What Easter Means to Me
I remember as a kid, Easter Sunday was about dying eggs with the classic Paas egg dying kit.
PAUSE
Though I loved dying eggs, I had a love/hate relationship with that little bronze wire ladle/wand thingy that came with the kit…I mainly hated it. It would never hold the eggs properly so whenever I went to DIP an egg in the colored water cup, it would fall off the ladle into the cup splashing red, blue, purple, green, pink, or yellow dye on the table or me…so annoying.
UNPAUSE
Easter Sunday also meant receiving an Easter basket filled with green plastic straw and marshmallow peeps (which I hated and always threw away), a giant chocolate Easter bunny, sweet tarts, lollipops, nerds, jellybeans (another candy I hated and threw away), mid-size chocolate bunnies wrapped in decorative foil, gumballs, foil covered chocolate malted egss, etc. etc. The candy changed up from year to year, but no matter what candy came in the basket, the showstopper would always be the barbie or small baby doll planted in the middle of the plastic grass commanding my attention…that toy was the favorite part of the basket.
Now if I’m honest, the barbie or baby doll was usually very cheap and plastic-looking, but I didn’t care, I played with them just the same. However, one year, I can’t remember who gave me the basket, but she (baskets always came from a female family member) splurged and brought me a real barbie. Imagine my surprise when I saw that Mattel box in my Easter box, and the Barbie was a sistah (that’s slang for Black woman!) Oh, I was over the moon excited y’all.
The last childhood Easter memory I have, which is a tradition that many Black folks still continue to do is getting all gussied up to attend church. I’m not sure how popular it is in other cultures, but in Black culture, Easter was and sometimes still is the one- and only-time people attend church.
Black folks would flood or pour into church sanctuaries dressed to the nines to celebrate Jesus’ triumphant return. Women adorned the biggest and most extravagant hats anyone has ever seen and First Lady suits and/or dresses, little girls sat with Shirley temple curls, frilly dresses and lace or ruffled gloves, and men and young boys were as sharp as a tack with their Men’s Warehouse suits.
Now, for those people who didn’t want to wear their “Sunday Best” or attend church they wore their “Hood Best”. Men would sport fresh, clean haircuts, brand new sneakers, flashy jewelry, and an expensive snazzy-looking outfit.
Little girls and boys would look like smaller versions of the adults. Boys flashing their child-size chains and bracelets, new sneakers and denim outfit, and girls rocking Shirley Temple curls (because honestly that hairstyle is adorable on little girls whether they’re dressed up or not) and showing off their own child-size statement jewelry.
Women would wear some type of figure flattering dress, or skirt and shirt combo, or fashionable non-dress outfit. Their hair would be newly styled, still smelling like heat and oil sheen as if they just stepped out the salon, their nails and toes would be manicured and meticulously polished, and they too would be wearing flashy statement jewelry.
These memories are what Easter meant to me growing up, and I continue to hold them as a part of my history, but when I made a conscious decision to become a Christian, a follower of Christ, Easter took on a whole different meaning for me.
Easter has now become a glorious reminder of how much God loves me; it’s a reminder that I am now able to walk in an unconditional loving relationship with God, it’s a reminder that I have an ally interceding on my behalf each time I mess up, it’s a reminder that no one, or nothing can rival or conquer Jesus, not even death.
I remember the first time I watched, The Passion of the Chris, I among many other fellow movie-goers sniffled and cried uncontrollably as we watched the scene of Jesus being brutally whipped. Reading that Jesus bore 39 lashes for me and my sins was one thing, but to actually see it…To see the humiliation He endured as people spat on him and cursed at him while He struggled to carry His own cross to the hill which he would be crucified on was beyond humbling. I remember sitting in my seat feeling so unworthy of His sacrifice, yet He did consider me worthy, which is why He allowed himself to be humiliated, whipped, beaten, spat upon, mocked, and crucified.
All that I described took place on Good Friday, (the word “good” in this case refers to the old English expression meaning “holy”) but when Jesus rose from death only a few days later, He achieved an unbelievable and matchless victory. It’s not just miraculous that Jesus came back to life, it is wondrous for all mankind. You see, there was a large divide or disconnection between God and mankind that occurred when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s instruction to not eat from a particular tree in the Garden of Eden, but Jesus’ sacrificial death provided a way for mankind to be reunited to God. Think of it this way, Jesus is a bridge people can now use to reach God.
Now, I know that last paragraph was heavily laden with “bible talk”, and I also know not everyone believes the resurrection story or other bible stories no more than they believe in God or Jesus and I respect that. But whoever or whatever you believe in, it is my belief the God I serve, loves you dearly and wants you to prosper in every way.
And now the benediction…in some churches, right before everyone leaves, a blessing is spoken over them for divine help, guidance, and favor. While I know we are not in church I still desire to bless those who read my posts with words of encouragement and hope…and good music, well at least for this post.
Below are two of my favorite Easter/Resurrection Sunday songs, and an unrelated feel-good song by Kirk Franklin titled “Love Theory”, just because. Hope you enjoy them.
Fred Hammond
"Celebrate (He Lives)"
Kirk Franklin
"Hosanna"
Kirk Franklin
"Love Theory"
Until we speak again…Smooches
Think On It: What does Easter mean to you?
(Shout out to Annie Spratt from London for the title page photo)
2