Believe it or not, Easter is upon us once again.
I got to thinking about this blessed occasion and the various observances of the day that I have experienced through my life.
Here are some:
• There was the Easter Sunday of my very young days when country music star John Denver accompanied and assisted me as I searched for eggs during the annual egg hunt in our community. Well, it was not actually John Denver, but one of the cousins who I thought was actually the country crooner.
My childhood rememberies of that time are faded, so I don't actually remember which cousin it was. Obviously, it was one who had the hair do and glasses of the famous country star. Take Me Home, Country Roads has always been a favorite tune... along with Annie's Song. Alas, there is no Annie for me.
• When I was growing up, there were always egg hunts at our church, the community center and on both sides of my family — Deal and Jones.
Mama's side was always a large group, as I had 21 first cousins. I remember listening to Jefferson Starship's 'We Built This City' while we waited on the adults to hide the eggs. Aunt Carol “Cakky” Chancey was the gatekeeper that day if I remember. She threatened to get a switch to anyone who peeked or got too big of a head start.
• One of the highlights of the hunt was always to find the prize egg. It was generally hidden well and was plastic and contained money. I almost found it one year. I put it in my basket, only to have one of the big city cousins visiting her grandparents claim that it had fallen out of her basket. Because we had to be nice to our guests, I had to allow her to win it. I always have believed she made up the story.
• My niece and nephew, Benjamin and Breanna, did a variation of that when they were little. Benjamin did not hunt or find eggs. He “picked up” eggs That's always what he said.
He would always announce that at Easter, he was going to Grandma’s and “we are going to go pick up eggs”. Breanna did that when she was just learning how to pick up eggs with her big brother. She would follow along behind him and when he would pick up eggs and put it in his basket, she would wait until he found another one and then take one out of his basket.
• Easter generally meant lots of good treats and candies galore. I made myself sick off of malted chocolate Easter egg candy one year at Grandma's. I have never wanted them since.
• One year we burned off the thicket by our house during the Easter cool snap. We made the Easter bunny homeless that year. Oops. Shame on us.
• After Easter during spring break, we would make egg salad sandwiches to use up the old Easter eggs before they spoiled. We colored and decorated them.
Breanna experienced that for the first time during a visit home at Easter. Later, living in Colorado at the time, she called Mama to ask her for her 'Easter egg' sandwich recipe.
• Then there was the funny story. Uncle Vann once told us a joke about the teacher who was trying to relate the resurrection story to her young charges. She asked them what did Jesus say after he arose from the grave.
There was silence among the youngsters until one boisterous little fellow jumped up with his arms wide open and yelled 'Ta-Da!'
• And, then there was the somber one. Grandma’s sister, Aunt Cina Ammons, died on Good Friday and was buried on Easter Sunday in one of the years of my young adulthood. It was a good object lesson in the timeline of the Lord's passion and in the hope of heaven it gives our souls. Aunt Cina was my Grandma’s telephone buddy, and while they fought like sisters do, there was no doubt in my mind, they loved one another very deeply.
That Sunday is etched in my mind as I watched my Grandma kiss Aunt Cina farewell in the sanctuary of High Bluff Primitive Baptist Church as the congregation lined the foot washing hymn in the old call and response style. The hymn tells of a house not made with hands and the summon from God when He bids our Spirits fly away to Him. As we walked to the graveside that day, a dove landed and perched on the edge of the tent.
It was a perfect emblem of peace.
And, isn’t that the whole point of Easter. The Lord Jesus purchased our pardon and by His resurrection granted us life and peace.
• Jason Deal is a staff writer for The Blackshear Times. Reach him at [email protected] ews.
