Nick and I met his family for 8 AM mass on Easter morning. The Easter story is the same everywhere for me, but truly I probably would have rather go to my church... but, it's about being with family. I haven't gone home for an Easter in ages. When I was a reporter the news never stopped so I never went home. I didn't think too much about it, but since it is a family holiday I did miss my Dad a bit. As long as they had a good time in West Texas that is the most important thing. The Gray family had Mr. Bennett and Libby over for breakfast after church. They are so inspiring. Mr. Bennett and his wife... who are Nick's godparents... had eight children!!! I love to hear his stories. Libby is the youngest of the eight at 32... She is married and lives in Houston. I was asking her a million questions since I'm an only child. It is so inspiring to hear how they lived and how they are so close now. They had one brother who had been quarreling with another and was sent to his room. Somehow he accidentally hung himself on the bunk bed... It's surreal to hear these stories of survival and to hear how they all live today. I just love it!
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Anyway... So we came back for dinner with the Gray's best friends... and ate way too much of that Easter candy. When I got home I was beat! It had been a long and glorious day. Nick and I had a long talk about religion. Sometimes I get in these places where I want to find scientific answers... and yes, that is wrong... but, it's logical at times. We spoke about wanting to be blind believers, but how hard it can be at times. I told him the times in my life where I know it could have been nothing but God. Then on the other hand we think of my grandmother who lost her husband at age 50 and her daughter twenty years later... but, there must be some reasoning in it from God... We struggle in a sense with our backgrounds of his is Catholic where he doesn't know Bible stories. I'll tell him things and he makes me look it up and explain it. It's sort of neat. I'm Baptist and there are things I don't know that he does... There is no right or wrong answer. We both want so badly to just walk in that blind faith like so many that we know. As Christians we can be good Christians and we can share that faith, but we also must stand outside ourselves and truly know what we believe. Do I believe the burning bush spoke? In a sense, yes, but I also believe it could be a parable. Nick told me the basis is that we believe Jesus died and lives in our hearts... We know the most important part. What makes us both cringe is that my cousin, Bryce went to Christian private school and then Yale and knows the Bible through and through, but is Agnostic. We don't want to be quizzed by someone like him and not know the answers. I want to stand strong and KNOW what's behind the words and the stories... It's not about rehashing the stories as he does.
Easter isn't about the candy that I love. It is truly about what I spoke about above. Jesus died on the cross for US. That's a biblical story that we believe through and through as Christians. There are no questions. He ROSE for us as believers. No parable. Truth. So as I nibble on the remnants of my chocolate candy I thank Hallmark for giving me commercialization on Easter, but I thank Jesus Christ for giving me life on Easter.
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