Spring into Easter

I love spring!  Who doesn't, the snow is melting, rivers are flowing, and in Canada the geese are returning.  You know our national bird.  With its majestic honk.  Ok, maybe not as majestic as it is loud and harsh sounding.  I still like to look up and see those flying "V" formations returning home!  I am a Lilac girl and pretty soon you will be able to smell their perfume all over the county.  If you are a tulip fan you can head to Ottawa and check out the Tulip Festival, thousands of tulips from bulbs donated from Holland.  It is beautiful.  I find spring just awakens the soul.  For me, it all starts with Easter.  The colour pallets change to the pastels of blues and greens, the sun is brighter, chocolate flows freely!  Those are all wonderful and fun, but it is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus that gets me!  I am captivated every year by the story of Christ.  From the last supper to the cross.  The images of the pain he endured are so embedded in my brain.  We have all seen them.  Jesus hanging by his bloody hands and feet, on the cross for all to see, head hung, the crown of thorns upon his brow.  I remember growing up in German as a little kid and visiting so many old churches and cathedrals.  All of which contained the image of our Saviour on the cross.  It scared me and fascinated me at the same time.  As an older teen and young adult, those images and statues did nothing to me.  It was just another cross with another Jesus statue.  I was almost annoyed at the way I would see some people weeping Good Friday at the image of Jesus.  I thought "give me a break" or "really".  I mean it's not like they hadn't seen it before right?  At least, that's what I thought until Easter 2011.  That was the year I watched our church perform The Passion play.  My husband had to work that night and my oldest son wanted to go see the play.  I suggested we invite his dad (I am divorced and Cameron's dad is a none Christin).  I just figured it would be good for him to see.  So there I was sitting on the end of the row with my ex-husband beside me, my son beside him, and my ex's stepdaughter beside my son.  The Odd little unit we were.  The play was well done.  We have a lot of talent at our church.  I was enjoying everything until they put Jesus on the cross.  I look up at that cross and began to weep, no sob, no even worse!  It was an ugly cry like no other!  I was so moved.  My heart hurt so bad for Jesus.  I just wanted to scream "get him down"!  My ex-husband was looking at me like I was crazy!  I felt Crazy!  I wept the entire rest of the play.  My shirt was soaked!  I'm sure I had makeup everywhere.  I just kept thinking my Jesus, my poor Jesus, I am not worthy of the pain you endured.  Well, let's just say the drive home was a little awkward for my ex.  Poor guy didn't really know what to say.  The rest of the weekend was a blur until Easter Sunday.  Easter Sunday was another performance of the play, I was dreading it!  This is where God's goodness steps in.  Good Friday, he needed me to "see" the story, not just the image or statue.  Sunday he needed me to accept his greatness and worship him for it!  I was so excited when the play ended and we were able to worship.  My heart was so filled with thanksgiving and Joy!  It was a rebirth in me!  About 3 years later our church did The Passion play again.  I made sure to be in it that time!  I did not weep uncontrollably or have the same overwhelming feeling, but the Joy was there!  I'm pleased to say it has been there ever since.  It is in the spring, when Easter comes, that I get to remember that experience, and it renews my soul again.