I'll admit it - I love everything about Easter!

I attribute much of this to my Lutheran background and all the beautiful events that we are reminded of during the Lenten season.

I love Ash Wednesday and the reminder of how much we need a savior.

I used (!) to love the 40 days of Lent, and keeping up with my Catholic friends who were "giving up" something for Lent. Chocolate was always the biggie among us. What were we thinking?!?

I love Palm Sunday and the pagentry of Christ riding triumphantly into the City. I love receiving my palm and putting it in our home behind the mirror. It reminds me all year long of Christ our King.

I love Holy Wednesday and thinking about Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. How many of us have let a friend down in a moment of need? And even so, our Savior shows grace, yet again, to his 3 friends who chose to nap while he needed their prayers.

I love Maunday Thursday, Christ's last meal with his dearest friends. What must they have talked about? What events of the last three years were they reliving? How did they encourage one another about the events that were to unfold? Was the heart of Judas racing? Did he have any second thoughts? I wonder on Maunday Thursday.

I love the austerity of Good Friday in our church . There's an absolutely barren alter; no flowers, no gold adornments, no choir. Just the cross draped in black cloth, a crown of thorns hanging from the center post. There is an erie silence that compells my prayers for forgiveness.

And finally Easter Sunday. Outside, the church cross is covered in bright flowers. Kids are running everywhere. Inside the sanctuary is filled with Easter Lillies and bouquets of every kind of white flower you could think of. The cross....oh the cross, is now gloriously adorned in the purest white stole.....lillies surrounding its base. Jesus is alive!

I love everything about Easter - especially Jesus.

Christ is Risen.......He is risen indeed.

Happy Easter.