What Does Easter Mean to me Personally?

Easter has not always had as much meaning to me as it does now.

When I was younger, I loved everything about Easter.

I loved the stuffed bunnies, opening Easter eggs and trying out all of the flavors of jelly beans.

I love all of the Easter colors — baby pink, sky blue, grass green, lavender and dusty yellow.

I still love all of those things about Easter.

Since then, my heart has been changed.

This Easter weekend, I will meditate on the sacrifice of Jesus.

I will raise my voice to God in worship, thanking Him for sending His only Son so that I could be freed from the chains of sin and death.

However, Jesus’ death is not the end of the story. On the third day, Jesus rose again just as He said He would.

I will celebrate the risen Son of God, the Hope of the world and my everlasting Joy.

My God is alive.

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By JANIE GROSSMANN

Easter to me personally is a mix of lots of things all thrown together.

Chocolate, bright colors, church services and sunrises.

But there is also a feeling of overwhelming sadness to me.

It can be really difficult for me to want to read and picture what it was that the Lord went through here on Earth for me.

I know Easter should be a time of great joy and thankfulness, but it takes me an emotional rollercoaster to get there.

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By ROSS MUNROE

Being raised in a Christian household, Easter was always one of those fun holidays that I looked forward to as winter turned to spring.

For me it means family coming together to praise the Lord and recognize him being raised from the grave, conquering death and sin.

As a youth and teenager, I spent most of my Easter services at Webster Hills United Methodist Church in the mornings, listening to the beautiful songs performed by the choir and musicians, followed by a delightful lunch and egg hunt at my Grandmother’s house on my mom’s side.

But before the services and the lunch, of course, there was waking up to the freshly filled Easter basket.

It’s strange to think you believed such a silly thing as a kid but that’s all part of the fun, finding eggs, sharing the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, and spending quality time with loved family members.

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By JORDAN HALL

Growing up you always knew when it was Easter weekend in Marin City, California.

On Friday you would see families at Safeway, the local grocery store, getting ready for Easter Sunday, grabbing their Easter lamb to throw on the grill.

I would get the list from my grandpa, we would start in Richmond at the meat market then head back to Marin.

The day before Easter Sunday was prep day. The women hung out at my Grandma’s house preparing the food and cooking what needed to be cooked that night.

The men went down to my Grandpa’s house and I seasoned the meat, we played dominos and talked about past and the present.  

Easter Sunday I would get woken up at 7 a.m. by my Grandpa, who would be yelling from his wheelchair for me to meet him at my Grandma’s house.

I was always the sous chef for my him; I did everything while he grilled.

I did all the things a sous chef would do until my Grandpa passed away, then I really had to do it all.

We would grill while the rest of my family members were at morning service.

Families running around in their bright Easter colors, my little brother wearing his exclusive Easter edition shoes.

Sunday breakfast would come first then my sister and some other older family members would set up an Easter egg hunt.

The kids would go have fun doing that and by time they got back the table would be set outside with the food all in place.

Children, elders and women would make their plates first then men last; my Grandma would say grace and we would dig in.

Easter has always been about bringing the family together and enjoying each other’s company.

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By JACOB CRUMP

As the week builds up for Easter a lot goes through my mind.

The final days of Easter means that Lent is almost over and I can once again eat pizza or do whatever I chose to give up for those long and dreadful 40 days, but I also feel rejoiced and fulfilling for keeping my commitment and promise to God.

Then it is all about friends and family getting together for a massive Easter egg hunt and games along with some catching up.