IT'S EASTER AND THAT MEANS:
I love this special time of the year - it's like a little open window with a breath of fresh air blowing in. Easter gives me space to appreciate my blessings and I thought I'd do a quick post today to share three that came to mind over the last few days....
FAITH
I know Easter has become predominantly about chocolate eggs and hot cross buns - and I'm a big fan of both - but it's also a time to remember the real reason behind the holiday. It's a time for us to go to church to honour the death and resurrection of Jesus - to take a moment amongst the festivities to pause and to give thanks.
FAMILY
Easter always means extra time with our adult kids, their spouses, and our two grandgirls. I am in my own small heaven having them all staying with us for a few days. I love that we get to have so much unhurried, relaxed time together. We get to chat, to eat those chocolate eggs, and to just touch base and re-connect with each other. There will be outings, time together, time separately, and time to just "be". My heart will be very happy indeed.
FREEDOM
What I enjoy the most about my life now I'm retired is that I'm no longer locked into a work timetable. My holidays aren't scheduled, my days are my own. I don't have to grasp onto every hour of the Easter break, or juggle around being free for when the family comes to visit. I have freedom to go with the flow - to be available all day, every day of their visit. I'm not rushed or stressed, I'm quietly at peace.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
What's your favourite thing about Easter? What brings a smile to your face as the Easter break arrives? What makes it a special time of the year for you? If it's not special then that's okay too, and I'm sending you a hug and a virtual chocolate egg from my heart to yours.
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I was so surprised this year to see so much open on Good Friday. Maybe it's because of where we live, but ...
ReplyDeleteYes, I think the Christian influence on society is slowly giving way to commericial and social pressures. I'm not sure that the majority even know what the meaning of Easter and Christmas is anymore...
DeleteI was born on an Easter Sunday so feel responsibility to be "bonnie and blithe, and good and gay." It is a good way to be so do not mind. I wish everyone a happy time!!
ReplyDeleteOh how lovely to be bonny and blithe, good and gay - our daughter is an Easter baby too and it makes for an added joy over the holidays that we often get to celebrate it with her - usually a bit late or a bit early because Easter dates fluctuate, but it's still lovely. Happy birthday and Easter Judith xx
DeleteEaster is quite popular here. Celebrated with all the associated traditions. Personally, Onam and Vishu are the only two festivals we celebrate. We go to temple and have a feast at home.
ReplyDeleteHi Pradeep - I think Easter has become more about bunnies, eggs, and buns in Australia, but there are those of us who still like to remember the reason behind the season - I'm glad you have some festivals for your family to celebrate too.
DeleteEaster signals spring. Gophers & geese have been sighted, sure signs of spring. You can't fool a gopher & a goose. The snow melt has begun in NE Alberta. Such a welcome sight. The seasons are testimony to Nature.
ReplyDeleteHi Mona - it sounds so bucolic and beautiful! Here Easter means that the rain is going to start and the temperatures are gradually getting cooler. I think the beginning of Spring and Autumn always bring a sense of relief because milder weather is on its way. :)
DeleteI’m enjoying Easter so much more now I’m retired. No more fitting in work around taking extra time off to be with family and friends. I love it when Easter falls in April rather than March, the days here in England are so much brighter! I agree Leanne, much as I love the chocolate eggs and Easter bunnies, I take time out to think about the real meaning of Easter and how much I have to be grateful for. Chrissie x
ReplyDeleteHi Chrissie - you sound so much like me when it comes to Easter these days - thinking about the meaning of it all, while enjoying the blessing of more time to spread out with family and friends - I just love this time of the year.
DeleteIt was a quiet Easter here and we didn't mind. However we sure have had our fill of fun Easter Egg hunts and more way back. Nice to make those memories too. Yes it is a special time for many, and the 'break' usually helps after a hectic time starting the year.
ReplyDeleteHi Denyse - I remember the days of our kids and Easter treats, now it's a different dynamic, but still such a lovely time of relaxing and having longer than a quick day or so together.
DeleteSounds lovely Leanne! We've had Sarah and her family staying over the easter weekend then they left both grandkids with me for a few days!! Grant left for his 10th Kokoda on Thursday so I'm on my own with the two little ones, which is fun but also quite tiring!!
ReplyDeleteHi Deb - I take my hat off to you! I love having the grandgirls, but that's with Ross being my wingman through the whole visit - being able to trade off for a little downtime makes it all so much less tiring - you're amazing to be doing it without the back-up. Go you!
DeleteI'm glad to hear you had a lovely Easter, Leanne. We didn't have any family visiting on Easter this year, but we did have some the weekend before, including our precious great granddaughter. And we are going to have dinner with all of our children, their spouses, grandchildren, and the great grandbaby next week to celebrate my husband's birthday. I am very excited for that.
ReplyDeleteFamily is such a blessing Christie - whatever the occasion, the time together is just a joy. I'm so grateful for how we all get on and enjoy these snippets of time together. Enjoy that big birthday gathering - it sounds perfect :)
DeleteEaster is my favorite, not because we do anything big or extravagant, but just in remembering Christ's death for me and the New Life and Hope I have because of Him. Our church had a beautiful Good Friday service too that was very rich and meaningful. My challenge is holding onto the message of Easter every day! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteHi Lizzy - yes! without that understanding and gratitude and sense of peace and love that comes from what really lies behind Easter, the chocolate and fesivities lose their depth and meaning, it become just another holiday on the calendar. I'm so grateful for my faith and for the grounding it brings me. :)
DeleteI nodded my head in agreement the whole way through this post as I do with most of your posts. Was looking for Easter images and all I could find were bunnies. As with Christmas, the reason for the season often gets buried. Glad you enjoyed a relaxed visit with your family. We had everyone together a few weeks before Easter and it was glorious. We didn't have real plans and like you said, we just went with the flow.
ReplyDeleteHi Leslie - I think that the Christian message is slowly being eaten away by commercialism and a lack of relevance to the lives people want to lead these days. Maybe things will swing back around as the world slowly implodes? Anyway, I still found plenty to be grateful for, and joyful about - and it sounds like you did too - aren't we blessed indeed? x
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