Ladies' Bible Class Easter Egg Hunt

My mom used to wake us up for school by singing songs like "Arky Arky (Rise and Shine)" and "Blue Skies and Rainbows," so I decided long ago I would not torture my own children so mercilessly.

However, when you've slogged through a winter that seemed like it would never end and then suddenly wake up to real sunshine and warmth and - best of all - Texas wildflowers - well, it's hard not burst out in song every once in a while. My personal preferences right now are "It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" (Mr. Rogers' version, not Daniel's, of course) and "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning." In fact, I downloaded an album of Oklahoma! hits to my phone specifically for the purpose of belting that song out over breakfast. When the bluebonnets came out a few weeks ago, I played it on repeat in the car as we drove in to preschool. (So if my kids start humming "Surry with a Fringe on Top," you'll know why.) 

It's hard to contain, this feeling of the joy of spring.

And that, to me, is what is really awesome about Easter: it comes just at this time when the natural world is bursting forth from the dead of winter, and in every wildflower and blossoming tree, we see an echo of that most important truth: resurrection!

I'm giving up on my previous nonchalance about the non-religious aspects of the holiday, and instead soaking in every opportunity to make it a time that my kids know to be special. So we'll have Easter morning treats and (maybe) other special celebrations this weekend. And we'll hunt eggs. Oh, boy, will we hunt eggs. Starting today with the sweet, sweet members of Ladies' Bible Class...

Miss Jayne gives the, "Ready, Set, Go!"

And they're off!

As beautiful as the bluebonnets surrounding us are the men and women of God whom we are blessed to call family through our church. This morning, a small but important group of those women put a lot of work into organizing an Easter egg hunt for the kids whose mothers attend Ladies' Bible Class. Since that only includes three children most days, we invited several other families to participate, and we were blessed by the unanticipated presence of our dear friend Amber Brantly and her two children, on leave from Liberia. Many mothers rearranged their schedules in order for their children to take part, and that in itself was such a blessing to me. With ten eager children in all - and a beautifully blooming community garden as the setting - it was quite the occasion!

(My kids had to brag to other kids' moms
because their own mom wouldn't get out from behind the camera....)
(I don't feel guilty. This is what church family is all about. :)

Although the hunt was over in a matter of minutes - and the candy will probably be eaten by the time night falls this evening - I am convinced that my kids will never forget the love they have received from these older women of the church. They may not understand exactly what it means for an elderly woman to take the time to fill an Easter egg (and then hide it in a garden!), but they know what the love of Christ feels like - and they felt it today because of those precious women. 

A few of the sweet women who made it all happen.

 Now we have two more egg hunts to go! What a sweet time, indeed...

 (Lord, help us endure the sugar overload!)