Preparing for Easter (My Favorite Holiday)

It almost times for my FAVORITE holiday, Easter. If you are new to my blog, go read these blogs HERE & HERE and you will find out fully why Easter is my favorite holiday. I plan to be enjoying services at my church. They are having Good Friday & Easter productions this year. If you would like to watch both or either click this Link on Friday, April 3 at 7:30 pm or Sunday morning at 9:00 am. I hope you will enjoy it. I've been told we will be blessed.

Fun Fact about Me: Yes, that is me as a little girl with Deacon Easter Bunny after an annual Easter program. My Foundation church was a Baptist church that didn't shy away from adding a few Secular symbols to all holidays. If you noticed beside us are some palm branches also. There was probably a cross and a tomb behind us also because of the play that performed earlier. So, you can partially blame them for some of my quirky ways of celebrating Easter.

I have added more facets to my Lenten observances, this year. I grew up Baptist so, I didn't grow up observing Lent. Oh, what is Lent? Here is a definition here on Wikipedia. I didn't start until my second year in college. I shared a suite with two students that were Catholic. One day in their warning me about their increase in eating tuna they explained to me what was Lent.

Well, that year I decided just to sacrifice my vice at that time, Little Debbie Zebra Cakes. Over the years, I studied and incorporated more facets of Lent to my observances. A few years ago, I began going meatless on Ash Wednesday and every Friday leading to Easter. This year, I sacrificed two things this year, Soda & Candy.

I've sacrificed them both at different times but never both at the same time. I have to say my desires for them are lessening for them. Maybe these soda & candy devils will get the behind me for good. But my biggest incorporation this year was in my morning devotionals.

This year, I've been doing very well reading a morning devotion. During Lent, I decided to dedicate my reading solely to this season. The Lenten devotionals were very educational for me. I being a believer that believes the whole Bible (Old & New Testament) is the infallible word of God, loves when Biblical readings bridge both testaments. Most of the Lenten readings linked scripture from the Old to the New. Ok, for example, an easy one God provided a lamb for Abraham instead of him sacrificing his son, Isaac like God had previously asked him to. (Genesis 2:2-18) This incident is one of anticipation of God's sacrifice of his only son, Jesus Christ, on the cross at Calvary, for the world's sin. God's great love required of himself what he did not demand of Abraham. My Lenten readings were like that. I loved them.

Fun Fact about Me: When I was in elementary school, I thought (no one told me) Good Friday was a Baptist holiday that we took the day off to celebrate. Can you imagine my feelings when I learned the truth that my mother just didn't send us to school on that day because she was off? (The truancy laws were Not stringent when I was a kid so taking a personal day was common.)  

Also, this week, which is called Holy Week in the Christian religion, I am reading scriptures & listening to prayers that reference the days that guide us on the path Jesus took to the cross and in the morning he rose. Very simple prayers that acknowledge and thank our God for all that he went through on our behalf. Because God did not have to do it. But he did and he is due all manner of adoration for it.

Some time ago I told the Lord I needed a way for him to pour into me in new ways. God really showed out with this devotional. I am happy to add it to my life.

So, what do you do to "spiritually" prepare yourself for Easter? Observe Lent? Observe Holy Week? Other ways? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Easter to you all.
Remember Christ rose for us so, we should always rise for him

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY

Easter is my favorite holiday. Most people like Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. Easter is the holiday I love.

As a kid, it meant getting Two pretty dresses (I am still a fan of pastel colors), new shoes & a different hairstyle to be in front of the congregation to say my Easter speech.

I only went to one Easter egg hunt in my life and it was Not as fun as having Breakfast with Easter Bunny at Joske's (now Dillard's)(anyone remembers Joske's, LoL) for 7 years straight. It was just a busy time event for my mom to take my older sister and me to so she could get our outfits out of layaway when the store opened. It was a basic breakfast buffet, a kiddie activity and pictures with Easter Bunny but, in my, Under 9-year-old mind, it was so much fun. Getting tickled at the simple things that excited me back then. And it was a candy eating time for my cousin and me. We didn't get a lot of chance to eat candy at home, Just holidays. Dying eggs was fun also.

Oh yes, I have wonderful memories of Easter. But they pale in comparison to the Real Reason for the day. JESUS was born and wrapped in Rags, Just to Die but Get Back Up for the Salvation of Us, a bunch of Filthy Rags. We don't give gifts, have parades, or watch a bowl games. We just have a simple celebration about the Greatest Act of Kindness Anyone could do. It's so cliche' to say BUT Jesus didn't have to do any of it. Get arrested, be beaten, died, went to hell, preached a revival, set the captives free, and got back up with ALL power in his hands. Nobody but Jesus would do all of that for us. Anybody deserves a parade & gifts is him. All he wants is our hearts but deserves our ALL. I love him for all he did for me but Saving Me is the best thing he ever did. From Warm Childhood memories, before I knew to Thankful Reasons after I knew, Easter will Always be my Favorite Holiday.