Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter

About 25 years ago I was making Easter eggs for the kids from a kit that my mom had sent me.  We were spending the day getting ready for Easter which was the next day and having a good time, when I received a phone call that would forever change the way I celebrated the Easter holiday.  My sister called to tell me my Mom had had a stroke and was in a coma.  I was shocked and Tom and I made arrangements for me to fly to Florida from where we where living in Utah so I could be with my family.  It was a time that we as a family grew closer together as we talked of our Mom and her wishes and our memories of her.  Mom died a few days later.  In talking about mom we decided that she probably picked Easter as her time to leave us; as a way to comfort us as we all believe in Jesus Christ and his redemption and resurrection.  What a wonderful comfort that was to us as a family to share that kind of testimony of Jesus and all of us be able to comfort each other with this knowledge.

Since that Easter I have not dyed Easter eggs but we have had baskets and goodies, but they never had the importance to me that they once did.  Now the significance of the holiday; the atonement, the death and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ holds number one priority in my heart.

Today was especially tender for my heart as my friend Marsha died just last week, it being close to 25 years since my Mom died and today was General Conference (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) from Salt Lake City and many of the talks by the general authorities, the apostles and the Prophet centered around Easter and the resurrection.  The choir even sang my all time favorite hymn "I Know That My Redeemer Lives".  What could have been a sad day of grieving was instead a day of inspiration, peace and comforting.  I am so grateful for my knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

My wish for you is that on this day you could feel the peace that I have felt, no matter your beliefs or religion.

3 comments:

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Oh what sad memories Easter brings for you Johnina. I am sorry to hear of them.

Zuzana said...

Oh, what a lovely post, a very sad and touching one that made me almost cry. I am really sorry that this time has such a sad meaning for you. I still trust that you had a nice Easter, if at all possible.
Much love,
Zuzana

Jeannette StG said...

You have a big comfort, that you'll see your mother again!
Wow, your story is so powerful! And I see you like Calla Lilies. When you go to my last post of my 2nd blogpage ART NOTES you'll see them in a painting (it's nto Firechasers anymore, like it's listing).