well it's not long now to holy week and easter off course. Do you celibrate it?
Is it just an egg eating tradition in your house or do you still celibrate it as a majour event in christion religion calender?
What is the best part of Easter for you?

Have any of you been doing anything unusule or intresting for lent this year?

Below is the irish catholic charitie and their lent campaine this year, their been a bit of a fuss as the irish broadcasting corp has removed the add from air. Their silliness,

http://apps.trocaire.org/justworld/mod/trocaire/index.php

celtic

Good luck with your campaign Celtic Flame!
Yes, we always celebrate Easter.After all. it is a hallmark of our faith!We always go to church on Easter.We are Presbyterians. There is one particular sermon, I call it the Death Easter Sermon, I don't like it at all. It must be in some Pastor books because I have heard different pastors giving the same sermon.I think Easter is the most joyous event and I come out of the church all bummed out when I hear that one sermon!Sometimes I will be relieved when we walk into the church and I see who is giving the sermon because if it is the pastor who gave that Death sermon last year , I know he won't give it again this year!The worst thing is to try out a different church, go for Easter service , and then have the pastor give that sermon!

Every year we STILL dress up for Easter. But I never wear a hat.I'm not a hat person.Some Easters we would go to a fine Art Museum after lunch out (or breakfast or brunch) and enjoy the religious paintings.This was always a great learning experience for the kids.Some of the paintings would be very sorrowful and emotional for the kids.They would ask so many questions!
One great sadness for me is the fact my daughter, who is married and has a child, is not religious AT ALL. I don't think her and hus. have ever been in a church!But we all have a lifetime to find God and I am sure she will come around someday. I hope! But it is a shame for their child.I'm really wrestling with the fact their baby is not baptized.Having a problem with that but I KNOW I better not say anything more about it.Such is life!

Our neighborhood has an egg hunt the day before Easter. I used to put little furrie chicks in plastic eggs for that event for years.I must have a thousand little plastic eggs in my attic from all the egg hunts all 4 of my kids have particitpated in!

Celtic, I celebrate Easter as the beginning of spring, symbolizing birth and nature.

We decorate our house with hand painted Easter eggs hanging from a bouquet of pussy willows. Usually we have the family over and cook up a big Easter dinner. I also make Easter baskets full of goodies and give each basket to my sons and their wives.

The religious part is missing in my life. I'm afraid I have to admit that my religious beliefs have altered over the years. I believe in God, but I find my beliefs in Christianity are gone. I miss those beliefs. It was wonderful to let myself fall and feel held up by them. I'm sad about loosing my faith in that way, I truly wish I hadn't; but it would be blasphemous to force myself to act out a belief that isn't there, -- just for show.

I signed the petition. Thanks for posting the link. Only 2496 have signed so far. I'll be sending the link on to others I know would be interested.

My family celebrates Easter each year by dressing up and attending church. We come home from church and eat a big dinner which usually consists of honey glazed ham and scallopped potatoes, green bean casserole and cherry pie.

We let the children hunt colored eggs and usually have an Easter basket for each of them filled with candy and such.

I celebrate Easter mainly as the resurrection of Christ from the grave on the third day after His death. That's the other side of the story. The crucifixion leaves him on the cross, but Easter celebrates the risen Christ who is alive forever more and who sits at the right hand of God.

What a wonderful time of celebration, while I understand the Easter egg hunt is a pagan ritual and the Easter bunny is also a pagan belief, and that the Easter basket is also, I still let my grandkids participate in these things and explain the real reason for the celebration and that we have just taken those things which are fun to enjoy without their meanings behind them.

They understand and we have a great time!

well i larned something tonight i din't know the easter bunnie and egg hunt to be pagin in origin....and i am quite shocked. i dindn't know the conection as i assumed the whole egg tradision was to celibrate the rolling away of the stone. Still manie christion and pagan celibrasion co-incide with each other, christianitie replacing pagain celibrasions so the "people" don't miss out on the joy of whatever (at the time)...

BACKHANDGRIP i haven't thought of easter bonnets in such a while, i love hats....you mentioning of this brought some great meomories of my mum doing us bought woven hats but decorating them with little flowers etc.. they weer so delicate. mind you i din't have great hair untill i was 3 it was very fine my mum took me to hair dresser every 6 weeks to encourage it to grow lol....Now i have a great big mop of thik hair lol...once it was auburn and glowed in the son lol (minuse the gray thats shines now ah life eh! ya have to laugh)So i think she was also disguising my lack of hair when i was young but thats a diffrent storie loll bless her

HANILORE sounds like you have a great time, food and familie eh! the baskets sound great...your such a sweet woman. It also sounds like your a bit sad about the faith issue theirs a lot of advantiges to fitting into a religion and a lot to miss if you leave it...as you say but you got to be true to your hart and who knows weer your hart desires lead you in the end. Theirs a lot i miss about organised religion too.

I love easter, the cruxifiction makes me feel strange but i love the reserection the symbolisum and what it is litrily ment to stand for a time of hope and love ..

you know call me a grump if you like but i hate fighting my way past easter eggs in the shops, yea their symbolic but i wonder if people think or know the symbolisum at times.. Anyway lucien knows what chocolate is but he dosent know the eggs are chocolate yet lol...

celtic

My family observe Lent, Triduum and celebrate Easter as prescribed by the Catholic Church together with the usual chocolate egg as a treat for my grandchildren. My older grandson has started to serve at Mass and I am looking forward to his participation as an altar boy. He is only six and is the youngest in the group.

This year, the Jewish Passover coincides with the observance of Holy Week. The First Seder is closely followed by the celebration of Holy Thursday, the remembrance of the Last Supper. With the coincidence of the religious ceremonies of these two faiths, the reflection on the strong bond between the Jewish and Christian religions becomes all the more poignant for me because Jewish tradition played an essential role in the first Mass. It was on that particular Jewish Passover 2007 years ago that Jesus instituted the Sacerdotal priesthood and celebrated the first Eucharist Feast. It is on those two profound events, when Jesus celebrated the Passover with the Apostles, that I, as a Christian, will also ask particularly of Holy Thursday: "Why is this night different from any other nights?"

Lola, I'm so happy you mentioned the correlation between the Jewish celebration of Seder and the celebration of Easter. I've participated in a Seder meal and I was very moved. I have a deep respect and reverance for the Jewish faith and would support the state of Israel at most any cost as a Christian.

ps. Celtic, a little bit more info about the Easter Bunny and colored eggs:

In second century Europe, the predominate spring festival was a raucous Saxon fertility celebration in honor of the Saxon Goddess Eastre (Ostara), whose sacred animal was a hare. (BUNNY)

The colored eggs associated with the bunny are of another, even more ancient origin. The eggs associated with this and other Vernal festivals have been symbols of rebirth and fertility for so long the precise roots of the tradition are unknown, and may date to the beginning of human civilization. Ancient Romans and Greeks used eggs as symbols of fertility, rebirth, and abundance- eggs were solar symbols, and figured in the festivals of numerous resurrected gods.

Pagan fertility festivals at the time of the Spring equinox were common- it was believed that at this time, when day and night were of equal length, male and female energies were also in balance. The hare is often associated with moon goddesses; the egg and the hare together represent the god and the goddess, respectively.

Yep, all things are ours, but not all things are good for us so we take those things we want to and leave the rest.

isent it strange that the egg etc as you mention NEWLAF is of the symbolisum of rebirth and new life. When thats exactly what the resereaction means to me....after death theirs life, rebirthing into another world closer to god...thats some of the message i take from the reserection of christ.

How long has it been lola (anyone) 96-97 was that the last time their was such a big coincidances between jewish and easter po telling me thats the last yar as on that year she also managed the jewish feast (due to the closness) Isent it great we get to participate in another religion and find common ground.

Alterboy at 6 awwwwww sweet you must be so proud of him..(is that the one that just made his communion, has to be eh!)Hope he dose well and the nerves don't get to him

first Eucharist Feast, still being followed today (for those that do take comminion or as part of their religion to)...others don't and it funnie what part of the tradision or events of those times get pick up on and maintained.

for you LOLA why is Why is this night different from any other nights?" whats your take on things??? is it of morning the loss of christ from the earth into heaven/or the joy of the example of everlasting life) or (not that you keep me up all night with my head chattering about Mary and her prediciment/sorrow, i did that to myself eh! lol) lol....i shouldn't chat about such things so late at night, or do you know what maybee I should, when else do i get time to think, without the child wanting something or his TV or music or toys lol...

Is their anyone jewish willing to write about this time from within their religion and from their perspectiv.

PS lola the nights are fair drawing in, and i have an aura aw round me. (the big yins referances just in case ya think i have flipped aye)

loved celtic

The institution of the Holy Eucharist is what makes Holy Thursday different from any other nights, Celtic. The Consecration of the Eucharist at Mass by a priest "in persona Christi" is the most tangible, unbroken link to Jesus and bears His direct expression and gestures at that particular Passover meal 2,007 years ago.

backhand, I am also a Presbyterian. I was raised Catholic and switched in the early 80s. One thing I'm doing for Lent is attending our Friday mid-day services. I've been to two thus far and hope to atten the last couple. It's a very intimate service with few attending. The messages are about getting to know Christ. There is lovely organ and/or piano music, handbells and soloists. It's short, sweet and very powerful.

I've been taking my journal. Yesterday I wrote several poems about Jesus and my relationship. I love worshipping in such a peaceful, majestic place.

Celtic, thanks for starting this post.

Do any of you have the habit of giving things up for Lent? We did that as kids. We gave up soda, chocolate, and other things like that. Yesterday, the minister talked about us giving ourseves up instead of things. He asked how we could sacrifice ourselves for the good of others. He then related that Jesus of course, sacrificed himself for us. I love all the connections.

Lola, I'm not Catholic, but doesn't that mean the same thing as, I can't think of the word for it, but where the communion wafer actually becomes the physical body of Christ?

Dotsie, I agree that quiet reflection and connection just between you and Christ can be the most powerful and moving experiences of our whole lives.

That's one thing I never knew was possible until much older, that I could have Christ as my best friend, most intimate relationship of my life, and could confide anything to Him because He knows it already anyway and loves me anyway.

The institution of the Holy Eucharist is what makes Holy Thursday different from any other nights, LOLAS QUOTE

I thought their was something else as well going on on that night, thats why i thought you had put it as a question LOLA

Thats when the first "take off this and eat it for etc"....was started and remaines untill this day with catholics (first Eucharist Feast)

NEWLEAF the litrial interpritasion that the wine and unleven bread becomes the bodie and blood of christ, so yes your right...So when you take comminion its litriallie thought of as the bodie and blood of...hence why confesion is so important so that your free of sin and fit to take the Eucharist (comminion wafier)via communion. After mass the prist has to eat what has been left over (as i heard) as it has become sacred.

i started doing somethig this lent dotsie, the gratitude thread helped me rember to brush up on that...Some other wee things but their a bit more of a personal nature so not reallie for the boareds.

QUESTION..the protestents faiths that take communion do they also belive it is the bodie and blood? Or what is their take on it...

backhandgrip: Death Easter Sermon, it sounds like something you don't look forwared too...happie hunting for the right minister this year...

celtic

Hi, Newleaf: Catholics believe in a corporeal, substantial presence of Christ in the Eucharist. It is not just a spiritual presence or "real presence". The whole Christ is present: body, blood, soul, and divinity. It is the Doctrine of Transubstantiation.

Yes, Thank you Lola! I couldn't think of the name, Transubstantiation.

Celtic, protestants don't believe that the wafer becomes the actual body or being of Christ. We partake of the communion as a sacred remembrance of the sacrifice Christ made for us. It is a most Holy Communion and not to be taken lightly-at all! I always ask for forgiveness of any unclean thing in my life and in reverent thankfulness take the wine and bread.

Oh, and protestants believe in the symbolic bread=body, wine or grape juice=blood, and that Christ wouldn't ask us to sin and to us to eat the flesh and drink the blood of another is cannabilism.

Just a difference in looking at a tradition. But it doesn't matter how you look at it or interpret it, its still the most Holy Communion and Sacred to all Christian faiths.

We go to church and the rest of the day is spent with our
family and relatives. I usually make the Easter baskets
and goodies for all the grandkids : )

cindy

I haven't done Easter baskets for years now. I finally decided my kids were too old for that. My daughter still colors eggs, a ritual I always hated when my kids were little because of the mess it made. We were out yesterday and I was looking at baskets and thinking of making them for the grandchildren, but I think they are too young still. My daughter asked what I would put in Katie's basket? Since I didn't have a clue and the other two are 8 monhts and 20 months, I scrapped that idea. Two of them are too small for eggs or chocolate bunnies and none of them need another stuffed toy.

But, we will be going to my daughter's for Easter dinner.

Dotsie, I used to give things up or Lent, but stopped doing that a long time ago.

I work in a Jewish nursing home. We have all faiths though and a lot of non-Jewish residents now. They have services for both and every year they do a Seder that family members attend.

Transubstantiation, as lola named and explaine a lot more fullie than i did.....NL QUOTE that Christ wouldn't ask us to sin and to us to eat the flesh and drink the blood of another is cannabilism.END QUOTE.

cannabilism...i have certinly never though of it as canibilisum or interprited communion in that way. Within this faith (catholosisum)it's ment to of been a direct action based on what christ said and did at that last supper, thats why is done and he asked that it be done that spacific way...in his memorie...

I would agree with you (NL) that religions intrprite tradisions from the original "last supper" in a varieity of ways or some litrialy and some not as litrialiy. One of the many variences between the christion religions. Perhapps this helps people decide for themselfs what strand of christianity they want to follow...

within catholisisum easter is the most important time for taking communion and attending a mass. It used to be that if you didn't attend at that time then you could be ex-communicated from the religion.....i am unsure weather it is still so in this day and age.....LOLAs more than liklie know the answere to this.

QUESTION arn't their some protestant religions that don't take or offer communion at all, some I know off that do it mounthly and not weekly as in catholisium (or at every mass)....maybee i was ther on the "Not doing" weeks.

LOUISA....what do you put in the baskets why they so messie? Is their a tradisonal way you do the baskets as i never had one , that i rember....

having food with mates a great way to celibrate easter, or most anything for that matter.

celtic

DOTSIE..i rember earlier that you explained how and why you came around to changing religions, sometimes it reads as if you still manage a little of both (in the last post heer on god it sounded like you weer refrincing the creed).....If i am not mistaken how do you manage to practice both religions?...Is it a juggling match or do you split your time eaquillie between them?...Or dose it come down to what is being celibrated as to which you attend...

celtic

Celtic, I don't know. I think all Christian religions observe communion whether its once a week or once a month...

I haven't found too many fundamental differences in the denominations of Christianity. We all seem to be on the same page regarding the Holy Trinity, the ordinance of Baptism (whether sprinkling as an infant or the adult decision to be baptized after accepting Christ), the observance of Easter, Christmas, etc.

I would feel comfortable in any protestant or Catholic church. As a matter of fact, I've regularly attended all sorts of flavors of Christianity. Catholicism seems to be very ritualistic and more concerned about legalism, but with a refreshing devotion to their belief system, and from that end of the spectrum you can go all the way through to the other end and everything in between to Episcopal or Methodist which seem to have accepted just about anything to keep their denomination afloat. (personal observation) I have a cousin who is a Methodist pastor and he and his wife are trying to bring their denomination back to a more traditional belief system.

Then there are some who claim to be Christian religions which, in fact, are not at all. I won't name those but they come door to door more often than most and are mostly works based. They think only a few people are going to Heaven and they want to make sure its them by going door to door and working real hard.

Mostly I think it just depends on the individual, how they were raised, what their level of relationship to Christ is, how close they are to Him, their tastes in music, worship, and other factors but all good.

yea in NI the troubles or fighting and terrorist activitie have been based in one of two broad camps but both christion based. The religion is what is generallie used to assine one or the other to one of the camps. In realitie one religion was descriminated agenst in terms of power housing, voteing etc. It reallie dosent come down to the diffrences within the christion religion....but at first glances that is how it can appear and what soom people stick to the "rightness" within their own strand, which is a bit sad. Unfortunitly (dependiing how you look at things)very few people go or will regulary go to diffrent strands that are avalible to them out off all the christian. Maybee it's diffrent in the usa or diffrent parts of the uk than heer.

When i was younger i moved about about , so going to a place of worshop in a new town turned out to be one of the other formes of christianity. All the way through i keept thinking well thats not how it usulie been done (something strange heer but did not leave) but it seemed familure enough, untill it came to communion, which was so diffrent their was no mistaking i was not in my typical practice. Thats when i twigged.

So yea i gess for all to be classed as "christin" then their has to be fundamental similarities between all the diffrent strands, as you weer saying. (trinity, holie spirite etc.)and perhapps less diffrences....

I am still waiting for CASY to say more about the christion church that dosen't think christ diead for humankinds sin..I would like to hear their interpritasion of things.

I also learned that that church only gave communion onnce a mounth....so if i had have been their any other Sunday i wouldn't have witnessed any form of communion. Which at the time i wouldn't have understood at all. So yea i agree their a lot of similarities between the diffrent strands, The number is about 15 differn't forms of christianity if i rember right....then their is those other forms of christianity that you talked about. I know their based around christ but their holie book was devined in a diffrent way....(by your description i can think of 2 such diffent orginasasions that fit that descripsion, that work from within NI )I still thought that they weer generallie classed as christion. Even by other christion religions, even in a lose way.

Methodist over in this part of the world are quite strickt, from what i rember, maybee their is a geographical diffrence...

The vatican should have a unifiying effect throught catholisisum but their still diffrences amounst uk and say spain....in terms of belife or attitude (in small ways).

Within a protestant religion say, (as what you would know best) Baptist is their some type of similare bodie that serves to regulate the belifes on a global level, or throught the whole of the usa or just state wide?

celtic

Newleaf: You made me smile with your reference to cannibalism. It is not the first time that our celebration of the Eucharist has been referred to as such and Catholics have grown accustomed to it. The Doctrine of Transubstantiation and the mystery of faith attached to it is exclusive to Catholics. As much as I would like to discuss this more broadly here, the nature of forums restrict that, apart from the fact that our doctrines and dogmas require imprimaturs in order that those we would wish to discuss with non-Catholics require to bear "nihil obstat" i.e. without error. I can however, in the simplest way, offer the following:

1215 (4th Lateran Council): The body and blood (of Jesus Christ) are in the sacrament of the altar truly contained under the species of bread and wine; the bread having been transubstantiated into the body and the wine into the blood by divine power (potestate divina).

There are many fundamental differences between the Catholic Church and other denominations of Christianity. The former rests on the amalgamation of scriptures and sacred traditions: the Sacraments, the Virgin Mary, praying to the Saints, Purgatory, the Papacy and its infallibility, the Code of Canon Law, etc. Other Christian groups are more sola scriptura (scripture alone) and scriptura prima (scriptures firstly). It is on this basis that the schism from the Catholic Church have occurred.

I believe that there are differences between the Catholic and Protestant faiths. I cannot pretend there are not as I feel it would not be ecumenical. Personally, for me to grasp true ecumenism is to understand others as they really are, their beliefs as they really are so that I can appreciate what is truly ecumenical, which is, to get around the differences to see what commonality there is and to cooperate based on that commonality. And there are layers upon layers of these. I hope and trust that all of us can continue to learn from each other. There is much room for honest and good-natured discussion of our differences. How appropriate it is and the better it serves the Lenten season and Easter to discuss these.

Hi, Celtic: Non-attendance at Easter Mass would go against the Fourth Precept of the Church i.e. attendance and participation at Mass on Holy Days of Obligation. I do not think non-attendance would suffice for excommunication, unless of course conduct is heretical or perhaps grave in that manner. I also do not think that the Church would impose a moral and spiritual burden on the faithful if one's circumstances make it impossible to attend Easter Mass. Perhaps, whereas before, the sick and infirm would obviously be excused, geographical locations, amongst a few others, can also be treated as posing impossibility. There are fewer priests now and in some areas, it would take to hike miles to just get to the closest Church.

ouch LOLA

you are such a joy and a welth of information. I certinly trust your knowlage base...you are a true tresure and put stuff accross so well. I think you one of the people i luckie enough to know that trulie lives your spirituality.

in relastion to easter attendances of mass i may of picked it up wrongly due to my age (young) and intrpritasion, If you rember when we weer younger also prist had a graver or more sterner way off putting informasion across. I may of gotten it from their. In any resepects thats something i belived in all this time and for that reason always had a sence of deeper sadness that i didn't attend at that time.
So thanks for that bit of info. As well as the rest its good to discuss generallie and clear up misunderstanding or promote a better awarness of "the others" or "anyother religion"

thanks celtic

Lola, wow, seems you have read and intend to adhere to the strict teachings and Pharasaical leanings of the law pertaining to the Old Testament. The Catholic church in order to propigate itself (which requires money to put it bluntly) requires that its constituency not have access to the pure interpersonal interpretation of the Bible, but instead have the constituent dependent and wholly in need of interpretation by the priest or other ordained head of the Catholic Church whereas, protestantism demotes and thus irradicates the necessity for a priest or ordained minister of the faith as having any more authority than the believer to change the bread and wine into flesh and blood or any other metaphysical metamorphasis.

Protestantism allows and encourages the individual to come boldly before the throne of grace to accept all authority given to Christ as their own as ascribed by God. When CHrist was crucified and the curtain in the Holy of Holies was rent, that was the symbol that no longer would mankind be shackled to the priesthood. Now mankind can decide for himself whether or not he will accept Christ and can without aide of priest come before the lap of God and ask forgiveness of sin and believe without any doubt that forgiveness has been accepted and forgotten. Total acceptance is the reward of the post crucifiction Cristian. No longer under the law.

And, Celtic, God looks on the heart of an individual. He examines your heart, not your activity to see if you are one of His or not. In other words, He loves you and doesn't want you to perish.

i know about the love and also agree god dosne't want anyone to perish this life or the next, theirs no argument their and becomes the point or message of all religions.

Regarding the hart, intension to hurt or not to hurt can be a big considersion in wrongdoing. God will know the intensions of people before the people do in some instancies.

However I also belive in the action of people as of being importances to the devine. In some respcts it has to matter as your bound by a faith that requires a lot of do's and don'ts. Indicating that action is also of importances. It depends what do's and don't you accept and theas may varie in accordances to ones religion.

In the end all religons and worship of god is to be celibtated regardless of religion, in church out of church, in doors out doors etc. Perhapps its just a matter of faith and belife how you choise to worship and if one belongs to a religion or not....None of us actulie know what the end result of life will be but those within a religion belive as the religion dictates, more ofton or not (some acept the bible as "thee" sacred text some don't. In the end we can arguee one way or another and it says no more than "this is what i belive"....the rest remains to be descovered.

I agree Newleaf. God wants only the best for his children and is there always to forgive and to love us unconditionally. Knowledge of that keeps me sane when the world seems to have gone mad around me.
Since I quit that stinking phone job and gave my life totally and without reservation, over to Jesus Christ, I have never been happier, been busier or earned more money of which a percentage is offered to God right off the top...As Celtic says we all believe in our own way, I say thats fine, so long as we believe. God Bless!

Wow, Chatty, that's fantastic. I was sort of forced into that place of no where else to turn but God. I'm the most stubborn, mule headed woman on the planet. And, trust is a big issue for me.

So when I basically got kicked out of my house for letting my grandaughter move in and didn't have anywhere to go and not much money, God provided a house for us. He really did. I've never been happier or more thankful in my life than I am right now.

I'm just overwhelmed sometimes when I let myself think that someone as great and magnificent as God could even think about me, let alone care about me and mine and provide a home for us. Sometimes I just want to cry and I'm NOT the crying type but I'm so grateful. I was terrified at the prospect of being homeless. Apartment complexes now want everything but your bloodtype on the application. Houses to rent are $975 a month and up. I didn't know what to do.

I need to make more money and I'm working on it but I know God will provide the money too.

I keep thinking about that story of the disciple who went to the poor widow's home and asked her for her last meal because he was hungry. She told him all she had was a little flour and some olive oil. She said that she and her son were going to eat that last little bit and then die. The disciple ate the meal she fixed and then her olive oil and flour never went dry from that day on. For some reason I'm supposed to learn something from that story since I can't get it out of my head.

Looks like I missed a good discussion.
Keep it going, please.

Its probably wrong of me, but I don't tithe. I've asked God about it and as He well knows, I don't make much money and what I do make goes to pay for things like electricity and a car to drive, food to eat and the like. But I look at my life right now as my contribution to charity as each day I offer at least 10% and many, many times more of myself to others in whatever way I can especially to members of my own family.

I could be wrong in that, but I don't feel bad about it. There again, it seems like a legalistic burden to me. Am I wrong here?

GIMSTER good to see you back. i noticed you been absent or just not posting for a few days, maybee just reading. Hope all has been well with you

celtic

Hi Gimster, hope all is well. You know who I've been missing also? Meredithbead. Haven't heard anything out of her for a while. Hope all is well with her also.

yea Meredithbead not been about since the begining of febuary....

celtic

yea Meredithbead not been about since the begining of febuary....

celtic..

what is an easter basket....seriouslie do you ake the basket yourself.....i am about demented becouse i dont know and keep asking lol....

god, thinks he sees what we do in life...and living a good life helping our naibours is what most religons try to have us do....so its got to count for something...
Lots of people heer dont go to service or mass but still have a relasionship with god...Some people dont reallie belive in a god at all....hopfullie some of the descusions and stuff help you decide what your relashionship is if you want one that is....I did see some programe on tv weer they were talking about faith having some genetic link, cant't rember the ins and outs of the programe now unfortunitilie...

hope the visit with the grandaughter goes well, how old is she...?

Celtic...as I understand it, most all the Christian holidays are taken from pagan rituals. It was easier to merge the two and have the populas accept Christianity.

I celebrate the Resurrection but not Lent. Just wasn't brought up to even know what Lent was and now it doesn't seem to matter to me.

This is the first year in a while that the Protestant and Orthodox religions celebrate the Resurrection on the same Sunday.

I'm going to services on St. Martin this year and am hoping to take my friends with me.

The Easter basket is a tradition mostly, I think. We always put together toys, candy, fruit, crayons, coloring book, etc. and set the baskets up by their bedsides the night before Easter.

They would wake up on Easter morning to find them.

I have an Easter story. When my daughter, Alicia, was only one month old, she became suddenly very ill and wouldn't stop vomiting. I called the doctor who told me to rush her to the hospital.
They entered her in the hospital, this tiny, tiny little baby wrapped in a blanket and so ill. I was frantic, beside myself. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her. When she cried it sounded reedy and weak. I couldn't even hold her because I was overcome with fear, the fear of losing her.

A wonderful nurse came to sit with us and stayed until Alicia fell asleep. I couldn't sleep all night and prayed and prayed..with all my heart for her to live.

This was a Catholic hospital. This all happened on Easter Eve by the way. At dawn the next morning I saw the shadow of three crosses on the hospital room wall and was reminded of the love Christ has for my little one.

I felt that He told me she would be alright and He comforted me. She woke up and was much better. That's one Easter I'll never forget.

thata a nice tradition for the kids at easter time,....

hospitals especillie weer kids are sick and theirs worrie is always the place weer i had those types of experinces aswell. Its nice to be reasured especillie when we in deep need....

THISTLE COVE FARM

hi not sure i meet you before but you obviouslie been around a fair bit...

yea the meging of fests dose make it easier for one set of people to accept another ideologie, especillie when they dont lose out on a fest...

I'm not even sure if the date we choose to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ is chronologically correct. Probably not. But its a good time to celebrate and remember the sacrifice but more than that,to me, the example of eternal life and the promise of more to come for those of us who worship and serve.

dose it matter if it is chronoligically correct? probablie is not as it be hard to tell the time of year.....either way its not that important is it???? its more the point of the reserection thats cool,.....

and for none christions and those around nature based religions the turning of the year into a new phaze, also new life i gess...

either way its all good, isen't it??

Either way its good, I guess, different strokes and all that. Changing seasons are a good thing.

What's everyone doing for Easter?

We will attend church with our two kids (who will be home) and also my FIL. Then we're having brunch here for Ross's family. That's as far as we've gotten. Still trying to figure out how I'll see my family.

How about you?

Well, as far as I'm concerned the chronological date doesn't matter. I personally celebrate the "gift" everyday and in every way.

I don't know what we are going to do this year for Easter. Its next Sunday, so I'll probably be very tired from working all night. We'll go to church and out to eat and then whatever.

The only holiday my family really goes all out for is Christmas. The others are nice and some are for good reasons others are not, but we just roll with the flow and take the opportunity to get together as a family and celebrate our love for each other.

well might be going into the hart of county tyron, for po sister....if not then it be a sunday heer and might take l to a mass, as their nice for kiddies and adults but especillie nice for kiddies, well untill they give him chocolate..hmmm.. i will have to pin a note to his shirt saying DO NOT FEED CHOCO MONSTER.

Oh ladies and happie passover for those that celibrate it and thanks for reminding me i almost forgott....

I would also like to wish our Jewish sisters a blessed Passover. Shalom.

last night my daughter and I had the precious honor of celebrating Seder with "foundhervoiceatlast".

It was such a wonderful and beautiful evening.

You won't believe the work she poured into it.

It was the first time my daughter and I met her boys - oh my goodness are they something. They had me almost peeing my pants.

If you've never attended a Jewish Seder -I highly reccomend it!

danita

Happy Passover, Jewish sisters! We celebrate with you and celebrate the blood which symbolized the crucifixion and ultimate price paid for escaping eternal death.

To your Christian step brothers and sisters the blood on the doorpost symbolized the ultimate death and resurrection of Christ paying the price for the first born which is/are the chosen ones, the Jews.

I pray the blood on my doorpost everyday as proof that the death angel will pass over my home and those I love.

Dear bws...
Here's hoping everyone has a blessed, wonderful, Happy Easter.
B. Rose

I am just getting ready to leave for church.(Kirk in Scotland)
Easter is a joyous time for me.Good Friday is sad and reflective.
Personally I see each Good Friday and Easter as a time for personal reflection.
We hard boil and decorate eggs then roll then down a hill.Also gift chocolate eggs.
Mountain ash

yea we gonna do the same today....having a dinner not lunch...and a frend to share it. Lucien unfazed hes not had his egg yet its the first years hes gonna have one as he dosent usullie get chocolate but little bits wont do him harm or me lol...
his nursierie been making cards and bunnies and chickes etc..so he knows the word easter but i dont think the nurserie takled the meaning of the holiday/celibrasion...

hope you all have a great day with frends or familie or alone whatever you are doing...celibrating easter or not

Happy Easter!
Happy Passover!
Happy Day!

Celtic, you're right, a little bit of chocolate never hurt anyone!

Right...here is the craic(carry on)...Celtic is napping as is the wee man...I, on the other hand.... preparing the feast . One honey roast ham and one side of roast beef lovingly prepared and ready for the oven..oven is heated...I go to place said food in oven and as I open the door..the outer part comes off in my hand!!! Like what!!! So I set it to one side because I can clearly see that it won't set back on to the inner door and proceed to close the inner door...just to see if it will still work the fan....now
I have to prize open the darn thing with a knife when I want check how things are comming along!!!
Heres hoping your Easter meals are all going a bit easier than this household.

Oh...what is a gal to do???

Popea

Oh aye...have a great day ladies...

Po

Happy Easter. Check out the 2007 State Easter Eggs as seen at the White House Visitor Center!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/easter/2007/eggsbystate/#

Happy Easter Mustang and thanks for a lovely site. What talented artists. Has the Queen seen the Tennessee egg yet?

despite the outer oven door falling off "it just came away in my hand" the dinner went great and lucien was eatting meat from the plates as i was carving lol thats the first hes done that and thought rost beef was great...he had his first egg wich had mr potato head and he played with that for hours ohing and aaing and shouting oh no, helppppp to spiderman 2...

well that was our day did yours go to plan?

Happy Easter to all! A day late but it's still Easter Bank Holiday here.

Celtic, the oven door fell off? Jeez they can fly to the moon but ... oh well. We cooked roast beef too! We had asparagus, baked potatoes and lots of different salads as side dishes. My son baked us a delicious carrot cake with nuts in it. Oh so good.

Lucien sounds adorable. Did you hide Easter eggs for him?

The whole family (14 people) went to church together, (that's very unusual), and afterwards all came over for dinner including three giant volley ball players (from New Zealand, Brazilien and Australia). They were all so much fun and even cleaned the kitchen for me. It was warm enough, so we could eat our cake outside.

I didn't think our granddaughter was old enough (13 months) to understand that she had to look for the eggs in the garden, ... but little do I know; she caught on immediately. It didn't take long, and she looked like a chocolate bunny herself, with chocolate in her hair, on her nose, dripping down her chin and over her pink sweater. She was in heaven. (And we got the chocolate out of the sweater.)

Oh I forgot to say…My feet were hurting so much, I think my toes were screaming. That's the last time I wear heels when we have a dinner party, I swear, my granddaughter thought my toes were Easter eggs, they were so swollen and red.

Today I simply laid around and literally recovered. You could have found me slopped over the kitchen table, then the dining room table…and then the deck chair grabbed me and didn't let me go. It was wonderful. Wednesday our little grandchild will be with us for a week…I'm just building up my energy again. (At least that's what I've been telling Hubby.)

Hannelore, I want in on your family celebrations. You sound like you have so much fun together.