Celebrate Easter Without the Easter Bunny

“He has Risen!” (Mat 28:6)

Easter symbolizes renewal and rejoicing. Winter is over; a new season is coming to life with glorious abandonment, unfurling and blooming before our eyes. It’s a time of great expectations and also a time for reflection. A perfect occasion for getting together with family and friends and reestablishing old connections.

1. Wake up early and greet the rising sun with praise and prayer.

Give praise for the newness of life and the joy of living in harmony with God’s creation. Say a prayer asking for strength and courage to live according to the Creator’s plan and the wisdom to appreciate and care for what He has entrusted to you.

2. Take a nature hike in the country or visit a city park nearby.

Focus on the beauty and the freshness of life as you stroll. If you have children with you share basic information about the various plants, trees and shrubs. Keep it brief and make it interesting. Use this time to emphasis the importance of recycling and taking care of our environment.

3. Share the story and meaning of Easter (birth, death and resurrection of Jesus) with someone you just met.

Keep the account brief and make the story interesting. Let the person you’re sharing with ask questions and relate their own viewpoint. Remember this is a time to share not to preach or create dissension.

4. Invite family and friends to your home for a meal.

Before or after the meal take turns reading the Easter story as recorded in Matthew chapters 26-28. Share what it means to you personally. Ask others to share their views as well. Other ideas for sharing include memories from your childhood and ways that you and your family celebrated Easter (include funny or surprising moments).

5. Volunteer a couple of hours at a homeless shelter.

Easter is after all a time of renewal. There’s no better way to celebrate a new beginning than by encouraging others that are struggling with past losses and are feeling disconnected and hopeless. Listen to their story without judgment and offer encouragement when appropriate.

The spirit of Easter (rebirth) can be celebrated everyday regardless of where you happen to be at any particular moment. Take a minute once or twice a day to breathe deeply, stretch, look up and around you and connect with the present. This moment will pass like all the others. Savor it while it lasts.

Please visit my website: www.grief-recovery.org to download FREE articles on healing from loss.

Love

Every action motivated by love,

Every word spoken with kindness,

Every smile given from the heart

Ascends to God–

As an offering of worship.

(c) 2014, Paulina R. Jaramillo

To read and download FREE articles and preview books on healing from loss 
please visit www.grief-recovery.org

Forgiveness

 

Quotes by famous authors on the subject of forgiveness

• “He who cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.” –George Herbert

• “It is vain for you to expect, it is impudent for you to ask of God forgiveness on your own behalf, if you refuse to exercise this forgiving temper to others. –Benjamin Hoadly

•  “I never forgive,” General Oglethorpe, said to the John Wesley. “Then I hope, sir,” replied Wesley, “that you never sin!”

• “We pardon as long as we love.” –de La Rochefoucauld

• “To err is human; to forgive, divine.” –Alexander Pope

• “Who from crimes would pardoned be, in mercy should set others free.” –Shakespeare

For additional information on forgiveness visit http://www.grief-recovery.org. My book, Life Interrupted: Grief Recovery Guide & Workbook, addresses various topics including: fear, depression, hurt, guilt. (“see inside” option and FREE articles also available.)

Our Refuge

“In the times of greatest struggle,

When the angry billows roll,

I can always find my Savior,

Christ, the Refuge of my soul.”

–Woodruff

To read and download FREE articles and preview books on healing from loss 
please visit www.grief-recovery.org

“Be Anxious For Nothing”

“Do not be anxious about anything,

But in everything,

by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving,

present your requests to God.”

 (Phil 4:6)

To read and download FREE articles and preview books on healing from loss 
please visit www.grief-recovery.org

What Or Who Will You Honor This Year?

The title above could be rewritten “what or who will occupy first place in your life?” Will it be faith in God and the plans He has for you? Or will it be a guilty conscious due to unconfessed sin?

Choosing to ignore our past behavior and running from reality rather than confessing our sins and accepting God’s forgiveness is like running at top speed with a hood over our head. Sooner or later we’ll run into a brick wall!  

Even then, God will remove the hood and carve a way through the barrier—IF we let him.

“All of us at one time or another come face to face with our past. And it’s always an awkward encounter. When our sins catch up with us we can do one of two things: run or wrestle.” Max Lucado

Paulina has a Master of Arts degree in Counseling. She conducts workshops on Healing From Loss and is the grief group facilitator at her church. Her book, “Life Interrupted; Grief Recovery Guide and Workbook” is available through Amazon and her website: http://www.grief-recovery.org.

2013 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,700 times in 2013. If it were a cable car, it would take about 28 trips to carry that many people. Click here to see the complete report.

Paulina has a Master of Arts degree in Counseling. She conducts workshops on Healing From Loss & is the grief group facilitator at her church. Her book, “Life Interrupted; Grief Recovery Guide and Workbook” is available through Amazon & her website: http://www.grief-recovery.org.