Easter Eggcitement!

My favorite holiday by far is Easter! Each February after all the Valentines stuff is cleared out and the Easter stuff starts filling the shelves I get so excited! It means that the dark gray winter is almost over, and that spring is just around the bend. Soon I'll get to see the grass again, maybe robins will return, and flowers will start to poke through the ground. What a lovely thought after a long cold wintertime each year. The pastel colors wash away the white and grey of winter. Adorable little animals can be found: chicks, ducks, bunnies either the real ones or stuffed toys and books about them and their adventures. I've always been fond of bunnies and ducks most especially! I had bunnies when I was younger for pet, and even when I was a little older. My buddy "Uncle Wiggly" spent about 3 years with me in my apartment until I learned that my husband to be was allergic :(

One of the other most favorite parts of Easter for me, has always been coloring easter eggs! From the time I was little I loved sitting around the table together making uniquely designed eggs. I learned that although an egg could quickly be dipped into a dye and change from it's plain white self, it was much more fun to let them soak in the dye until they were bright and vivid. We would always write messages on them, or draw pictures with the white crayon they included or just regular crayons. Sometimes they got decorated with stickers or we'd put together the cardboard scenes on the packages to display them. But I loved the parade of colors at the end. Sometime ago ( in my early 20's) I was contemplating the simple act of dying easter eggs and decided to write a little poem about it.

From white and plain to colored and bright
Thrown into places that didn't seem right
Experience and knowledge changes their shell
They'll never be boring again
They don't always turn out like we had planned
But they are always beautiful in the end

Julianna Truesdell 4-15-01

Simply stated but oh how true. Life takes us on paths that we never thought we needed to be on, but upon looking back we can be grateful for that journey. Like those eggs, we end up in places that we don't want to be, we get dropped into cup after cup of dye but it's not until we see the end result that we realize the beauty in it. So, I take a little Christian spin on this principle, Trust in God ( the master egg designer) to design your shell just right. Don't tell Him what color you want to take a dip in, trust in Him and he will lead you to beauty and happiness!

I hope during this Easter season we can all take a little time to reflect on the trials and challenges and struggles that we have each been through, and the beautiful scenic vistas they've unexpectedly lead to. Jesus Christ, came to earth, ministered among the people, shared the love from Father in Heaven, he healed those who had faith, he loved all of us enough to know that we would make mistakes along the way, that we would have pain and he suffered both in the Garden of Gethsemane and on that cross for each of us personally. He is my Savior. I know that although there are times when I try, I cannot do it alone. If it is has been a long time since you've sat down and pondered the message that He came here to share with us, or the meaning behind His resurrection in our own lives. I encourage you to offer up a prayer that you may find understanding, open up your Bible or Book of Mormon and learn of Him. He is the reason for true joy and celebration during Easter! And despite all the other stuff He is the reason that Easter is my absolute favorite! He brings renewal, he brings peace, he can turn your life from it's plain white shell into a vivid bright masterpiece. I pray that each of you can find the joy in this Easter and in the message that He brings.