I love Easter! I love holidays in general, but Easter is one of my fav's. It holds so much meaning. Alot like Christmas. I bawl at the Easter songs, dramas and I've done the whole sign, praise dancer thing (is that term a "no no"?), but usually end up crying through the whole performance and embarrassing the whole team. I love how families come together (they come out of the woodwork!), dressed in their finest, bright spring colors, looking all spiffy! It's a cheerful time. And it should be! Jesus died and rose from the dead! It's a celebration!
About 4 years ago, I got involved with our church's kids ministry. I never knew where the journey or road would take me. I filled in for my sister one night and have been filling in ever since. I happened to find my calling. Children. I love children. They are perfect. Their innocence and faith move me to be a better Christian. And so, 4 years ago, another Sunday School teacher and myself decided to have a neighborhood Easter egg hunt the Saturday of Easter weekend. We thought it would be a good outreach for our church and kids ministry. We whipped it together in 1 month and easily raised our budget. We thought we were so prepared. Wrong! It was a HUGE, chaotic mess. A HUGE, chaotic mess that set the stage for our church's biggest yearly outreach event. Who knew anything good could come out of a circus, right? Well, it did. We hadn't even promoted it very much. Paper, pastel colored fliers was all we did. And they came...by the dozens, and the hundreds. And so "Easter in the Park" was birthed. Every year it has grown and become more of a success. We host a community wide Easter egg hunt for low income families, offering grand prizes for the "golden egg". Our kids ministry community bus route was birthed from Easter in the Park. Our spanish congregation was birthed from Easter in the Park. Jumpers, face painting, raffles, giveaways, even the Easter bunny makes appearances every year. Like I said, I love Easter!
No, it's not about egg hunts, Easter bunnies, baskets or a new outfit. It's not even about all of the dramas and reinactments of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. It's a time to focus on the real reason Jesus carried that wooden cross to Galgotha, shedding his precious blood for our sins. Our redemption. Our salvation. And what better way to celebrate than to tell others about this wonderful gift. That's why He paid the price, isn't it? And so another year, I'm excited to walk into that park, meet precious faces searching for something and share this precious message with them. My Jesus died just for you!
Happy Easter everyone! Share the message. The message of Jesus Christ!
