Easter is a blessing …..from the past to the present …..

Easter was the most important holiday for our Smith Family. Grandpa Everett was a Methodist Minister. He knew the importance of the holiday and lived it each and every day throughout his life. He knew that Jesus died for our sins on the cross on Good Friday and rose again on Sunday to be with his father in heaven. Everett knew that he too would one day rise again and live in Heaven. And he shared this message of love with everyone he came in contact with. His delivered this message with such confidence and ease, it made it easy for us all to believe. His spirit created a sense of well being when you were around him. It gave you the desire to stay and enjoy his company. His gentle voice surrounded you much like the warm hugs which he offered freely. I felt totally safe and secure when he wrapped his arms around me. He seemed to always know what to say and when to say it.

When I think back about him and all the people whose lives that he touched, I am in awe. All the marriage he performed which created new families and all the baptisms he performed as those families grew. This is a photo of the couples he married in one of his 8 congregations and the children he baptized and the teens which he confirmed.

Everett was very active during the summer with the summer young adult camps north of Port Huron in Lakeport which today is known as the Lake Huron Retreat Center. He touched the lives of all these young people during one camp retreat with his quiet, gentle loving style.

 

 

 

It makes me wonder how often we realize the impact that we have on the people around us each day. How many of those people do we “trespass against” without a second thought? We go through our daily lives “doing our thing” with little thought about the people whom we come in contact with.

 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
 
I would like to remind you that each and every day we are given many chances to impact others as they cross our paths. Jesus made a point of making each of these daily events or occurrences count. He used them to teach the lessons of life. He showed people how to truly love one another and live in harmony. As I think about Grandpa Everett, I realize that he did his human best to try to do the same. May the blessings of this Easter teach us to be gentle in spirit and full of love for each other! And a beautiful new world will evolve!


Much love and blessing to you on this Easter morning!

Jan