When I think about Easter, I think of two things…my Grandma Ruth and my friend, Jay.
As a child, every Easter my three sisters and I would go to church then head east to Livingston, New Jersey to my Grandma Ruth’s home. She’d always cook up a good meal and after my sisters and I cleaned up the dishes (which she already knew we would do) she’d have old tic tac candy boxes filled with coins as payment for our hard labor. After Easter dinner, Grandpa Russ would lead the family for a leisurely walk around their neighborhood to work off dinner and make some room for dessert, where peeps would most certainly be adorning our dessert plates! Both Grandpa Russ and Grandma Ruth are now in heaven, but the memories I have as a child remain in my heart forever. As a child, Easter meant candy, lots o’ candy, family and going to church. (And yes, it was so in that order)…
But now that I really “get” Easter, it’s in the opposite order.
I have to say that my favorite Easter memory of all occurred thirteen years ago. I was ticked, yes, ticked off on Easter Sunday, because I was “trapped” as an agent trainee in my law enforcement academy. I was a newlywed and the Finkster was stationed half way across the country. But I wasn’t alone. Besides my other fellow classmates, there was a group of four of us that were particularly close. Sadly, we had the same dented senses of humor, perfectionist tendencies and worked diligently on perfecting our dented senses of humor. I remember first meeting my friend Jay, (a good ol’ Kentucky boy) who was and still is, sharp as a tack. Part of our cop training included defensive tactics. We were taught pressure points/control tactics, to have our subjects physically comply with our verbal commands. Jay had former martial arts training, I on the other hand did not. My martial arts training included watching Ralph Macchio as the Karate Kid.
Jay was my Miyagi while we were defensive tactics partners.
One day during training, our instructor, “Burger Boy” as we liked to call him, under our breaths, noticed that the “Student Protection Society” was in full effect. The Student Protection Society is when you strike your partner using minimal force but acting like you’re using maximal force….that’s why it’s called the “protection” society! Burger Boy not only discouraged this society but also picked up on our wiley ways and decided to re-instruct Jay using the closest dummy…me. I’m surprised I have any recollection of the days that followed. Burger Boy stored his extra burgers in his meaty forearms…that were utilized to demonstrate the brachial stun on this Karate Kid. I remember thinking that I’ve had better ideas.
Back to Jay. Jay and I talked a lot about God. He was skeptical at best, inquisitive at worst. Another guy, “Tennessee” as I liked to call him (yes, he was from Tennessee) and I started up a bible study for fellow students. Jay joined. We’d talk about God whenever the conversations permitted, whether driving to class, eating a meal, touring DC or even on the racquetball court. He started checking out the church we went to off base. The other two in our group were George (whom if you ever dine with at a Chinese buffet, don’t ever ask for the menu. Just so you know, all the items on the buffet are on the menu, so you don’t “need” the menu, okay?) and Little Lisa (4 foot 10 inches, 100 lbs and talked like a 400 lb NFL athlete). Lisa was the token class guinea pig to prove that, if the defensive tactics were implemented properly, that even the smallest woman (enter Little Lisa) could put a good ol’ hurtin’ on the biggest dude in class (enter Jeff, a former bouncer). Even Lisa didn’t think it was such a good idea…
Back to Easter, I remember that Easter Sunday thirteen years ago, the pastor was offering a closing prayer and I was again, praying for Jay to say, “yes” to letting Jesus come into his heart. In the middle of that prayer, I experienced something I’ve never had happen before. It was as if a load of bricks were taken off my back and a sweet peace washed over me. I then looked up and over at Jay. With tears in his eyes, he smiled at me and I knew…but more importantly, he knew cause he said, “Yes” to Jesus.
Since that day, Jay’s wife, my sweet friend Becky, and their two kids all know Jesus. Jay’s still in the Air Force, still a cop and still loves Jesus. Every Easter since that special Easter service thirteen years ago, I mail just one Easter card out. It’s to Jay and his family. I always write “Happy Birthday” on it, cause that was the real day his life started. I was honored to be standing next to not just my brother in arms, but my brother in Christ.
This Easter I pray that you remember the many blessings you have been given by God all because of His unquantifiable love for you. It’s not about
or
and certaily not all about,
but it is about a cross and an empty tomb.
There’s no way possible you or I could “earn” salvation, but it is yours for the taking, if you, like Jay, say, “Yes!”
What’s your favorite Easter memory?
