redeemer lives;
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever living Head.

He lives to bless me with His love,
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed,
He lives to help in time of need.

He lives to grant me rich supply,
He lives to guide me with His eye,
He lives to comfort me when faint,
He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears,
He lives to wipe away my tears
He lives to calm my troubled heart,
He lives all blessings to impart.

He lives, my kind, wise, heavenly Friend,
He lives and loves me to the end;
He lives, and while He lives, I’ll sing;
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death:
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives, all glory to His Name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives,
I know that my Redeemer lives!

Happy Easter and many blessings!