Not About the Chocolate: Requested By Katie

Happy Easter everyone! Today is all about celebrating the risen King: Jesus!

Also, this is for Katie!

Warning: For those of you with longphotostoryphobia, you may not want to read this. 😉

For those of you who chose to stay, hope you like it! 😂

Easter, Easter, Easter! Woo! I LOVE Easter. The chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, Robin’s Eggs, Easter egg hunts, everything.   Licking my lips, I could almost taste the chocolate. Almost. Carol wouldn’t let us downstairs to our Easter baskets yet. Why? Who knows.

On a lesser note, everyone asked me what I was wearing, because, and I quote, “Lea, that does not go together!” But I had a simple explanation: I was so excited to see my Easter basket, and I wanted to hurry, so I threw on the first things I saw. But I guess I had time to put something decent on, because we’re being held up in our room.

“You’re all probably wondering why I’m not letting you downstairs yet,” Carol suddenly said, as if she read my thoughts. Finally, an explanation!

“Yeah, I want my chocolate!” I exclaimed. Smiling, she motioned for Melody. I’m so confused right now.

 

“Me and Carol planned together on how to make today all about Jesus, especially since church was canceled because all of the pastors are gone on vacation. So, before we go downstairs, I’m gonna sing and Carol’s gonna read the Easter story!” Melody explained. Well, okay, I guess. As long as it doesn’t take too long. I NEED my candy.

Melody started us off with “Because He Lives” by Matt Maher.

“I believe in the Son

I believe in the risen One

I believe I overcome

By the power of his blood

Amen, amen

I’m alive, I’m alive

Because He lives

Amen, amen

Let my song join the one that never ends

Because He lives

I was dead in the grave

I was covered in sin and shame

I heard mercy call my name

He rolled the stone away!

Amen, amen

I’m alive, I’m alive

Because He lives

Amen, amen

Let my song join the one that never ends

Because He lives

I can face tomorrow

Because He lives

Every fear is gone

I know He holds my life, my future in His hands

Amen, amen

I’m alive, I’m alive

Because He lives

Amen, amen

Let my song join the one that never ends

Amen, amen

I’m alive, I’m alive

Because He lives

Amen, amen

Let my song join the one that never ends

Because He lives

Because He lives.”

A round of applause went up for Melody, who gave a small bow. That was a really good song.

“That was really good, Melody,” I voiced, now sitting on the top bunk next to McKenna. Melody beamed.

“Thanks, Lea!”

“You’re welcome.”  Now can we go downstairs?

“Now for the Easter story,” Carol announced, pulling out her Bible. Ugh, this is gonna take FOREVER. “This is John chapter twenty, verses one through eighteen. “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Nary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she cane running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one who Jesus loved-”

“Wait, wait, wait. ‘The other disciple, the one that Jesus loved’? Who’s that?” Yeah, and why would John call any of the other disciples that?

“That’d be John,” Carol replied, grinning. Staring at her for a minute, we all suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter. That’s hilarious!

As the laughter died down, Carol continued to read, “So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one that Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him!”

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and one at the foot.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put Him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.

“Woman,” He asked, “Why are you crying? Who is it that you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father, and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that He had told her these things to her,” Carol finished, closing her Bible. Wow! I totally forgot that’s what Easter’s about! But how could I? It’s so awesome!

“Now we can downstairs,” Carol told us.”

I was super excited, but I kept my mind on the TRUE Easter story. It wasn’t about the candy. Or bunnies. Or eggs. It’s about the Resurrection.

But that didn’t stop me from totally demolishing my chocolate bunny!

 

Ta da! What’d y’all think? Be honest, was it better than last year’s? (You can read it here.)

Again, happy Easter! Keep your heart on the true story of Easter!

(Hee hee! 😀)