Easter Giveaway & Blogging Break :-)
Published April 18, 2011If you took part in the Facebook fun of my Spring Cleaning Week of giveaways, hop over to my page to see the winners announced. If you aren’t my FB friend, I’d love for you to be! Just click on the FB icon in my sidebar and send me a friend request!
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Hey bloggy sisters~
I’m posting today, offering an Easter giveaway and then I’m going to take a much-needed blogging break to focus on Holy Week with my family.
I want to slow down and savor the moments. I wasn’t sure if I’d have anyone who wanted to color eggs, but I do have one taker. (Thought I was going to need to grab some neighborhood kids!)
I can’t wait for our church’s resurrection celebration. We are trusting many hear about a new life with Jesus, because of the cross.
When we first began attending this church last spring, attendance was around 350. In one year, we’ve witnessed literally dozens of people decide to follow Christ and be baptized.
Homemakers, skeptical husbands, a woman who was a drug dealer, men addicted to pornography, indifferent middle-agers, sweet grandmas and searching teens. Now we are running over 700 each week and anticipate over 1,000 for Easter since that is how many we had at Christmas!!!
As our lead teaching pastor said yesterday, it is NEVER to be about the numbers but about the fact that many will hear about Jesus, the cross and the resurrection and as a result, lives will be changed for eternity! And what a humbling thought that God uses us as He changes lives—ours included!
And of course, I can’t forget my extended family get-together with all the aunts, uncles and cousins where my mom hosts her annual egg-hunt, now turned trivia contest with other whacky games for the teens that are excuses for her to love on her grandkids and load them up with candy!
Yes, I love Easter week.
I have been blessed with a man who is intentional in creatively teaching his kids about God. We’ve had M & M races, a lesson on the persecuted church given on a cold, hard cement floor in the dark by flashlight, & much more.
This week, our yard sports a large, wooden cross.
Passersby will see a sign change each day announcing just what happened on that particular day of Holy Week. From Palm Sunday (Jesus enters Jerusalem) to Maundy Thursday (Jesus shares the last supper with his 12 closest friends) to the darkness of Good Friday, the silence of Saturday & the glory of Resurrection Sunday.
The signs not only change, but a cloth draping the shoulders of the cross goes from red to black to royal purple. And spot-lights illuminate the scene at night.
I pray you too are being intentional to focus on the glorious unfolding of Holy Week. Don’t take it for granted! Read the accounts in the gospels. Thank God for His wonderful plan!
Now, as an Easter gift to one of you, this week I’ll be giving away the following to one gal who comments:
~ An NIV thinline compact Bible. No better Easter gift than God’s word!!! It is a great, portable size for your purse or car. (pictured out of the box for you to see the color)
~ Some bags of chocolate-hazelnut & Raspberry white tea (all decaf) for you to enjoy hot or cold while you read your new Bible!
~ A fresh linen candle. Because Jesus’ blood makes us clean!
~ A dark chocolate-sea salt bar. (Hey….there is sea salt in the Holy Land, right?)
Okay—so leave us a comment letting us know your favorite Easter memory.
Mine is when our kids were small and we made a paper-mache’ “tomb” scene complete with three crosses. They would use an action-figure guy to be Jesus, wrap him in strips of white cloth, place him in the tomb and voila’—-He wasn’t there on Sunday morning….but their Easter baskets were!
What is your favorite Easter memory from adulthood or childhood?
121 Responses to Easter Giveaway & Blogging Break :-)
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The Easter I remember best was when I was a young teen. I was the oldest of 4, so my siblings were still believing in the Easter Bunny. (this was before we became believers) To help my brothers & sisters still believe in the Easter Bunny, my dad went out early Easter morning & got one of our pet rabbits out….he had it walk thru the snow up by the house, so that when we got up, we saw the rabbits footprints in the snow. I remember how my siblings were sure there was an Easter bunny then.
The other memory I have is our first Easter at the church we now attend. Everyone greeted each other on Easter morning with “HE IS RISEN”. The person they were speaking to would reply “HE IS RISEN INDEED!”
Sunrise service outside watching the sun come up – realizing anew the Son rising again made my life complete and whole.
One of my favorite memories of Easter morning was with my Grandparents. As a child we would travel to visit with my grandparents on the holidays. For Easter, the Easter bunny would come and then we would get dressed in our finest attire and walk next door to church. It always meant so much to my grandparents to “show off” their grandchildren to all their friends. After church, we would have dinner ready (my grandmother would have everything precooked and would have it warming in the oven while we were at church). It was so special because it was family.
My childhood memories of Easter were being excited about getting new shoes,socks& outfit. Now as a believer my favorite memory is attending my first sunrise service. He is risen indeed!!
Just being with family. My extended family is large and we would all get together and eat and fellowship after Chruch With 8 grandkids, there was so much fun to be had. We have grown even larger with spouses and children, so we rearely get together all at once anymore, but those memories of Easter’s together I will cherish, and I pray I can find awesome traditions for my own little family this time of year.
When I was growing up I would always receive a new Bible in my Easter basket. I looked forward to that every year.
Sunrise church service is definitely a favorite memory from childhood – although I remember not liking the getting up early part. Seeing everyone dressed up in their easter finery! And of course the easter egg hunt. Trying to introduce some new traditions with my kids with the resurrection eggs and resurrection rolls. We always enjoy my husbands homemade cinnamon rolls that morning – a tradition from his family. Thanks for the reminder to focus on the importance of this week. Love the cross in the yard idea – please post pictures!
Finding our hidden Easter baskets. They weren’t fancy, just filled with a little candy & grass : ) Even when we were in our teens, my dad would put some candy in bowls and hide them for us, in the craziest places.
Sunrise service when I was growing up. Services began when it was still dark and right at the end of the service the sun was rising and shining through the stained glass windows. Today sunrise services don’t start until after the sun rises and some churches don’t even have one. I miss the early service.
My favorite Easter memories are of Easter Sunrise services. I loved getting up early, going out on a hill (my favorite was a bluff overlooking a river) and watching the sun rise and realizing the comparison to the Son of God rising from the dead. We also had a skit performed one year. As we walked toward our services spot, people from our church dressed in Biblical costume went rushing by us whispering, “Have you heard, He is gone” and other phrases to build the excitement of the resurection. My description cannot do it justice but it was a wonderful experience. Then back to church for breakfast and fellowship before going home to get dressed up in our new Easter dresses for the Sunday worship service.
My favorite Easter memories are when I would have Easter egg hunts with my kids. We have a huge yard and I would get very creative where I hid them. Also the outdoor fun we would have after Easter lunch (but that only happened when the weather was nice). Also all the great church services I have attended on Easter morning.
Karen I hope you and your family have a blessed Easter.
I think my favorite Easter memory is when I was a kid and my dad and I would go to sunrise service together. We’d go home and look for our Easter basket and gifts, then all four of us would go back to church, then off to my grandmother’s church to worship with them before Easter lunch. We always sang “Up From the Grave He Arose” at all three services, and I remember singing that while sharing the hymnal with my dad.
Receiving a palm branch on Palm Sunday and putting it in water to last the week as we celebrated Easter all week long.
I would have to say that my favorite Easter memory is going into labor Easter morning while getting ready for church. Our first daughter was born Easter Sunday 2007. Such a blessing!
As a child it was getting together with all the extended family. As a parent it is watching the excitement of my son get excited about his basket and activities with family and church. I also enjoy seeing him learn new things. (The thing he learned this year is that Annie Armstrong is not a laundry detergent or the “sea-salt” that you put on the sidewalk when it gets cold outside-no clue where those came from) I think this year a great memory will be watching him prepare to teach his part of childrens church. they are letting the kids that have been there forever take an egg or two teach of the resurrection eggs. As an adult it is quieting my soul to see something new the Lord is molding me into.
Easter memories as a child are always getting a pretty new dress, going to the sunrise service, I loved watching the sunrise and singing the hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” !!!!! as seeing a huge white cross made of Easter lilies grace the altar, it always kept my eyes focused on the cross.
My favorite 2 memories are really old ones, they are newer. A couple years ago it was my first sunrise Easter morning service. IT was amazing to see and feel the closeness to Jesus. The second memory is from last year when my 2 older children took part in the Living Stations of the Cross at church and watching them go through the motions and take part grew me closer to the Lord myself, seeing them be so close. They said it was amazing for them to experience! This year I’m sure, will be the best yet, since they are both partaking again and my oldest has the privilege of playing the role of Jesus our Savior. I pray it will draw him even closer to our Lord. Thank you for sharing all of your thoughts and family experiences! May we all have a truly blessed Holy Week and all grow closer to Jesus.
My favorite Easter memory was the year that both of our extended families agreed to come to our house for Easter – something that was not likely to happen. We were so thankful to have them in one place where the miracle of the empty tomb and the gift of salvation was presented.
I was the oldest of four children, and we were poor growing up. But somehow, EVERY Easter we all got new clothes for Easter. My two sisters and I got new dresses that matched, and my little brother got new threads too! My mother would always roll us girl’s hair with hot rollers. We would take a quick picture, and then off to my Granny’s church we went! My Granny would be so proud, because once the 6 of us came in, her pew was full!!
22 years ago on Easter morning my oldest daughter was born. What a wonderful gift from the Lord!
one favourite Easter memory was when I was visiting with friends in Kenya. We rose at 5.30, in the cold, and journeyed down to Lake Nakuru for a sunrise service:. The backdrop of flamingoes was spectacular but what really made it so memorable was a diverse group of missionaries, Kenyans and expats all singing Up from the grave He arose, with incredible fervency.
My favorite memory was getting a new dress to wear on Easter Sunday! We always got so dressed up for church!
I love going to church on Easter Sunday and fellowshipping with other believers at the potluck after service!!
One of my most favorite memories of Easter is when I was growing up. We were always told the real meaning of Christian Holidays but my parents would also celebrate some of the “traditional” aspects with us too. For Easter, Mom would make us an Easter Bunny Cake that has become a family tradition that both my brother and. I have begun with our own families. My Mom still makes a small one for herself and Dad every year.
I am have so many memories from Easter. As a family, even with 5 little ones, we make it a point to attend Sunrise service every year. I want our kids to start off the day with their focus on our risen Savior and Lord. We always have a large gathering of extended family. This will be the first Easter without my Grandma. She has left such a spiritual legacy for this family. She loved the Lord with all her heart and is spending this Easter in heaven with the Lord. I can’t wait to see her again.
Easter growing up was always a new dress, shoes and a hat for my sisters and I, a new suit for my brother, Easter baskets, church, then an awesome ham dinner at Ma and Papas house(my grandparents) Papa would also buy all his daughters and Ma of course, each their own bouquet of Easter lilies.
Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!!!
Thank you Lord for the promise of Easter
Growing up in a communist country, celebrating Easter was not a popular or common thing. One of my most cherished memories is going to the sunrise prayer service on Easter Sunday with my grandparents. And the white lilies my grandma always bought to decorate the church.
When I first completely understood what Resurrection Sunday stood for. That Christ who had died for my sins had risen from the dead and is preparing a home for me in Heaven. Praise God for His love and mercy towards us!
My favorite Easter memory is going to Sears Roebuck with my nana and buying shiny new red shoes with a white and navy coat. of course gloves, a hat, and a little purse completed the outfit. Then i got to watch her get ready for church and together, on a sunny day we walked to Church all dressed up and i felt like a princess. I remember looking at all the people all dressed up for such a blessed occasion and thinking WOW . I felt so special to be surrounded by so many people singing Hosanna! wooh – just thinking about this again gives me goosebumps. thanks for helping me bring back a very special memory.
I remember waking up early to find Easter baskets, then getting dressed up and going to church. New dresses, new bonnets, and my dad. Dad worked nights, mostly, and almost never came to church, but he was there on Easter Sundays. That was the best part for me.
I can remember getting dressed up in a pretty dress with fancy shoes, frilly socks and a hat, having an Easter egg hunt while my mom cooked breakfast and then our family posing for a family picture before heading out to church to hear the wonderful story of death and resurrection. Then, we’d spend the day with my Nana and Grandpa. I’m trying to pass these traditions on to my kids so they will have great memories to look back on.
Going to church on Resurrection Sunday and worshipping with fellow believers and friends…then the Easter Egg Hunts with the kids…then grandkids…hiding the plastic eggs in more difficult places each year as the kids grew…”you’re getting hotter…getting colder”…so many laughs and good fun…
My favorite memory is from last year when my then 15 month old niece and 28 month old nephew came to my house for their very first Easter Egg Hunt. I had filled plastic eggs with Smarties, gummy snacks, and dollar bills. My husband found Smarties in the yard for weeks after that
Then next few times my little ones visited after that Easter Sunday they would race to the backyard as soon as they got out of their carseats…..when we would ask where they were going, they would respond “To find eggs!” How exciting the Resurrection Celebration is on Easter Sunday….if we could just hang on to that same excitement week after week….like my little niece and nephew!
My favorite memories of Easter aren’t just of that day but of the whole Easter season leading up to that day. It was so special when I was little because it was so planned for. From having a new outfit (which was a must) from head to toe, to buying the Easter egg dying kit. Whether Mama made the matching dresses for my sister and I or they were bought along with everything else, it was a reminder that everything was new the day of Christs resurrection.
What wonderful blessing your church has experience this year. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Hugs…Tracy
cottonpickincute(at)hotmail(dot)com
my favorite Easter memory is the one I’m creating now with my 5yo daughter. We are doing our Resurrection Easter Eggs that tell the Easter story. When I ask her what she wants me to read to her, she tells me “The First Easter Story” that is on my Kindle. She gets the meaning of Easter that it isn’t all about the bunny & candy. She knows that Jesus died for our sins & rose from the dead on the third day. So I was thinking of putting a big kids’ bible in her basket. Not the storybook kind (we have those already) but a grown up kids bible. I believe she is ready (even though I will have to read it to her).
nicolepipkin{AT}gmail{DOT}com
I was 10 when we first started attending church… we had an Easter sunrise service at 6am to celebrate the resurrection. I remember getting goosebumps, thinking about how Mary must have felt at the empty tomb…… Jesus IS risen!
My favorite easter memory was teaching the sunday school kids the ressurection story through using an empty plastic egg. Then having a fun easter egg hunt after sunday school (with snow on the ground sometimes).
Favorite Easter memories.
Dying Easter Eggs.
The early morning egg hunt for my kids that they would do in their pajamas.
Dressing in our new Easter clothes.
The cross craft projects they would make in Sunday school. I’ve kept them all, and put them out at Easter every year.
What a great blog entry – thank you – I’m going to try to recreate a Last Supper for our family and read those Scriptures this Thursday. You’ve inspired me.
One of my favorite Easter memories is of my three younger brothers and I all dressed up in matching outfits that my grandmother lovingly sewed for us to wear. I felt like a princess wearing her gorgeous dresses. Now I look back and have a different perspective as I realize I AM a princess since I’m a daughter of the King. Precious memories!
My favorite Easter memory is getting all dressed up for Easter Sunday church in my dress, white socks, white hat and white patent leather shoes. I always got to carry a small purse that day to church and I thought I was all grown up!
Mine would be when my brother & I were little, the Easter bunny would hide our Easter baskets and we would wake up Easter morning ready for out search adventure! My kids now do the same! I love it!
My memories are old, getting a new dress and new shoes for Easter Sunday. Always a large basket of goodies, with a large chocolate bunny.
We didn’t have much when I was younger, but my mom worked harder to make sure we had our easter baskets, new ones every year. We would then go to church and started the easter hunt!
those were the days!
May you and yours have the most blessed Easter yet!
My favorite Easter was last year. Yes, it was my daughter’s first Easter. She was only 3 1/2 months old, and I just was so thankful that I get to teach her about the Resurrection of our Lord! The excitement of Easter I can hardly stand! From the church breakfast, to worship service and then dinner with family, it is wonderful!! May you have a blessed Easter!
My favorite Easter memories are how my Mom always got my brother and me a new outfit, down to little white gloves for me. And, going to my Grandmother’s house on the Saturday before Easter for supper….oh, how I wish she was still able to cook Easter and Christmas suppers for us. She will turn 100 years old this year!!! Thanks for letting me enter your precious give-a-way! HOPE you and your family have a blessed Easter!
My favorite Easter memory was the year I attended Sunrise Services on the beach in Alameda, CA. It was dark when we got there but as we sang and worshipped the Lord the sun rose and illuminated our day.
Another favorite is from when I still attended the Catholic Church. Every year we went to the Midnight Mass and the priest would light the Easter candle from a spark using a rock and flint. From the Easter candle (which represented Christ) we would spread the flame from candle to candle to everyone at the service. From one little flame the entire church was lit up. That has always been a powerful example to me of why we must witness to others every day.
Hmmm, both my favorite memories involve light.
Dying Easter Eggs….and wearing that brand new Easter Dress and Bonnett and gloves….
Enjoy your much deserved time of Rest……….take him the Holy Spirit…be blessed.
Wow Karen, I LOVE your cross and sign idea! What an amazing testimony to your faith!
My favorite Easter memory happened just last year. My husband was celebrating our second Easter as minister at our current church and to bring the Easter story to life a group of us made a life size paper-mache (sp ?) tomb out of the entrace to our church so everyone walked through the tomb. Just inside we had a bench with a pile of cloth and a crown of thorns to show that Jesus wasn’t there. It really brought the story to life for me.
Lunch at grandma’s after church – there was ALWAYS an angelfood cake with glaze and Peeps stuck all around it, green grass and jelly beans on the plate!
My favorite memory which is also a tradition for our family is going to Church to celebrate the resurrection of our LORD. Then afterwards getting together with family for dinner and a time of fellowship.
My favorite Easter memory! There truly are many. My husband and I Have 9 children, 6 of which we adopted with special needs. This account is of our first Easter together, their ages were from 2 to 13 (6 of them being 2-7) Dyeing eggs was fun!! The children were as colorful as the eggs. Most all of them were cracked. Lol they were so proud of them!!! Easter morning started with Sunrise service. So beautiful out in a field!!! Back home for bunny pancakes. Then came the Easter egg hunt in our back yard. The children liked that so much that they rebid the eggs all day!!!
We spent the day celebrating our living Jesus with songs, stories from kiddie books and the Bible.
Our table for the dinner meal was overflowing!! I loved it!
ONE of my favorite memories may sound a little strange, but it occurred the Easter after my dear father died. A faithful attendee of sunrise service on Easter morn, I went to the cemetery where I looked out over the graves and as the sun rose, my heart was filled with such excitement because I knew, really knew the hope of glory. One day, I will meet my father as I go to my Father who loved me so much He prepared a place for me and made the provision for me to be with Him one day. Five years later, that hope filled my heart again as I buried my tiny son. One day I will see him again. What joy! What hope! Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Thanks, Karen, I can’t think of a favorite Easter memory, but I am grateful for your encouraging words and ideas to celebrate with the true meaning of the season in mind. This is the most wonderful holiday for us to gratefully engage with all our heart, soul and mind in gratitude for what he has done. I have purposed to continue to seek more understanding and wisdom on the depth of the cost of His great gift to us…..not sure I will attain that on earth, but it makes me more grateful.
Thanks for your generousity in this giveaway. I hope you enjoy the week of reserrection celebration. Blessings to you and your family.
My favorite Easter memory is when I was little and my mom would put out Easter baskets for my brother and for me to find…she would hide them somewhere in the house…I also remember us coloring eggs (this was in the early /mid 60′s) and decorating them. I also have a few pictures of me and my little brother all dressed up for Easter service at church, when we were kids…..I need to find those and put them on my Facebook page this week!
Celebrating at Easter lunch with family
My favorite Easter memory is celebrating and singing praises at a Sunrise service. The sun was just coming up ane air was crisp and clean. Many gathered together to sing praises outside that early morning and celebrate the gift of life.
I know it’s not a super Christian type memory, but I absolutely loved seeing all the ladies wearing their Sunday best, including hats and gloves and couldn’t wait until I was old enough to dress like them too!!
I have so many wonderful memories, especially with the kids. But the one I want to share goes back just a few years. My husband is a pastor in the mountains of NC. The church we were pastoring at the time was built on the crest of a ridge. The cemetery was all along a sloping hillside. We held the sunrise service in the cemetery! Watching the sun rise on that glorious Easter morning, surrounded by loved ones who had gone on before was simply amazing. You couldn’t help but think about…”in the twinkling of an eye…” This was a powerful moment for all of us.
Every year my mom, my two sisters, and I searched for the perfect Easter dresses. I can remember “bustin’” out the white hats and new white shoes paired with white ruffled socks folded down just so. If we were lucky, a little white pocketbook to match! After a Saturday night of dyeing eggs, putting out our Easter baskets, and waking to mom’s cookin’ and a basket of goodies, we were off to church. Afterwards, my dad would set up the camera in the front yard, tripod and all, for our ritual family Easter pic. Traditional Easter with my family. But my MOST memorable Easter was when my dad thought he would surprise us, and he came home dressed like the Easter bunny!!! I am about 4 or 5, and I am sitting in our den, indian style watching TV while mom is in the kitchen cooking. We have double glass french doors, and up walks the Easter bunny (but dressed in a suit!) I screamed and screamed! I was partly afraid, but also knew we didn’t have our baskets out yet. It frightened me so much that I never would visit the Easter bunny at the mall again, and he still gives me the willy jillies!
I have so many memories-church egg hunts, finding easter eggs and baskets in our house, coloring eggs, getting dressed up and wearing a fancy white straw easter hat and white gloves!
Just this a.m. on the way to school, I reminded my twin teens of how we would re-enact Jesus (my three munchkins) riding on the donkey (me) while two of the three would wave the palm branches and sing “Hosanna”. How easy they were to entertain! We did as many symbolic activities as we could find. We still do the jelly bean poem. In fact I need to get my Easter tote out and see what I can apply to my teens. I’m so glad we have tons of footage of their egg hunts in the backyard. We usually did it at least threee times. And then we pooled all the eggs and divided them equally so there would be no tears because they we so competitive. Maybe I can do something “teen-age” with the resurrection eggs and bake Leanne’s resurrection rolls.
A blessed Easter to everyone–Jane
My memories are of dressing up with new clothes and shoes, with hats and a basketfull of goodies. Especially the sunrise services at our church
The church I attended while growing up gave all members a white wooden cross that says “He Is Risen” and every year at Easter, we put it out in the yard. We still do. And I would love to drive around our small town and see all of the identical crosses in many front yards.
So many wonderful Easter week memorys with our sons and church family..yet one in particular stands out even more….the very last church service I had with my late husband. It was Easter week 2003 and Jim had been very sick that year from his Manic Depression…in & out of hospitals and repeated Suicide attempts. As spring blossomed …his disease worsened even more. Yet on that weekend he was present with me at church…raising his hands in worship as I joined in with our praise team up on the stage. AS I sang I watched his facial expressions, knowing THIS was very well the last time I would see his love for Jesus expressed. Those moments froze in my mind to be used as I grieved in sorrow for him later within 2 weeks..He was gone. He completed suicide on April 28th, 2003…and THAT Holy Week was a comfort for me during many dark nights of my soul as a widow. Jim’s mind was sick yet now he is well! That disease took his mind but Jesus always had his soul..he proved it on Resurrection Sunday. Praise God….I am grateful!
Without Jesus….without Salvation….we all could be lost.
Death has lost its sting…
Take me to that cross.
Death can not destroy me.
My favorite memory is every Easter morning growing up my entire family would all climb a hill in the dark of dawn for a real “Sunrise Service” somtimes it rained, and sometimes the sun shone but we were always there. Great memories!
My favorite memory is having a gigantic Easter egg hunt at my childhood church. They hid hundreds of the eggs both outside and inside the building and we spent a good twenty minutes looking for them all. This happened after our traditional Easter pot-luck as well.
My favorite Easter memory is from 2005 when I was confirmed in the Church. We went to Easter Vigil and my mother and father-in-law drove down to go to the Mass with us. Receiving Jesus for the first time in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist was more than wonderful.
I am blessed to repeat my favorite Easter memory each year – we have an all church potluck at our home. It is a fun and special time of fellowship with the dear people we worship with all year.
My mom would always make sure us girls had new dresses and white sandals. She usually made the dresses. I can’t remember any one particular memory but mom always tried to make it special with Easter baskets of goodies and new dresses. But God was always the focus of Easter!
My favorite Easter memory is a tradition I do with my boys. We go through the ‘reserrection eggs’ and make empty tombs, which are edible.
When I was a kid at Easter breakfast before church my brothers would always see how many eggs they could eat for breakfast! Then we’d get dressed up to go to Church. I loved that I had little white gloves and a little hat. Today I love to leave Easter baskets outside my kids door (yes teenagers love Easter Baskets too).
My favorite Easter memory is when my Dad used to hide my Easter basket every year. He would make an audio tape directing me around the house (and Mom and Dad would play “hot” and “cold” with me, leading me all over, until I’dfinally find it), and one year he got a little TOO creative. He led me all over the house and outside the front door. He had me looking behind bushes in our front yard, and even around the side of the house before his voice in the tape told me to turn around in the driveway so I was facing the street, take 10 steps forward, and then “keep on going because you were a bad girl this year and there’s no Easter basket for you!” Well, my poor little 9 year old heart was traumatized until I turned around and saw Dad laughing. Mom, on the other hand, was not laughing. She hadn’t heard the tape and was not amused at all. She was very worried I’d be scarred for life by that tape, but once I realized it was Dad kidding, I was fine (he is a huge practical joker). Now I think it is hilarious….although I would NOT do that to a child of mine.
I also loved the Easter where my grandmother got me my Easter basket…she was always so “creative” with what she put in it. This particular year, there were two gems. First, the basket was lined with Easter-themed underwear from KMart (her favorite store; she tried to make it look like it was a fabric lining in the basket, but alas….it was UNDERWEAR in my basket). Even better, she included a cute little pair of gold bunny earrings. When I showed them to my Dad, he was pretty upset. I asked him way and he told me they were “grown-up bunnies” and I couldn’t wear the earrings until I was much older – turns out they were Playboy bunny earrings and my poor Nana had NO idea that’s what they were. She was mortified. It was pretty funny, looking back.
My favorite Easter Memory is visiting my maternal grandmother and grandfather. They always knew how to make a little girl feel at home and welcome, especially when my grandfather would pin the special Easter lily he bought just for me to my new Easter dress. Then it was off to church to show off my flower and to see how much candy I could stuff in my matching purse.
I remember one Easter when I was a teen the youth group did a modern interpretive dance for morning service. While the name of the song slips me, I do recollect that it was an awesome worship and rejoicing song, that started with Jesus’ death and moved to the Resurrection. The reason I remember it so much is because we had all decided we would wear jeans and t-shirts and go barefoot to symbolize new life, and my mother had a fit that we were going to be dressing like that in church! We reassured her that it was only for the dance and that we would change right back into our Easter finery as soon as we were done. It was an awesome experience and the congregation really enjoyed the efforts we teens put forth to help express the joy of the empty tomb on Easter morning. That Easter had a special significance for me for many, many years.
My favorite Easter memory happened 11 years ago. My son ( and my family ) received the greatest gift one Good Friday.. My son was 10 and had undergone some serious surgery on his leg to correct a birth defect. There were complications, and we were told that he may lose the use of his leg. I was pretty new ( 5 years old) in my faith/life with Jesus, but I prayed like crazy!! The doctors finally came up with a solution— injections of an experimental drug into his leg that would cost over $2000. Insurance would not pay for it I had just lost my job months prior. Needless to say, we were desparate. My son was in so much pain at the time as well and each day brought on new frustrations and dwindling hope. As we headed into Holy Week that year, I spent every minute on thephones with pharmacists, doctors and insurance companies. I barely knew it was Easter time.
For the first time in my life however, , I went to the Good Friday serivce. A friend invited me ( ok forced me to go) I was weary, bleary eyed from crying so much, and felt numb inside. As I watched the video/movie of Jesus’s last hours– it was like I was seeing it all for the first time. So much pain, so much suffereing for US. Somehow I kept thinking about my own son in so much pain, so young to lose the ability to walk…. but it was nothing in comparison to what my Savior had endured for me.– what he had given me and my son– LIFE. I felt peace in my heart for the first time in a long time.
At the end of the movie, I was ready to leave when the pastor stopped me. He lead to the front of the church and handed me an envelope. In it was $2000 cash. He said someone in the church just gave it to him to give to me anonymously. I can barely type these next words… It still amazes me just how God works. We were given the greatest blessing of hope and healing that Easter season, and there isn’t a Good Friday/Holy Week since that time that my family and I don’t praise God for that miracle!!
P.S. my son had the injections, endured 10 more surgeries in 4 years, and went on to be a State Champion Cross Country Runner. Praise God!
Hmm, hard to choose a favorite Easter memory. Very happy time to be with family…What popped into my head, though, was last year. My sister and her husband were in a terrible car accident December 2009, and she was released from rehab March of ’10. The fact that she came to church on Easter was nothing short of a miracle. (Her injuries were more severe than her husbands’). I had such a hard time containing my emotions. Tears of joy. Praise to God!
Happy Easter and a special week for all! I have so many favorite memories of Easter, too hard to pick just one. I especially love thesee recent years as we talk to my young boys about Jesus!
what a Holy week this is!
thank you God!
I too love Easter! It’s my favorite holiday. After our middle daughter went to Heaven, Easter to me means that because of our Heavenly Father, we have a hope and a future with Him.
When all of our kids were little, we used to have Easter Egg Hunts with all of the cousins. It was a blast watching the kids scurry to find their eggs.
I just want to share another memory of Easter. I facilitate a teen girl small group in my home each week and one year ( about 4 years ago) I decided to do an Easter Scavenger Hunt. Basically it was a walk through the Gospel of Holy Week with the girls reading from Scriptures- finding clues and doing things like– making a crown out whatever they find in my garden, or going to neighbors house to “break bread” with each other, ripping a thick purple cloth in 2, etc. The first year, I had about 15 girls– 2 teams– and they were giggly, and silly and they weren’t taking it as serious as I had hoped. My partner and I both kept looking at each other with worry that it wasn’t going so well. Midway through the Hunt, there was a part in the Scavenger Hunt where the girls had to hammer 3 nails into a small piece of wood then later write down 3 things they have done to deny Christ in their lives recently and carry that note with them… right after that, they had to find these big big branches and rope and make a cross and carry it the rest of the Hunt… something totally shifted when the girls were nailing the nails in the wood and them mvoing to making the cross… their was a silence, a calmness as I watched them help each other lift the cross and carry it all through our neighborhood. The rest of the Scavenger Hunt went beautifully and with less silliness and at the end, the girls tacked their “3 sins” onto their cross for Jesus to forgive– we even had some girls accept Christ that night! I asked my partner if anything changed for her as she did the Hunt with her team, and she said immediately.. it was when they were hammering the nails and making the cross, — it was like, just as I had felt– something shifted. It was an extrememly special time. I’ve done the same Scavenger Hunt over the next several years, and it is always so special, but I will never ever forget that first year when the hearts of the girls ( and mine!) were changed as they experienced the story of Easter.
Remember getting a new dress and white shoes each year.
I can’t think of one specific memory, but I enjoyed coloring eggs and waking up Easter Sunday to my Easter basket filled with candy and especially, chocolate! lol There will be start to be more and better and more meaningful memories now that I have my own family…soon to be two young daughters (3 1/2 and unborn at this point). I am due mid June (7-8 weeks left depending on type of delivery…might be another c-section).
I have two favorite memories. The first was a sunrise service years ago when a bird perched on the edge of the church’s roof and sang with us. It was just so neat to hear him.
My favorite memories is the Good Friday Service that was held April 9, 2004. It was just awesome. Our church had had special speakers Monday thru Wednesday, Maundy Thursday service, but I’ve never attended a Good Friday service. It was just so powerful.
Someday I hope to be able to attend another one, but haven’t found any church having one where I live now.
Favorite Easter memory – my husband coming to me last year to apologize and saying he wanted our family back together again.
My favorite Easter memory is an annual tradition. We start with 7 a.m. sunrise service and then head home to egg casserole, fruit and rolls before we all take a nap. After everyone recuperates, my daughters search for their Easter baskets and we go to Mom and Dad’s for the egg hunt and dinner with extended family. There is always one adult who can’t find their eggs and the kids think it’s hilarious. It’s just a great family day that starts with our Lord!
My favorite Easter memory was when I was 12 years old. My parents had seperated due to my father’s alcoholism. We were such a broken family. My father came to our house that Easter morning and had a corsage for both me and my sister and one for my mother too! He made us a promise to never drink again. He took us all to church and rededicated his life to Jesus! It was a beautiful Easter Day! One that I had hoped and prayed for!
I’m not sure I can think of one favorite memory but I have enjoyed making ressurection rolls with my kids and one of my favorite hymns is Christ the Lord is Risen Today!
Have a Blessed Easter,
Rebecca Ann
The Easter I received a new Bible, I promptly grabbed a pen and filled in all the pertinent information especially the from: The Easter Bunny! Mom had a cow! I just read your post and my seven year old ran to get GI Joe. He said we have to do the same thing to him!
My favorite Easter memory would have to be practicing and singing in an Easter cantata. Those times shared together were always so very sweet and the messages of the cantata really bring home the message of the Easter week. I would agree with you that the most important part of Easter is that others would hear what our precious Savior suffered and endured for them.
My fondest memories of Easter is when I was a little girl. My mother would dress my big sister and me in identical dresses(usually white or pink) and shiny black dress shoes. Easter service at the little Baptist church that we attended sticks out most in my mind. I remember the pastor speaking of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that he gave for us( thank you, Lord), hunting easter eggs of multi-colors on the somewhat grown-up grassy side of the church (happy times), and Easter potluck with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and tons of desserts (yum). When I think of all the love that poured out of that tiny church, I smile.
I remember when the kids were little we were down in North Carolina for Easter. Our family had an Easter egg hunt, and we took pictures of the kids in their shorts and t-shirts finding the hidden eggs. The very next year we decided to do our own Easter egg hunt with our kids in our back yard way up here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We took pictures that year of our kids dressed up in their snow suits with hats and mittens, finding Easter eggs in 18 inches of snow! The comparison pictures have always amused us, and made us sigh.
Going to church and sharing Easter dinner is our family tradition. Happy Easter!
Getting a new Easter outfit.
We’re in the process of making great Easter memories for our son! Thanks for your Easter ideas and memories!
And, thanks for this opportunity!
Easter baskets we made as kids
This year I am so excited because we will be going home for Easter. I’m sure it has been over 11 years and maybe longer since I’ve been home (400 miles from where we live now). It will be so good to spend the weekend with family. One of my favorite memories is making Resurrection Cookies with my children. Each ingredient and process includes a scripture and represents some part of the crucifixion story. The oven warms up while the ingredients are mixed. Then you place the cookies in the oven, turn it off, tape it shut (like the stone being placed in front of the tomb), and wait for morning. It was so neat to hear my beginning readers reading out of an actual Bible for the first time.
Oh how I wish I lived in your neighborhood! What a beautiful message you’re sharing each day with all of the passersby. I just love it. Growing up, my favorite memories are of the egg hunts w/ my sisters at my grandparents.
Oh my favorite memory (growing up and still today) is attending sunservice at the lake. Beautiful to watch the sunrise while reflecting on the Sonrise.
I always loved coloring eggs with my kids! We even did it when they were college age!. Now my daughter has little ones of her own to decorate with and my son lives too far away, so I color the eggs alone. . .(sigh)!