Easter Sunday Morning.  Fond memories rush to my mind with those words. On that special morning my brother, two sisters and I, rose early to find our baskets. The noise of crinkly paper being torn away was the first sounds of the day.  We had only a short while to sample the goodies inside. It was understood we would be at Sunrise Service at 6:00 a.m.  Memories were being forever etched in my mind as these scenes took place.  Memories that even now bring smiles when I remember singing songs like “Were You There?” and “He Arose”. The early morning light was the crowning touch as our little congregation made its own music.   

We always felt pretty at Easter in the little pastel dresses that  Mom  spent  weeks making for us.  It was a treat to go early to church and then have the whole day afterward to spend in some sort of special way. Sometimes we would celebrate by having our first picnic of the year.  Some years our whole family would meet  for a big breakfast feast, all twenty-two of us.

The years passed and we grew.  Easter continued to be a special day of the year, not only to celebrate  our faith, but for family togetherness.

One Easter in particular stands out to me.  My husband and I moved from Mississippi to Michigan.  The winters were unusually harsh, with snow fall averages of over 100 inches every year. Snow plows and snow mobiles were common place, letting us know this scenario was the norm for northern people.   In November and December I felt all would be well if I could just make it to April and Easter.  No one told me flowers don’t bloom for Easter in Michigan.  No one told me spring things are a no-show until Memorial Day.   The state has abundant resources, beautiful scenery and friendly people, but they don’t have outdoor Sunrise Services in April.  For that to happen, you would have to wear snow shoes and  that just doesn’t seem appropriate at Easter to a southern lady.  Somehow we made it through three Easters with minimal emotional trauma and without our traditional outdoor services.

We four siblings have children of our own now that live across the country from Seattle to Jacksonville and all in between.  Whenever possible they return to celebrate family tradition and the miracle of New Beginnings.  We continue to celebrate Easter at Sunrise.  It’s wonderful when the weather permits an outdoor service.  In the crisp morning air, as songs ring out, we get a first hand look at the sun rising over the tree tops. Hope is born anew.  Our hearts are full. Our hearts are thankful. And we’re dressed in “spring things”.

 In our ever-changing world, it is good to know, there are some things that never change.  

The year's at the spring,
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in His Heaven -
All's right with the world!
Robert Browning