My childhood Easters are vividly etched in memory, especially the excitement of dressing up for Easter service. I’d wear shiny black leather shoes and a new frock, its crinolines perfect for twirling. Preparations began days in advance, from grocery shopping to coloring eggs, setting the stage for the post-church egg hunt. These memories are particularly poignant as I recall my mother and sisters. My mom went all out to ensure our traditional family gathering was perfect—complete with Easter dinner, baskets, egg hunts, and those frilly new outfits.
In my own family, I endeavored to keep these Easter traditions alive. Among my most cherished memories is attending a sunrise service at a quaint church in East Tennessee, nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Despite the early morning chill and darkness, my husband, our children, and I stood outside, shivering yet filled with spirit, as we sang hymns and listened to the Easter story—the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The service concluded with “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty,” sung as the sun painted the sky from red to gold.
That church, a small white wooden structure with a gravel parking lot, might have been modest, hosting less than a hundred souls that morning, yet the congregation’s warmth was immense. They welcomed us with open arms and insisted we join them for breakfast—a feast of biscuits and gravy, sausage and grits, eggs, country ham, and fried apples and fried taters, which was, as we say here in the South, ‘to die for.’ But above all, the most beautiful memory was taking a moment as a family to pray and give thanks to Jesus for His sacrifices.
As the sun rises this Easter, it also shines on my son’s tombstone in the mountains of Virginia. While time has marched on, and we haven’t attended another sunrise service, the truth of the verse printed on my son’s tombstone remains luminous, a beacon of assurance because of our savior Jesus:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16 KJV
This Easter, I’m comforted by the knowledge that my son rests in the arms of Jesus. I’m grateful for a God who showed us how to navigate a world filled with trials and sacrifices and who provided a path for us all to be reunited in the sweet by and by.
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” – Matthew 24:42 KJV
This Easter, as some of us face empty seats at the table, the experience will be bittersweet. Regardless of the trials or distractions that come your way, take time to worship the God who saves. Not only on Easter but every day you have left on this earth.