Eternal Life
Easter was always a special time growing up. I was born and raised Catholic and have lots of fun and happy Easter memories of going to church in a frilly dress, new white shoes, matching purse and hat. I loved the excitement of hunting for Easter eggs after church with my brother and sisters and one year even won an Easter egg hunt at the park and came home with a huge basket of goodies. Our house was always filled with love and laughter as everyone sat around the dinner table enjoying a big Ham dinner with all the fixings.
The good news of Easter is the promise of Eternal life. I never really thought much about life after death until both my parents passed away. Being a Christian means walking by faith and not by sight, my entire religious upbringing solidified that fact. Have faith. I never questioned it, I simply believed.
My father passed away almost 10 years ago. Some days it seems like yesterday… That was by far the most challenging time of my life. He was superman to me; the first man I loved, the first man to hold my hand and the first man that told me he loved me. He was a blue collar worker all the way, hard working, he said it like it was. He was the best.
The week that he died it seemed like every day would be “the day.” I spent that final week by his side non-stop. One day he looked at me and said,
“Karin, I’m dying.” I said, “I know dad, it’s ok… You’ve been a great dad its ok to go…” He said his mom was in the room with us and she had been there all week. A few days later as I sat next to his bed, he leaned over and whispered eight words that changed my life forever.
“My body is dying, but I am not.”
My body is dying but I am not! What? I could not believe my ears! In the darkest point of my life, my father had just given me the greatest gift ever; proof positive that we will all live on, long after the physical body gives up. I had faith my whole life that this was true and it was so powerful to hear it from him. He passed away the next day and honestly I feel so close to him still. Six months later my mother passed away too, married for fifty years, she wanted to be with him.
Our Easter traditions have changed quite a bit since I was a kid. This year we will celebrate Easter with our family of grown up kids, friends and grandchildren at the Happiest Place on Earth! On Easter Sunday we’ll be riding the rides and watching a parade and then we’ll all gather around a big wooden table at the Grand Californian for Easter dinner. There will be laughter and love as we count our blessings of health and happiness and I’ll sent a little prayer of gratitude to those who have gone before us and now watch over us, loving the Easter message that one day we will see our loved ones again. “Even though we will die, we will also live.”
Happy Easter everyone ????
Karin xx
