What if we brought the extra effort of today into tomorrow?

There was a different energy leading up to today. The past few days there was busyness, invites going out, fancy clothes being readied or purchased, menus being planned, plain white eggs finding a new design on their shells, and baskets being filled with goodies and treats.

Restaurants with Easter Buffets have had reservations booked for weeks. The cost will be a great one, but it’s the time to gather the family and go all out!

Today churches were packed!! On most Sundays you could walk in a few minutes late and easily find a place to park yourself for worship, today if you arrived on time you were late and you had to negotiate a seat or two in the midst of many new and returning faces.

We commemorated the crucifixion and burial of Christ, observed the day of waiting and quiet, one the disciples held in place holding their breath with fear, hope, and confusion. And then we woke this morning with excitement knowing that this was the day we celebrate!

We acknowledged people, even strangers, with a smile and a “Happy Easter” greeting. We were patient, at least more patient, with family.

We made an extra effort to dress nice, act nice, and be present in spirit and person.

The difference was palpable.

The residual effects of the efforts that we made were noticed by those we didn’t know and would on another day have passed yet today greeted, and those closest to us who we often do less for yet today made an effort to spread love and light on the day that reverberates just that.

Just like you, God made every effort to make sure that this day was different, special, and one to be remembered.

“And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” ~ Matthew 27:51-53

“On the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” ~ Luke 24:1-6

Hope. Love. Light. Excitement of a new, fresh slate day.

As Easter Day comes to an end are we already mentally moving towards Monday? Will our demeanor, presence, and efforts be what they were pre-Easter, or will our Easter effort continue into Monday?

Today we had the chance to be present, the freedom to greet a stranger with a smile and well wishes for a “good day”, the effort offered to make the day better for those we would be around and in turn for ourselves. Many of us made an effort to enter a house of worship to say “thank you” and join in song, prayer, and celebration. And it was good. Maybe not perfect, but overall I hope you can sit in reflection and feel today was a good day.

Can we bring that effort into tomorrow?

Can we bring that Easter love, light, hope, and unconditional friendliness into many tomorrows?

Many days we move through the day as walking dead.

What if we took it up a notch and walked around with life and love.

Walked out of the tomb of our heaviness, distrust, frustrations, and moved into the light bringing others with us!

What a world this would be.

“Good Friday and Easter free us to think about other things far beyond our own personal fate, about the ultimate meaning of all life, suffering, and events; and we lay hold of a great hope.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I have a great hope and a dream that we could be Easter Day people tomorrow too!

Why not?

What makes tomorrow different?

Why can’t we awake tomorrow, greet one another with a smile, be kind and patient with those closest to us, and be motivated to be present and purposeful in growing in our determination to be better?

It would be the continual Easter gift to this corner of the world, and ripple through the corners of the world that connect to ours rippling our further…. possibly to the whole world!

Oh, what an Easter miracle that would be.

We must not reserve this effort for one day.

We must not put way our Easter effort, our Easter kindness, our Easter smile.

We must not get tired and quit.

Let’s not go back to the darkness of the tomb, let us keep bringing love and light!

I know it’s a long shot but I awoke this morning with hope and I will lay down tonight holding onto that hope for another day of being determined to spread the love and light that I felt today.

I hope to greet you tomorrow with a smile, a hug and a determination to lift your spirit as this greeting reciprocated with of course life mine.

Ripples.

This is the gift given to us of new life, not just today, but every day.

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, or the next day, or the next……

“Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”

~ Mother Teresa

#EasterSundayEffort

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#bringingittoMonday

#newlife

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#everyday

#greeteverypersonwithasmile

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