Easter

Happy Easter

Easter has meant so many things to me. The Easter Bunny and easter egg hunts with the kids, a basket full of goodies. Also the Holy Days which all of Christendom basis it's beliefs. Whether or not you believe in the resurrection, you still have to be amazed by the wonder of it all. I personally believe that Jesus was born, lived his life bringing the Good News to all people, was persecuted, died and yes, rose again from the dead. It is hard to miss the symbolism of Springtime which is signaled by the arrival of Easter. Spring is the renewal and so is the message of the Lord. Regardless of your beliefs, let me wish everyone a Blessed, Holy Easter, and that your life will also be renewed as the Springtime renews all around us.

The History of Easter

An 8th century scholar, St. Bede was said to believe that the name Easter came from the Scandanavian "Ostra and Teutonic "Ostern" or "Eastre", meaning Goddesses of mythology that signafied spring and fertility. Associated with the festival was the rabbit, a symbol of fertility, and brightly colored eggs representing the sunlight of spring, used in contests and given as gifts. The tradition of the Easter rabbit and the Easter eg has remained associated with the Easter holiday.

Early Easter celebration was in direction relationship with the Jewish festival of Passover or Pesach (Pasch is another name used by Eurpeons for Easter). Passover clebrates the flight and freedom of Israelites from slavery in Eqypt..

Early Christians (many were of Jewish origin) were raised with Hebrew traditions. Easter was a new feature of the Passover festival, celebrating the advent of the Messiah.Christian churches in the East, being closer to the birth of the new religion and yet rich in tradition, celebrated Easter according to the date of the Passover festival.

Holy week, begins with the observation of Palm Sunday which commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem where the believers laid palm fronds as his feet. Holy Thursday remembers the Last Supper, which was the evening before the Crucifixation. Friday in Holy Week comemorates the day Christ was crucified, died and was buried. Holy week ends with Easter Sunday, the day of resurrection.

The Resurrection

Matthew 28

"After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaben came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightening, and his clothes white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.

But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly an dtell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.'This is my message for you."

So they left the tomb quickly withy fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the cheif priest everything that had happened. After the priests has assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, "You must say, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Jews to this day.

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority i heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

I adopted this little Jelly Bean ..I think she looks a little like me...I mean she has red hair too. I always wanted a daughter. Her name is Beanatrice.

I've also adopted this little Egg..isn't he handsome? His name is Eggward. You can adopted a Jelly Bean or an Egg too..from Billybear.

I've adopted a few bunnies, they are busy with gardening and other things... to visit them just walk through the gate to their Bunny Village in the woods.