A Few Thoughts on Easter…

First, some background.  Growing up, Easter meant dyeing eggs (and pink and purple stained fingers for days), church services and new dresses.  Early Sunday morning, my mom would hide the eggs we dyed and also make up these beautiful baskets full of jelly beans and chocolate bunnies and those 80s malt whopper eggs that for my sisters and I, doubled as lipstick, coloring our lips bright pink or blue.  Our Easter egg hunts would always be indoors, because I grew up in Michigan and chances were there would still be snow come Easter Sunday.  At the beginning of our Easter church service, our pastor would greet us with a hearty, “He is Risen,” to which the congregation would reply, “He is Risen indeed!”  Then after church, we’d have a big family dinner and enjoy a nice big ham with all of the best side dishes.

When we moved to New York, we started our own Easter traditions.  The earliest ones would involve buying Christian all of our favorite Easter candies and then eating them, on his behalf.

I’m thankful that over the years, we were able to get back to Michigan to celebrate a few Easters with my family.

This was taken the last time we were home for Easter, with only seven of the now almost fifteen grandkids.

As I’ve grown older, and our kids have grown older, I’ve continued to love Easter.

It’s been a great marking point to get nice pictures of our kids.  But more importantly, it’s been a holiday that for us has revolved around our church family.

For Eastport Bible Church, Easter starts early.  Sunrise service early.

We gather together out at Newport Beach (weather permitting) at 7:00am for Easter worship and a great devotional time.

Many years it’s cold.  And early.  But it’s be far the most beautiful service of the year.  Sitting by the bay, watching the sun rise and thinking about Jesus is a fantastic way to kick off the morning.

And afterwards, there is a beautiful Easter Breakfast, back at the church at 7:45am.

It’s the perfect way to warm up and enjoy a great meal together with our church family.

Then, afterwards, we have our 9:30am Easter Church Service.  At Eastport Bible Church, we have an incredible church family and it is the very best place to be this Easter Sunday.

If you are local, we would absolutely love to have you join us, for any or all of our Sunday morning Easter events.  My amazing husband Jeremy will be preaching for our Easter service this year and though I’m biased, he always does an incredible job, sharing encouragement from God’s word.  For many of us, Easter is a wonderful time of celebration and egg hunts and family and friends.  But the very best part of it, is celebrating Jesus and his resurrection and if you are looking for the best way to kick off your Easter Sunday, we have something just for you.