Found Penny Farm

T'was the day before Easter,

and all through the house,

every creature was stirring,

including my spouse!

Colored eggs were all made,

Their designs so exciting,

and the family brigade expecting

tomorrows hunt, so inviting!

As my sister watched quietly,

and to herself noted,

I saw there a sadness she covered

while everyone else Easter promoted.

So I stood there beside her

for only a moment or two,

I asked what's the reason

her look was so blue.

Softly she smiled

and sharing her thought,

explained that it really wasn't Easter,

for which all the new dresses and baskets were bought.

She turned and explained with a light in her eye,

her voice ever gentle and so endearing,

began to share just how Satan,

was at work commandeering.

That for Christians,

their celebration of this Holy day,

did not really resemble,

what once was "the way".

You see, she went on, that the world will delight

in pagan celebrations of Easter bunnies so trite,

and having the first reason for having the day

n'er be remembered or come back to light.

Christians should remember, this is all about Christ,

His atonement for our sin,

His death on the cross,

His blood for our souls that were dying and lost.

So why do we cheapen

Christ's Life and His blood,

when mouthing "Happy Easter!",

drag God's love through the mud.

If you want to please Satan,

as he subtly hijacks the day,

keep celebrating your egg hunts

and Happy Easter, remember to say.

Knowing instead what we REALLY should SAY,

Praise God for His Son, His love, our salvation,

Exclaiming as one, throughout all the nations,

Christ is risen! It's HIS RESURRECTION DAY!!

Here's wishing you all a Blessed Resurrection Day! I know it is not perfect iambic pentameter (in fact, I looked up iambic pentameter and it isn't even close!), but it was the best I could do on short notice . . . you see, God just keeps on blessing! Today, the day after Resurrection Day, a new baby lamb was born on my little farm. All God's blessings are wonderful, but are especially poignant for me now and I needed to express myself! And since my favorite song is "Count your blessings, name them one by one" this little girl makes the current count of my small flock, 13, so this little blessing is named Thirteen.

I thank my Heavenly Father for giving me my big sister. What does the birth of a little lamb have to do with it all? Not much really, except that my sister's conversation about pagan rituals and celebrating  and the birth of this little lamb brought it back to mind.

For Christians, this should NOT be a "celebration of Spring" and especially not "Easter", the pagan celebration, with all the commercial trappings of new outfits, or hats, or bunnies or egg hunts. Why do churches have "Easter Services"? Complete with kids hunting Easter Eggs and baskets with baby bunnies, chicks, chocolate and all. Why is it so important to not "offend" anyone? And since when did churches decide that keeping children entertained was their reason for existing?  Not disappointing the kids is now the reason to turn what should be a sacred observance of the Resurrection of Christ into an egg hunt on the church lawn?  Seriously?

What about Christians rights and sensibilities to not be offended? Why must Christians be the ones to forego our principles, faith and beliefs? Just because some special interest group or other ideology demands THEIR right to not LIKE or agree with us? Well, it is their right to not like it or agree with it, but it is NOT their right to demand that WE stop believing or having our principles and faith just to spare their sensibilities. Christians are not trying to MAKE them believe OUR way, but only that they stop trying to make THEIR way "the law".

Because my big sister reminded me: The REASON for THIS day - (like CHRISTmas) is Jesus, He is RISEN! Indeed, He is risen! Hope you all had a blessed RESURRECTION DAY!   (I love you Wanda!)

As I read back over this, I guess it sounds rather sanctimonious, and I truly didn't intend that. Only that it struck me so hard when my dear sister and I were talking about it.