GROWING SEEDS: "God Loves His PEEPS"

God Loves His PEEPS

Growing up, my parents made sure we were at church every time the doors were open.  And although our church believed in Easter and gave the usual Easter sermon, the only lead-up to Easter weekend in our home was a new white dress, new frilly hat and new shiny shoes.  

Oh.......and let's not forget the dyed hard boiled eggs.

How sad.

As an adult, I find Easter a mixed bag of fluffy bunnies and candy Peeps that compete for attention with the story of a young man being tortured to death so I could live forever.  Ya, I heard the story a hundred times over the course of my life, but did I "really" understand?  Did I "know" this young man that gave His life for me?  Or was it all about the dress?

Unfortunately, it was all about the dress for me growing up.  I shake my head, roll my eyes and beg for forgiveness when I think about my old priorities.  I only learned to "fear" God growing up.....I didn't actually get to know His Son and appreciate the sacrifice they both made for a well dressed little girl with a new hat and shoes who had a basketful of candy and dyed eggs in her hands. 

So sad.....

BUT now....... I "get" it.  I truly get it.  I don't believe it was any accident that Christ died and rose again in the Spring.....when, after the long hard winter, the earth warming up, the birds busy making nests and singing and the first of the year's flowers coming to life, that He also rose like a beautiful new daffodil pushing through the hard, dormant earth releasing new life again.  But this time, those daffodils called humankind, will never die when winter comes, so long as they never look away from the Son.  

That's the key to life.  

Never take your eyes off Him.....because like a flower without a gardener, you will wither and die without the individual care that only He, the Master Gardner, can give to each of us.

Springtime is a second chance for a NEW BEGINNING.......a second chance at PRIORITIES; a second chance to "GET IT RIGHT".  He died so we could have an undeserved second chance at ETERNITY with Him in a beautiful garden full of a magical new species of daffodils in brand new colors we've never seen before.  

Forget the dress; it's all about ETERNITY.

"Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. 

He loved us. 

He gave himself up for us. 

He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God." 

Ephesians 5:2