Easter Sunday came and went. Easter is typically the holiday we enjoy the most. Yesterday wasn't that way. It was more of a "Good Friday" type day in some ways. Neither best or I were in good moods in the morning, which of course doesn't help. A year ago we were attending an Easter service in a big church where we didn't know anyone, going home to an Easter dinner with no one coming over to celebrate with us, and it was a difficult time for us. I think we were still somewhat remembering that.
But we did have cousins over for Easter dinner yesterday, so that was nice. We enjoyed the time together and being able to play a lot outside in the nice weather.
Part of it was that our church service wasn't the "traditional" easter service we're used to having. We knew it was going to not be our usual going into it--and I'm not sure that helped our attitudes about the day. We didn't sing "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" or "Up From the Grave He Arose" or any of the other "classic" hymns we grew up singing on Easter Sunday. There wasn't a forest of Easter lilies up front at church. It was just a different service. And I think that was a good thing for me.
Pastor Efrem commented as he was caught up in a worship song that it wasn't a show, that this isn't about a institutionalized religious experience, but that he was into the song because he had experienced the transformative power of Christ in his life. It got me reflecting on how I probably get too tied into the emotions of the traditional Easter service and find my comfort and joy in that. Instead I need to be finding my joy in the resurrected Christ who has transformed my life.
I'm still on this journey of learning to better live out my faith in my heart and not just keep it in my head. I guess that's what Easter is about in many ways.
He is risen. He is risen, indeed. And He lives in me.
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