I couldn’t resist taking Jackson to have his photo made with a real bunny, baby ducks, and chicks! I was a little nervous about how the photo shoot would go. He tends to grab our dog (after all, he’s a boy!) and I didn’t want him to torment the animals. I also prayed we’d make it through a photo shoot without crying.
We got to our photographer’s house and her son was sitting on the couch holding the bunny. Jackson spotted the furry friend and smiled SO big! He absolutely loved the animals and was actually very gentle with them. Only once did he give the rabbits ear a good tug. 🙂
Jackson definitely liked the animals, but he also loved the sugary, sweet, Peep that mama let him eat! He was a sweet, sticky, mess!
Of course, the Easter bunny and Peeps don’t represent the true meaning of Easter. This Sunday is about more than colored eggs and chocolate bunnies. It’s about the greatest gift humanity has ever received. Easter is about redemption. Parts of the story are ugly – thorns, blood, nail-scarred hands, cruelty. But God is a God who makes all things new. He brings beauty from ashes. The Easter story is hope. It’s an empty tomb, a Risen Savior. Without Easter, we would have no hope.
This year, The Jesus Storybook Bible will be in Jackson’s Easter basket. It’s words and vibrant photos portray the story of that glorious day so beautifully.
At the first glimmer of dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other women headed to the tomb to wash Jesus’ body. The early morning sun slanted through the ancient olive trees, drops of dew glittering on the leaves and grasses – little tears everywhere. The friends walked quietly along the hilly path, through the olive groves, until they reached the tomb. And immediately noticed something odd – it was wide open.
They peered through the opening into the dark tomb. But wait. Jesus’ body was gone!
And something else: a shining man was there, with clothes made from lightning.
“Don’t be scared,” the angel said.
But (they couldn’t help it) they screamed anyway.
The angel asked them, “What are you doing here? This is a tomb and tombs are for dead people.”
The women couldn’t speak.
“Jesus isn’t dead anymore!” he said. “He’s alive again!”
And their hearts leapt. And then the angel laughed with such gladness that they felt, for a moment, as if they had woken from a nightmare.”
May you experience the peace and glory of Jesus Christ this Easter!