Easter Memories

When I think back on some Easter memories, one that pops out is that my mother made the cutest Easter egg tree that I've ever seen! She blew the eggs out and colored them. I don't know how she did it, but each egg was perfectly cut in half and dyed. She then got a branch (manzanita) and cleaned it up, put it in a container, then proceeded to decorate each egg half. Mom used rickrack, ribbon, lace and bows to fancy each little egg 'basket' to hang on the manzanita tree. She added 'grass' and even put a few jelly beans or candy in each one of the eggs, and tied bows on the branches as well. It was quite the centerpiece! Other memories are of picnics out in the hills, away from city life. The food she packed was so yummy (doesn't everything taste better on a picnic, anyway?) Sometimes we went to the mountains with our basket of goodies, but wherever it was, we enjoyed being together as a family to celebrate Easter. Some of the all-time-favorite food items were: potato salad, deviled eggs, and ham sandwiches. Usually there were pickles, olives, chips and some sort of dessert, too. It all makes me long for those fun times and my mouth is starting to water just thinking about the good food. I have tried to make the holidays special for my own children through the years, enjoying some of the same traditions. One that they will probably remember is the Easter egg hunts. We celebrated the 'bunny' on Saturday, saving Sunday for the real reason we celebrate this holiday. When I was teaching Primary, I found a cute idea and shared it with my class to help them remember the true meaning of Easter--putting a crescent roll around a marshmallow and baking it, symbolizing the tomb of Christ. When the roll is baked, the marshmallow has disappeared--He is not here, but has risen! I hope that we all remember the true meaning and thank our Savior for His infinite Atoning Sacrifice for us and resurrection that makes it possible for us to live again. I know He lives!

I love these majestic beauties...I also had purple irises earlier this year. Exquisite!

Just thinking...

The last few days I have been doing a lot of thinking. It must be that's it's Spring and renewal is in the air...or something like that. I have been reflecting on many things, but one in particular is personal revelation. In our Stake Relief Society, the theme for the year has been Personal Revelation: Scriptures, lamps, and liahonas. It is a time of learning how to receive and recognize personal revelation. Personally, I have had many experiences and cherish them all. Many miracles have come about in my life and the lives of my loved ones through the years, even recently. But it seems like the windows of heaven have opened up wide lately and have been pouring out blessings galore. I have really enjoyed perusing the internet and finding numerous blogs and testimonies of LDS women who share their knowledge and talents with the rest of us. I so appreciate them! General Conference was especially wonderful and personal this April, too! I love the gospel and its truths. I love that we can sit in the comfort of our homes and listen to a prophet's voice and feel the spirit and find peace in their wisdom. I love the knowledge that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real and that they love each one of us and know us by name. I love that we can, with the click of a mouse, re-listen to the many talks that were given. The music was so beautiful and soothing and spoke to my soul. Visualizing the sound of people singing together in praise to Heavenly Father and wondering what the impact of that was/is, I can barely keep from getting emotional just thinking about that. We live in such a wonderful dispensation--full of hope, miracles, turmoil, trials, and privilege! I feel bad for the many people affected by the disasters throughout the world, but am so grateful that I live in this time when we have the restored gospel on the earth. I love the Savior and I'm so grateful for His love and willingness to die so that we might live! I can be reunited with those loved ones that have passed on and it will be a joyous occasion, let me tell you! There are so many things going through my head that I can't write them all, but I wanted to at least get these few thoughts down...to be continued, I'm sure. :)