what Easter means to me

I have grown up loving everything about the celebration and triumph of Easter from the packages of peeps in every color to fluffy dresses and the power of the music. And the more God does in my life, the more I am humbled and overwhelmed even by the power of Easter. So many times I focus on Christmas, when we celebrate His birth, the coming of Emmanuel, God WITH us but only through Easter and his death do we have God IN us. And that knocks me off my feet onto my face, that He came, died and now gives us the invitation to full life through the death of His son.

Last night we celebrated as a community at EGM through the breaking of bread and sharing a meal (an awesome potluck meal I might add) and I was really encouraged by the leadership choosing to help us walk through this Holy week by beginning with this. As Jesus shared the last supper in community, Remember me. Remember the times here and the things I have taught you, the way you have seen me raise people from the dead and the ways that I have loved. Remember me.

So as we go now into Good Friday and the next 3 days, my mind and heart might just explode at the fact that the veil was torn, that we are invited to be part of the
the story with this aim:

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." I Peter 2:9 ESV

The same God who spoke the world into being, who created Adam & Eve, whose wrath caused a flood, whose love sent His son, who loved disciples like Peter who stuck his foot in his mouth and always spoke too soon, that God invited us out of our darkness. So I say, eat your peeps, twirl in your fluffy dress but don't dare us forget what we are truly celebrating this weekend.