The Ruckers Keeping it Real: Easter

Although the excitement of the Presidential Race has waned, and Romney has a decent lead, the nominee has not been chosen yet, and possibly will be undecided until August. So there's still a chance for Ron Paul who continues to pick up delegates left and right! I was pretty saddened by the low vote tally Ron Paul received in AZ though, so I have retreated from the frustrating world of politics for a little while. I'll probably get motivated again before the general election in November and focus on local politics unless by some miracle there is hope left for this country and Ron Paul wins the nomination. :) Anyway, with Easter this past week, I've decided to write about something much more significant than elections and much more powerful than politics.

I wondered this last week as Easter sprang upon us why we don't treat it more like Christmas. I don't mean the commercialization of something sacred, but why don't we celebrate it more? Why don't we sing Easter hymns in church the few weeks preceding this special day? Why don't we look for ways to forgive and serve and spread the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ and the "Spirit of Easter?" I don't know much about Lent, but maybe Mormons should celebrate it-at least it would get us thinking about the Atonement a little in advance. Maybe it's just me that's slacking, but Easter came and went very quickly this year; I didn't even have a chance to go to the Easter Pageant! If it weren't for a subtle family experience I had, I probably would have lived through the day once again taking for granted the fact that I have a REAL personal Savior who loves me, forgives me, lived the perfect life for me, suffered, and died that I might have the chance to be closer to God and have eternal happiness. And He didn't just do that for me, He did that for every person who ever lived or will live on this earth!

Don't tell my husband because he would sarcastically laugh if he knew, but I am working on an experience in the Personal Progress program in Young Women's (I'm a Mia Maids Advisor) in which I am to show extra kindness toward and refrain from criticizing a person in my family for 3 weeks, and I picked him (it's too easy to do that for Henry :) ). To try my very hardest, but fail to even go two days without criticizing or getting after my amazing husband humbles me so much when I think how the Savior went His whole life genuinely caring for and serving and showing kindness to people who spit upon Him and mocked Him and were terrible to Him. Without one sarcastic joke, without one bit of guile, without one ounce of disdain. How imperfect am I to not be able to show unreserved kindness to the person I love most on this Earth for like two whole days let alone 3 weeks, let alone 34 years plus eternity to every single human being!

But His sacrifice and His life give me hope that I may be forgiven and someday become more like Him. "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent (D&C 19:16);" He has paid for our sins. As imperfect I am, He bestows endless mercy if I but have faith, and repent with a sincere heart and a desire to do good and sin no more. So things that drive me crazy like dirty laundry in the middle of a clean floor, or way too many video games should not be the end of the world! That's nothing! I should forgive and love and not let it bother me, because heaven knows how many times I holler or complain or criticize for something no matter how big or how small that I keep needing to be forgiven for, and the Lord does forgive with infinite patience as long as I am sincere.

I know He lives. I take it for granted that I have a testimony of Him, and I need to share it more often. Everytime my testimony is really renewed, I feel like telling everyone (but still struggle doing so) because we have a free gift! "Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price (2 Ne 9:50)." We can be free from guilt, anxiety, sorrow, despair, sin, worry, and confusion if we trust in the Lord and look to Him. He died for our sins, yes, but not just our sins. He suffered for our sicknesses, our sorrow, our infirmities. He knows how we feel and we can lean on Him; we are never alone!

This is not make-believe. It's not just some fairy tale, or some wish or dream. I know without a doubt that He is Risen! He accomplished the work His Father had for Him to do. He did it! He went His whole life in perfection, He suffered through the agony willingly, with love until the end. We are saved! I pray that I can stop being so petty and prideful and just love as He loved so that I may be worthy of this wondrous sacrifice. The tomb is empty. "Where oh death, is now thy sting?" The way is there. He is the Way. I can't wait to teach my boy, this precious boy who will undoubtedly face extreme adversity in these desperate times, that there is one way, and Christ is it. Have faith, come unto Him, and let Him heal you, whatever you may be experiencing. Make Him the center of your life, because we owe everything to Him. Happy Easter!