One day Sherwood was talking with his mom about what he wanted to do


on his next birthday. His mom reminded him that it would be the week after Easter this year. He said, “No, mom, it’s at least two weeks earlier than that. I remember from last year.” She laughed and said, “The date for Easter isn’t the same every year, Sher-


wood. It’s not like your birthday or Christmas. Those are both on the same date every year. But Easter can be on any date between March 22 and April 25. Last year Easter was on April 6, and this year it’s on April 17.” She also added that Easter is celebrated on different dates in other countries


and other churches. She told him that the date for celebrating Easter has even changed a number of times over the years. Sherwood said,” that’s just confus- ing. Why can’t it be on just one day like Christmas?” Mom explained that our Easter celebration was not based on a single cal-


endar date like Christmas. She explained that it is based on the beginning of Springtime every year when the vernal equinox happens. That is when the day and the night are the same lengths, and it’s always about March 21.


Sherwood asked, “Why don’t we have Easter then?” Mom explained that for a number of reasons, the church decided


over the years that Easter would always follow the first full moon, which comes after March 21. Then the following Sunday is when we have our Easter celebration. Sherwood thought about it for a moment. Then he said, “It’s sort of odd, isn’t it? We celebrate Christmas on different


days of the week, but we always celebrate Easter on a Sunday. They talked about the differences then decided. Christmas was always December 25, and the date of Easter changed,


but it was always on a Sunday that was not nearly as important as celebrating Jesus’ birth and his resurrection. Sher- wood said,” That’s what’s really important. And I love both days because they are all about God’s love for us.”?


By Mary Drew Bult


With Illustrations by Anna Campbell Bult


Aaah…. spring! It is a joyful, refreshing season. It is a time to ponder the amazing miracle of


life. It is a time to give thanks while we celebrate Christ’s resurrection and rejoice in the hope that He has given us. Of course, we will still have rainy days. We will all experience dark, sad times – even while nature’s beauty surrounds us. Yet, as Christians, we can remember God’s promises to us, and we can trust that He will lead us through our darkest hours. We can believe that our storms will one day be over. The gray clouds will pass away, and the wet world will dazzle in the warm, golden sunlight. Just as rain helps plants to grow, our trials and struggles can help us to grow more like


Jesus! Be sure to keep your eyes on the Lord. Pray to Him. Lean on Him. Trust Him. He will guide you safely through any storm that you face.


“The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” -Psalm 121:7-8


“Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy.” -Psalm 33:18


“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” -Psalm 55:22


16 The Associate Reformed Presbyterian


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