Easter 2023

April 9, 2023

To the Christian follower, today is celebrated as the day Jesus rose from the tomb signifying his triumph over death. It's a promise given but perhaps not fully understood by mere mortals. Until you get there, you can only guess. 

Easter is to me a sign of renewal. The seasons have turned and spring has established itself. My grandparent's generation, at least those I grew up knowing here in our mountain enclave, called the daffodil the "Easter flowers." This year, the daffs have been blooming for about a month already, and the late variety I have, the beautiful white Mount Hood, is showing off. Seedlings are thriving in the greenhouse and I've had the mower out to level the grass but not actually cut it to summer length. 

People denigrate churchgoers not realizing that "church" today is as much about community as it is faith.  Yes, faith is spoken and discussed but in many churches, that faith is a call to community action. Easter reminds us we can triumph over those things that seem insurmountable. 

In quiet and unassuming ways, we can respond to the modern call to "give back," knowing what some fail to acknowledge - the call to give back is ancient. We get more accomplished if we simply go about our business without stopping to thump our chests and cry out to the masses 'look at me!'. 

Easter is here, and it's a day to renew promises, especially to oneself. What those promises may be to each of us is personal, but no less important than the next person's. Easter is also a day to reflect upon and accept there are mysteries in this world bigger than we are and as simple as a bulb in the earth shooting up a beautiful white flower. Easter is here, and our hopes are renewed. 

KC/Rayne

KC Kendricks, Rayne Forrest, Between the Keys, Easter, mysteries, hope, renewal