My Favorite Time of Year

For as long as I can remember Easter has always been my favorite time of year. I've been sitting here thinking about this past week and all the things I've heard people say referencing Easter, "Have you gotten your kids Easter baskets ready yet?", "Did you do Easter bunny pictures this year?", "Have a happy Easter - enjoy the candy!". Now I get there's nothing wrong with having "Easter candy", but as I thought more about all the different people who I've come across in the past week, it made me wonder - How many of them really "get" what Easter is? The REAL Easter.

To me Easter has always been a time of celebration where we praise our awesome God for sending his Son to die on the cross to pay for our sins, then rose Him from the grave 3 days later. From the time I was a small child that's what I've always remembered Easter being about. Granted we did get a few pieces of candy each year, but the most meaningful times I remember about Easter as a kid were getting dressed in my beautiful sundress my Mom would make me for Easter Sunday, heading to church for a sunrise service where we celebrated together and ate a big breakfast of various egg bakes the church ladies had made, listening to the pastor recount the Easter story and what it meant for us as believers, and then my favorite part of all - singing "The Old Rugged Cross" at the close of the service, surrounded by my Grandma Grace, Grandpa Carl and the rest of my family and hearing the song sung in amazing 4-part harmony by our family. That's something I will never forget. Ever. Sweet, sweet memories that are priceless. And what a privilege it was to grow up in a family who understood and treasured the true meaning of Easter.

In closing, here are the lyrics for The Old Rugged Cross - they're powerful! I hope you all have a blessed Easter as we celebrate the wonderful gift we've all been given!

The Old Rugged Cross
by George Bennard

On a hill far away, stood an old rugged Cross
The emblem of suff'ring and shame
And I love that old Cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain

So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown

Oh, that old rugged Cross so despised by the world
Has a wondrous attraction for me
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary

So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown

In the old rugged Cross, stain'd with blood so divine
A wondrous beauty I see
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above
To pardon and sanctify me

So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown

To the old rugged Cross, I will ever be true
Its shame and reproach gladly bear
Then He'll call me some day to my home far away
Where his glory forever I'll share

So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown