By The Rev. Dr. Carl Grosse

Christmas and Easter. For some folks, these holidays mark their pilgrimage to the ancestral church, a box to check in honor of the family. The church regulars have mixed feelings about the extra crowds taking up the “reserved” pews and parking spaces. Just like retailers and hospitality workers, church staff and volunteers prepare for the onslaught of extra duties and high expectations. Of course, there will be the obligatory photo sessions, with flowers and decorations and everyone dressed up nice. 

Starring roles go to pagan celebrities. You can’t have Christmas and Easter without Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. How many people just grit their teeth and get through the church service on their way to the true mission of emptying baskets filled with dental nightmares after eating a meal with enough calories for three? 

Families reconnecting with each other on Christmas and Easter is a good thing. Mixing it up with others at a church service is also a good thing. I have fond memories of my own experiences. Any opportunity to appreciate special people in our lives should be seized upon. As we go through our Easter hoopla, try to take a moment and notice the figure off to the side, standing alone in a garden. Remember that all those opportunities and the special people, including you, are a gift from Him. If you can, look at Him, allow all the other gifts He has given you to begin filling your heart and mind, and tell Him thank you.