Love, Family, & Maybe a Little Bit of Candy

I was looking over a few blog writing prompts for April, and saw one that said "What does Easter mean do you?"

Well, that's sort of a complicated question.

I believe, firstly, that Easter is a celebration of Christ's love.

I'm at a strange place in my life, where I'm happy with my relationship with Jesus. It's sort of weird to type that out, actually. But it's true. I grew up going to church, but my relationship with Jesus/God wasn't one of love. Not really. It was me, behaving like I knew I was supposed to, out of a complete and paralyzing fear of incurring the wrath of God.

I've shared this a few times, with people who obviously never felt that way before. Most people were just pushed away from church because of the incredibly high expectations that you were supposed to live up to. Not me. For the most part, I did was I was supposed to because I honestly though that God would harm me or my family because of something that I did.

That's not love.

You wouldn't want a relationship like that with your children, would you?

It wasn't until my late teens that I figured out what was going on. I had a man {a wonderful man whom we miss dearly :)} explain one day that God wasn't mad at me. That he really did love me, just like the Bible says. That he wasn't trying to squash me with his giant thumb, or make me or my family sick, just to get back at me for cussing. Or thinking that my boyfriend (husband now) had a cute bum.

After that, things changed for me. It took a whole bunch of getting used to, because it was an entirely new mindset.

God's not mad at me.

He loves me, and wants me to be happy.

After that, I was able to live my life differently. No, not go out and break all the rules, just because I knew God wasn't trying to ping me off the face of the earth.

I was able to live without that fear. I was able to live my life, and love.

To me, that's what it's all about.

Love.

We love, because He first loved us.

Now, I live my life as best I can, doing as much good for people as I can, and loving people.

Like Jesus did.

No, I'm not perfect, but none of us are. But I try my best, and if I fail, I get up the next day and try again.

I feel so much more free.

I had a whole new take on He who is set free by the Father is free indeed. 

So, what does Easter mean to me?

Easter is a reminder of how much we are loved by Jesus, that he would give his life for us.

Easter is a time to spend it with the people that I love.

It's a time to spread a little love around.

And maybe even have a little candy, while I'm at it!

Happy Easter!!