Easter Grinch

Mr Easter Bunny visiting our yard!

I've had a bellyful of these folks saying, oh.. I never Got the whole Easter Bunny & Egg thing. To me it's about Christ.  Well, DUH.. Yeah.. big time about Christ! It is Easter and as a Christian I rejoice in what Christ did for ME.  I love my Lord and want nothing to take away from that or the "reason for the season".  But come on people! Does having some Easter Bunny Fun really take away from the celebration?

Let's get one thing perfectly clear:

I LOVE THE EASTER BUNNY!

Pretty darn clever little fellow made my daughters pretty darn happy over the years.

Easter '65 Me & Julie

Heck, I can recall some difficult childhood memories that were overshadowed by the Easter Bunny magic. It wasn't so much about all I got, it was about the joy in looking for the eggs, finding an Easter basket just for me (that I gladly shared with my parents).

Annie & Emily on an Easter Egg hunt

It's about the fabulous fun getting the opportunity in continuing this little childhood magic for my own daughters and the joy in coloring eggs, hiding them & watching a couple of squealing gigglely daughters, joyfully gather the goodies and share rather well♥
I taught my girls what Easter means. We taught them, "Easter is a spring festival that celebrates the central event of the Christian faith: the resurrection of Christ three days after his death by crucifixion." You can search reasons of the Easter Bunny, Easter Eggs, Easter Baskets, and although you will get similar yet different answers, basically it does not have a lot to do with our Christian faith and the Christian celebration of Easter.
HOWEVER~ neither does Santa Claus and we kind of like him around our neck of the blog too. It's for FUN! There is nothing wrong with a little fun. Come on!

Here comes Peter Cottontail,

hoping down the Bunny trail... 

Hippity Hoppity Easter's on its way.

I don't think it was meant to compete with our faith. I always looked at it as a companion. No harm.

Easter cousins~ Walter, Michelle, Emily, Annie, Miles

The joy I had with my sister growing up with Easter celebrations, and the Easters our Children had growing up celebration together made it all that much more fun and loving. We spent almost every Easter together. Our children had tons of fun together at Granny's famous Easter Egg Hunts. 

Easter w/ the Gonzalez Family

Hubby is getting a bit of the Easter Grinch. Just a bit. He thinks the girls are too old for the Baskets. (Funny, he never complains that HE gets one too!) So...Baby girls (okay they are 20 & 22) are getting minimal baskets this year. Just a few fun things that they need anyway. 

You are NEVER too old for the Easter Bunny!

That's what this fellow at the top of my post told me this morning in our yard♥

The Passion Of Christ

Truly one of the best movies ever made. If you haven't seen this, I highly recommend it.
 I cried watching with Hubby a few years ago in the theater. They were actually tears of joy that Christ did this for ME. It is the only time I ever saw my Hubby cry at a movie.  I watched it again with my daughters.  I bought the DVD and I am thinking of watching it this weekend.

I haven't talked much about religion lately on Blog.  Those who know me know that my faith I live everyday, not just the Christian holidays.  I do love to read the many things my favorite Bloggers post this time of year regarding our faith.

Even though some of us have some small differences in our religious practice, it is an important part of most of our lives.

To all my Christian Friends, I pray for a Happy Easter.

For all my Jewish Friends, a lovely Passover.

Love In Christ~

Christian Catholic

I was raised a Christian. Baptized in the Methodist Church, switched to the Presbyterian Church as a teen. Settling in the Catholic Church when I decided to marry a Catholic Man. I gave poor Father Harry Keneven, a tough time with questions and wanted to know exactly what I was getting into when I became a Catholic. He taught me well, and I appreciate his patience with me. I think I have "done him proud". It is said that those who join the Catholic Church as an adult have a better understanding and a sometimes stronger grasp on our religion. Some say we make better Catholics. i don't buy it. Religion is what you make of it. You should be with your faith because you believe in it and you are it.

I have always been active with my church. sometimes more often than other times but I love my church and it makes me feel more a part when I am actively involved. I taught Continuing Catholic Education one year, that was interesting. My favorite memories are the ones that I was a Confirmation Leader. I had the most awesome kids ever! All three years. And I still love every one of them and pray for each of them too. I wanted each to walk away after our year of discovery and growth in the church and wanted them to make their own decisions. Be a Catholic because it is who they are & what they believe, not because ..they had to. We succeed. And I truly feel that each of them left me with a greater love of the church.

I am currently perplexed with someone I love deeply as she is struggling with her beliefs. She has always been one of the strongest Christians I know, and now she is doubting her belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior. She tells me she believes in God, just not sure anymore about Christianity. I am blown away! I want to shake her! I want to say the right things and help her through this challenging time. I don't want to say the wrong things and push her further. I pray for her even stronger today as I try to find the right words and hope that by example to show her the love of our Lord. I need help in knowing how to guide her.

I shared with her this quote my Emily gave me from C.S. Lewis:
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."