EN(dur)ANCE by Robin Gudal

 

Happy Easter!

I love Easter, especially this year. We need some sunshine, flowers trying to pop up and a hope of newness. The main reason I love Easter is not for the bunnies, the warmer weather or even my favorite carrot cake, it is because of what it means for those of us who are Christians. It is foundational.

Each year I read a sweet story entitled “What was in Jeremy’s Egg?: The Lesson of Easter from an Unlikely Child” by Ida Mae Kempel. You can do a Google search with the title under Chicken Soup for the Soul and read it in its entirety. I will give you the basic gist.

There was a boy born with a twisted body and slow mind. At 12 he was still in second grade, seemingly unable to learn. His teacher often became exasperated with him. He squirmed in his seat, drooled and made grunting noises. Sometimes he spoke clearly, but seldom.

She suggested he attend another school, which grieved his parents. For a long time after the parents left, she gazed at the snow outside. Its coldness seemed to seep into her soul. She wanted to sympathize as their only child had a terminal illness, but it wasn’t fair to keep him in her class. She had other kids to teach, and he was a distraction. He would never learn to read and write.

Then a thought came, “Oh God,” she said aloud. “Please help me to be more patient with Jeremy!”

Spring came, and the class talked excitedly about the coming of Easter. She told them the story of Jesus, and then to emphasize the idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a large plastic egg.

“I want you to take this home and bring it back tomorrow with something inside that shows new life. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” the children responded enthusiastically — all except for Jeremy. He just listened intently; his eyes never left her face. He did not even make his usual noises.

Fast forward to the end of the story.

The next day, she opened the children’s eggs, and then she opened the fourth egg. She gasped. The egg was empty! Surely it must be Jeremy’s, of course, he did not understand her instructions.

Suddenly Jeremy spoke up, “Aren’t you going to talk about my egg?”

Flustered, she replied, “But Jeremy, your egg is empty!”

He looked into her eyes and said softly, “Yes, but Jesus’ tomb was empty, too!”

This was a true story. The full article appeared in Focus on the Family, April 1988.

Next, I share with my guests and family a personal experience I had. I have a special needs sister and one Easter Sunday weekend when I went to pick her up one of her housemates changed my perspective forever on Easter.

“Good morning Robin!” with her unsteady hands, removed from her walker, and raised above her head as she proclaimed loudly and exuberantly to me, “It’s Resurrection Sunday! It’s Resurrection Sunday.”

In that very moment, Easter came alive!

“He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay.” Matthew 28:6

Have a very blessed Resurrection Sunday!

Robin (Beckman) Gudal, intentional in life, is a wife, momma, nana, friend and a flawed and imperfect follower of Jesus.