Old School Easter

Can you feel it?  It's in the air!  No, not the pollen (though it is in the air too). Easter!  I feel Easter.  To me, Easter has always had a feeling like no other holiday.  Here are a few memories that I love about Easter:

1)  Traditional music -  I love the traditional music of Easter.  I am all about me some Contemporary Praise and Worship music 364 days of the year but my inner church-lady comes out on Easter morning.   Somewhere deep inside me,  She (Ms. Church Lady) appears and early on Easter morning, I can't help myself from belting these songs in my "church-lady voice".  "Up From The Grave He Arose....." or how about "Christ The Lord is Risen Today....."

2). White Gloves and Bonnets - I remember being a little girl and anxiously awaiting wearing my new dress to church, complete with little white gloves and an Easter bonnet.  Now that I am all grown-up I must bid farewell to the gloves and hats and wait to see what all the little girls wear to church on Easter Sunday morning.  If I did wear a hat to church on Easter  I think I'd pick this one.  It would go perfect with my purple pinky!! (just saying!):

3)  The candy in my basket:  Is it too embarrassing to tell you that my mom still gives me an Easter basket?  What can I say?  I love it!!  I know there are a few things she puts in my basket every year without fail, including my all time favorite Easter candy:

If I'm lucky, she'll remember my other favorite Easter candy standard:

 (I don't really like jelly beans but I LOVE the licorice ones.  yummy!)

Since I was allergic to chocolate as a child, I always found one of these in my basket each year (yuck!).  Thankfully mom stopped this traditional many years ago:

4). Easter Corsage - Whatever happened to this tradition? Growing up it seems all ladies (young and old) wore these on Easter Sunday.  Never could get them to stay in place.  

5.)  The Easter Beagle - As Linus said, "You'll see. The Easter Beagle won't let us down."

 That was fun....but all of the above (hats, candy, music, Easter beagle) means nothing.

What is important is that Christ died on the cross for our sins and three days later He rose from the grave. He is now seated at the right hand of The Father in Heaven.  The grave is empty.  Jesus is not there!  He is Alive!  Alive forevermore.   We don't need the Easter Beagle (sorry Snoopy!).  We serve a living God who is worthy of ALL of our praise.  He is The King of Kings and Lord of Lord. 

(check out this cool picture I found on-line.  Look at the sea of people being drawn to the cross!)

Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior,
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose;
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed, Jesus my Savior,
vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose;
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and He lives forever, with His saints to reign.

He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!
Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;
He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!

Happy Easter!