Filling the Eggs

Last weekend I spent several hours filling Easter Eggs!

Not only do I fill Easter Eggs for my grandchildren, but two years ago we started an Easter Egg Hunt for my adult children!

The first Adult Easter Egg Hunt was so popular, it has become an annual tradition!

So, you can imagine the number of eggs that I need for fill for both adults and children!

I emptied several begs of assorted candy on the floor…and couldn’t believe the heaping mound of candy that I had accumulated!

However, I was also looking at the heaping mound of Easter Eggs to fill!

Several hours later, I had filled 60 Adult Easter Eggs and approximately 160 Easter Eggs for the grandchildren!

I think each group will be happy and have lots of fun running through the yard (or basement...depending on the weather) to gather the brightly colored eggs!

While filling the numerous eggs, I pictured the older grandchildren dashing across the yard as they spied colored eggs in the yard, eagerly picking them up to place in their baskets!

They have become pros at this task and quickly accumulate several eggs within minutes!

I love hearing their squeals of delight as the dash across the lawn…excited to open and learn which each egg contains! 

Laughter fills the air as they look over at their cousins to see how well they are doing on the hunt!

The younger ones just bless my heart too! 

They leisurely stroll across the yard…tickled pink to pick up one egg at time…examining the egg…sometimes shaking it…and then gingerly placing it in their baskets before moving on to find their next egg!

They are in no hurry at all! 

They are just beginning to learn that each egg is filled with a variety of treats!

And then there is a few of them (I’m sure if you knew my grandchildren, you would be able to guess which ones), that just have to open a few eggs during the hunt and pop a chocolate morsel into their mouth before moving on!

I can’t say that I blame them!

I may or may not have popped a few pieces of chocolate candy in my mouth as I was filling them!!

Once all the eggs are gathered, the little ones begin opening their eggs…excited about what treasures they will find inside each egg!

It blesses my heart to see their smiling faces!

Their excitement is enthusiastic as they spill the contents of their eggs in a pile before them!  And of course, mamas are close by…watching and making sure that not too much candy is being eaten as they open each egg!

However, I wonder what they would think if some of the eggs were empty!

Would they wonder where the treats were?

Would they ask me why some of their eggs were empty?

I’m sure there would be questions…and maybe I would see a look of disappointment on their sweet faces as they opened empty eggs!

And as I ponder this, I am reminded of the surprise…the disbelief…the disappointment that those close to Jesus felt when they saw that the tomb was empty…

“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary

Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been

removed from the entrance.  So she came running to Simon Peter

and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have

taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have

put him!”

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.  Both were

running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb

first.  He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but

did not go in.  Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went

straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well

as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth

was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.  Finally, the other

disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and

believed.  (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had

to rise from the dead.)  Then the disciples went back to where they were staying” …John 20:1-10.

The tomb was empty!

They had no idea where Jesus had been taken!

And yet, this is why we celebrate Easter!

The empty tomb is Good News!

There is no reason to be disappointed that Jesus is no longer there!

This is a time to rejoice!

Jesus died on the cross for our sins and three days later rose from the grave!

Jesus is alive!  He rose from the grave and sits at the right hand of our Heavenly Father!

And when we ask Jesus to forgive our sins…

To come into our hearts as Lord and Savior…

And choose to follow Him…

We too can spend eternity in Heaven with our Heavenly Father!

Dear Ones…if you haven’t made this decision…if you haven’t asked Jesus into your hearts…I pray you will do so today!

God loves you so much that He sent Jesus to die on the cross for your sins…for my sins…for the sins of the world!

So as your little ones empty their eggs, I pray this is a gentle reminder of the empty tomb…and you too can rejoice about this good news!

I pray you get to celebrate this Easter with family and loved ones…but more importantly, I pray you celebrate our risen Lord this Easter!