After the long snowy days of winter, the prospect of spring with the robins returning home, once again filled me with excitement for Easter. Now the fact that Easter is celebrated sometimes in March, often in April didn't mean there wouldn't be snow. I learned at a very young age, that sometimes you have to have an egg hunt indoors! But when there is an early spring, and the flowers are pushing into view and the grass is green with warm days, I loved planning outdoor Easter egg hunts for our children and family. When they were young we celebrated the Resurrection of our Lord with our church friends, family and activities which led up to that special Easter morning. But when the kids got older the egg hunts were lost to bygone years, and after church we had a special Easter dinner. Yet our table was always adorned with candy and decorations that paid tribute to this wonderful celebration. One day when my hubby and I were driving around looking for estate sales, auctions, or antique shops, I spotted a huge building that seemed to advertise on every inch of frontage possible, that they had a sale going. “They must have a warehouse of everything you could want,” I stated. “And nothing we really need,” replied my husband. I gave him a “please stop” look and he turned the car motor off and we walked into the “Everything Warehouse” I don't know what I thought I would find that day, perhaps an old plate, or possibly an antique picture frame. When I came upon it I knew why we had stopped…sitting next to a train set, hidden beneath the box cars were some tiny wooden and beautifully painted Easter eggs. They were no larger than my thumbnail and so delicate. I continued looking around under the eggs and found some little bunnies that had been tossed aside with the other colorful, small objects. “What would you do with them?” My better half asked. “I'm not sure, but I have an idea.” I was so happy with my find. “Are you ready to go now?” My hubby asked. “I sure am.” We paid and left the “Everything Warehouse.” On the trip home I asked my wise and wonderful husband if he thought we could get a branch off a tree and somehow hold it down with something and spray it white so we could hang some of my new little eggs and bunnies on it. I wanted an Easter Tree! “I think I can find a twig out in the back forty somewhere, and do that for you.” He smiled. I felt warm and happy riding home, as I wanted to celebrate Easter with something special, so people could see the love for the reason Easter is so important. This was mid-February and I would put my tree out early and invite some friends in to enjoy the festivities like we do at Christmas. I knew how busy my husband was with his ministry at this time of year and I sure hoped he had time to find that twig for me. I need not have worried, as one night after dinner he disappeared for a few hours; and when he returned he had something in his hand and asked, “Will this work?” A Cool Whip container held the base of my tree which had been steadied in a mixture of plaster; and my husband had sprayed the whole base and branches white. It stood about 19” high and looked like a miniature tree, and with so many branches to hang ornaments from. “Oh, that is perfect, honey….it really turned out nice!” I gently took the tree and placed it on our table and gave my hubby a hug. Within the next few days I had green grass around the base of the tree, to cover the Cool Whip container, and one by one I selected my special eggs and bunnies to hang on the branches. Word got out about my special display, and when I had a tea a few weeks later, some of the gals brought little ornaments for my tree. There was a bunny with a can to sprinkle the flowers, and a beautiful gold cross, some china eggs, and a few other items from the kids that year. The Easter tree had been officially launched and the best thing about it was the blessing I received when a person saw it and didn't consider Easter something special; I was able to share why we celebrate it. I explained that like the branches of this little tree, God’s Son was nailed on a wooden cross, which was made from a tree thousands of years ago, and that today because of Christ’s sacrifice we have a choice, to accept Him or reject Him. If we accept Christ as our Savior we will have eternal life in heaven. If we reject Him the Bible teaches that we will be separated from Him forever. My tree is a witnessing tool, and a reminder throughout the beginning of spring of the renewal of God’s love, and the rebirth of the beauty around me. When Easter is over I carefully place my small ornaments away, and hang my tree in a safe place, until the next year. Since that day when we were riding and stopped at the “Everything Warehouse,” I've seen a number of Easter trees already decorated in stores; and yet there is something about the love my hubby put into finding the right branch and making my tree, and the work that went into it; that makes it the best one I've ever seen! © Diane Dean White 2006