Easter!!

Another holiday!! Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy holidays...or any reason to celebrate with family and friends? This day was no different. The celebrations actually started the day before, of course I joined in on as much as I could! We colored eggs on Saturday (although I think more dye got on the kids' hands than on the eggs) before the baptism then, later in the evening, the adults helped the Easter bunny hide plastic, candy-filled eggs and set out the kids' Easter baskets. I enjoyed watching Jeff, Stan and Grandpa Southwick deviously help the Easter bunny hide the eggs then desperately try to remember where the Easter bunny hid the eggs the following morning. We all had fun watching the kids discover what goodies were in their baskets then run around the house on the quest for their specific colored eggs. You see this year the Easter bunny hid 5 eggs for each child, but each kid had to look for a specific color. I think the Easter bunny did this so he knew which eggs to hide in easy spots for the younger kids and which eggs to hide in harder spots. All in all I think the Easter bunny successfully pulled off a fun-filled (and sugar-filled) morning for the kids.

 

 

After coloring, hiding, and finding all the Easter goodies, it was time to go to church and to reflect on the real meaning of this special day. I think this holiday, much like Christmas, carries an even greater reason to celebrate (not just a good excuse to have cute decorations and fancy food). This holiday is the ultimate celebration of life. This is the day we commemorate Christ's resurrection - His journey from death to immortal life when He rose again on the third day. He broke those bands of death thus, allowing all of us to be resurrected and live again. It is also a time to reflect on His suffering and what He willingly chose to do for us that we may gain both immortality and eternal life - the chance to live with our Heavenly Father in His presence again. I cannot fathom the pain and sorrow He must have felt as He took upon himself the sins of all of us. I cannot begin to imagine the anguish He must continue to feel when we willingly choose to toss aside His sacrifice by failing to follow the path He set for us. I know I am often guilty of failing to follow that path as I should. Sometimes I feel another path would be easier, then I remember that even though His path may be hard - He does not leave us to walk it alone. His path will always be easier as long as we allow Him to walk with us. That is the other glorious part of this Easter celebration - the fact that through His sacrifice we receive a power to succeed beyond our comprehension. We receive comfort through our trials as we lean on Him. We receive peace by knowing He has suffered so that we don't have to. I am grateful for this Easter holiday - not just because of the fun egg hunts or candy - but because I know that I am loved beyond comprehension by my elder brother and Savior, Jesus Christ, and that I can one day live with Him again. It was a wonderful day to celebrate with family. We are grateful that we had the opportunity to be with Stan, Kristi and their family (as well as Grandpa and Grandma Southwick and Katie) on this day.

Some of the Southwick grandkids: Travis, Dallin, Maci, Carson, Bennett, Daniel and Grant