How Shelly's Story began

Easter: A time to learn to forgive self and others
(Published in The Bay City Tribune April 24, 2011)


Easter Sunday brings to mind Easter baskets, chocolate bunnies, colored eggs and jelly beans.
Children are eagerly anticipating Easter egg hunts and visits from a giant bunny that hides brightly colored eggs or plastic eggs filled with treats.
As a parent I spent many years filling Easter baskets and hiding eggs.
My children are older now; the youngest will be in high school next year.
While he has still put in a request for a chocolate bunny, “the biggest you can find, please,” the marketing appeal of Easter has been put away to be replaced by the real reason for the day.
Easter, or as our pastor calls it in an effort to remind people what we really celebrate, “Resurrection Day,” is a time to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice.
Our Father gave his Son on the Cross as our Savior, to forgive us of our sins. 1 Peter 2:24 says, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed.”
After Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb, he was resurrected to take his place with the Father.
As a parent, I cringe and even feel physical pain any time my children are hurt, either physically or emotionally.
One of my sons went through a phase of “gauging” his ears.
The holes in his ears were so big that when he took one of the gauges out you could see through it to the other side.
I couldn’t even bear to look at his ears.
Another son is going through some difficult times emotionally right now that I wish I could just fix for him, but I can’t. I can only be there to support him.
If even these small things are hard as a parent, can you even imagine how the Father felt as his son was beaten and hung on the cross to die?
No, there is no imagining that for me.
My mind won’t even go there. But God did. Why?
For us, to give us forgiveness and salvation through His Son.
If He can do that, who are we that we can’t offer simple forgiveness in our lives?
I know there are hard things to forgive.
Things go on in this world that I can’t even wrap my mind around.
It is something that I struggle with and have to work on each and every day.
Some things are much easier to forgive than others. Ephesians 4:31-32 says, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
Not only must we forgive others; but we must forgive ourselves.
That can be much harder than it seems.
Seeking forgiveness allows us to receive God’s mercy and a forgiving spirit brings blessings from God and good to ourselves and others.
Don’t let the Father’s sacrifice of his Son be forgotten.
Accept the forgiveness given freely to you and extend it to those in your life, including yourself.