Miss Kendall, What's Easter?

Today at school, we "dyed" (and by dyed I mean colored brown eggs with markers...ugh...not nearly as fun as real dying) Easter eggs as a school-wide Easter craft.  Over the past couple weeks, my school has had several Easter activities.  The first week of April, we were required to do an Easter craft (mine was an origami Easter basket).  The second week we went to the park for the annual Easter egg hunt.  Now this week we dyed Easter eggs.  In the midst of all these activities, I have continuously gotten the same question from my K students. "Miss Kendall, what is Easter?"

It is odd that we have spent so much time and energy focusing on Easter.  My bosses aren't Christian.  Most of the students at my school have no affiliation with Christianity.  Basically, my school has us doing all these things because it's what they think people in the States do.  And while everything we have done is what I would consider the fluff of Easter, the Easter eggs and Easter baskets and Easter candy, I can't help but be drawn back to the heart of what Easter really is.  Every time my students ask me what Easter is, I want to sit them down and tell them how awesome of a day it is; a day on which we were redeemed and saved and bought and freed.  But how could you possibly explain that to a 5 year-old who isn't even familiar with who Jesus is?  It breaks my heart that these little children have never been introduce to God's greatness, grace, love and mercy.  And so when I hear the question, "Miss Kendall, what is Easter" I do my best to stumble through an explanation suitable for 5 year-olds who have no familiarity with Christianity.

I hope that you are all reminded of God's greatness and power and love and majesty and awesomeness as we creep ever closer to Easter morning.  I pray that you remember the sacrifice and the pain , as well as the love of Christ.  I find myself rejoicing one moment at the gift Christ gave me but then weeping in the next because of the pain and torture he endured on my behalf, for a very forgetful, selfish sinner.  He's so good and we are so unworthy.  Luckily we have been bought and redeemed and no longer have to be tied down by our sin and unworthiness and faults.  Hallelujah!!!  We are loved more deeply than we could ever possibly understand.

I am desperately wishing I was back in the States to celebrate this joyous season with you all.  You have my love from afar!

-KendallCooke