Monday, April 25, 2011

Empty Easter Eggs

Yesterday was a busy day.
Any morning can be crazy.
Add to that, the fact that it was Sunday.
Add to that, that it was Easter Sunday with three kids to get ready.
Add to that, a church calling that required me to conduct Primary and also present Sharing Time...twice.

I tried to arrive at church peacefully, but truth is that after our backyard egg hunt, attempted coordinating pictures, and the rush to get to church, I wasn't in the best frame of mind to present the joyful story of Easter. Not that the morning had been bad, but just busy. I was anything but peaceful. Gritted teeth was a more truthful description.

But, when teaching, you put your own emotions aside and plug along anyway. A crowd of children sit in front of you. Your time to stand in front starts. The prepared message must be shared.

So, yesterday, I did just that. I began asking the children to retell the story of Easter with the pictures of Christ I am showing. The children told of the cross, the empty tomb, the friends Christ visited once resurrected. The children helped compare "fun" things of Easter to the "important" things. I found myself listening to their voices. I found myself prompting them to answer question A in a way that would directly lead into my premeditated question B. Then, I found myself holding up an empty egg. Just a plastic egg.

My blurb about the egg was that AFTER all the exciting hunts are done around my house, and after all the sugar is eaten or stacked into piles, one of my favorite parts of Easter is gathering these empty eggs. For one, I like to clean up the clutter. But, more importantly, I like to look at the empty egg and think of the empty tomb. Realizing that the egg ends empty, helps me remember that the tomb was also empty! Realizing that Christ lives again, helps me remember that loved ones and I can live again!

(Sweet drawing by Meg of her with Jesus - yesterday, April 24, 2011)


As I stood holding the empty egg and hearing words coming out of my mouth, my internal thoughts were racing. I stood there questioning if a small empty egg really holds any significance. I questioned if what I was explaining was coming across with any sense of sincerity. I questioned if, in fact, this testimony of the empty tomb did hold more significance over the candy-filled hunt of the morning. Was I just going through the motions of the holiday? I hoped not. I realized that I really am grateful for the chances I have had to stand among children and explain what I believe. Sometimes it takes those forced moments to say outloud what you know. Sometimes it takes hearing your own voice saying things to remind yourself that, yes, you do believe it.

After each round of my allotted twenty minutes in front of the Primary children, I sat down. I sat down more at peace. Although rushed to get to that point, I felt joy this Easter. Together, those of us in Primary remembered an important part of Easter - an empty egg.

Alone, I remembered that there are chances during my daily/mundane/nobody-else-will-put-this-holiday-decor-away-but-me cleaning to recognize subtle reminders of Christ. I can pause and think of my Savior as I look at the pile of empty Easter eggs that will (today!) return to their marked Rubbermaid for another year...

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