A Fridge Full of Eggs

A couple of years ago, Unique and I were shopping at a local clothes and homeware store for some summer clothes. Having presented my loyalty card at the checkout, I was informed by the cashier that regular customers were entitled to enter their Easter competition.

Egg raffle for a £1 donation to charity. Behind the checkout was a vast display of different Easter Eggs, from Cadbury’s to Thornton’s, boxes of chocolates and a huge fluffy white bunny to crown it all.

Unique’s eyes lit up like headlamps but I didn’t need much persuading to part with my pound. I certainly did not object to

winning one of those, except perhaps the bunny. I had long since stopped buying Easter Eggs as we always receive so many, so I considered this my contribution to supporting the chocolate industry.

Lo and behold how surprised I was to find an answerphone message waiting for me a few days later. My ticket had been picked, please would I come along to the store to collect my prize. On the journey to the store, Unique and I tried to guess which one we had won. Imagine our amazement, when the assistant handed over two huge carrier bags filled with all the prizes. We had won the lot, over 20 items. Even after giving most of them away (and only keeping our absolute favourites) our fridge was full with the addition of the ones we had already received. We were eating them for weeks.

I love Easter, not just for the chocolates but also because it was the time of year when I first became aware of the Holy Spirit touching my heart at the age of 19.

To me Easter means remembering that all my failings, past, present and future were not only put to death on the Cross but were buried in the Tomb. I imagine the dawn of that first Easter morning as the sun rose on a new day, and every day since for that matter, so also does The Son rise on the new life that I have been given filled with hope and promise.

As I write I am suddenly reminded of an old hymn we used to sing at school:

New every morning is the love Our wakening and uprising prove; Through sleep and darkness safely brought, Restored to life and power and thought. New mercies, each returning day, Hover around us while we pray; New perils past, new sins forgiven, New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.