Easter

I have been contemplating the Easter season and I find it peculiar not so much that the holiday is overly commercialized, as we think of Christmas, but that the true meaning of the holiday seems forgotten altogether. Despite being bombarded at Christmas time with the best deals with shopping or pictures of Santa everywhere, there is still ample reminder of the purpose of the holiday with nativity scenes and music about the birth of the baby Jesus. And yet, I see little reminder of the meaning of Easter in all the ads in the paper and decorations around the home. I am not trying to sound like a grinch when it comes to decorating eggs and eating jelly beans, but at the same time, I don’t know how much I want to emphasize to my two-year-old when bunnies and eggs have nothing to do with the meaning of Easter.

I was talking to Aaron about my disappointment in the lack of representation of the true meaning of Easter and yet wondered how to incorporate it into our home. He pointed up to a picture hanging on our wall which he bought for Christmas a few years ago. It is the resurrected Christ coming out of the tomb. (see "He Is Risen" at http://www.delparson.com/gallery.html) I’m grateful we do have this reminder in our home all year long. We have talked to Natalie about what it means, and thanks to the simple Primary song, she understands the resurrection amazingly well:

Did Jesus really live again?
Yes, when the third day came,
He wakened and he left the tomb;
He called Mary’s name.

Did Jesus come to those he loved?
Yes, people touched his feet,
And of the fish and honeycomb
He did truly eat.

And there were nail prints in his hands
And a spear wound in his side.
Did Jesus really live again
After he had died?
Oh, yes! And so shall I!
(Mabel Jones Gabbot, Children’s Songbook p. 64)

I love how this song teaches the children the key details of that Easter morning. Natalie loves to sing this song and often points to our picture when she hears the music.

I pause for a moment here with some thoughts about my Easter last year. We had gone home to visit my parents and while there I met their neighbor whose 2 year old boy had been born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. I had been looking forward to talking with another mom who could share with me her knowledge and experience, but I was suddenly overwhelmed and couldn’t even think of the questions which seemed most pressing on my mind at the time. I had hoped to hear something that would give me encouragement about the long road ahead. What I heard was about was low immune systems and hiring nursing care and sleepless nights. I heard of multiple medications and feeding tubes. I heard about buying home health equipment to avoid extra hospitalizations. I heard of problems like fluid build up and her child sometimes turning purple or blue when he exerted himself too much. I did need to hear about the reality of having a HLHS baby, but hearing her talk made a lot of my worries more real. It was wonderful to see her little boy active and running around, but I knew it was a long road to reach that point. I was willing to take it, but I lamented to Aaron that whatever path the Lord had planned for us, I knew that what was “normal” for us would never be the same again.

And so I return to my feelings about the Easter season. I have always felt gratitude and anticipation of resurrection and restoration for us all because of the Savior’s resurrection. Our bodies will be whole and perfect. This year, however, with thoughts of Merideth I hold closer in my heart the knowledge that also through the atonement of Christ and our obedience in following Him we can be reunited with our loved ones eternally. May you be blessed with His spirit and joy in His mission this Easter season.