Tag: Easter

Mary Magdalene Ends Women’s History Month
Christianity · Easter · My Thoughts · Spirituality

Mary Magdalene Ends Women’s History Month

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
Mary Magadalene
Saint Mary Magdalene, circa 1524. Creator: Bernardino Luini. (Photo by Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images)

Mary Magdalene isn’t a personal woman friend, but how apropos to end International Women’s History Month with her. So, I changed my original mission of focusing on personal women friends to feature her this Easter day.

Happy Easter! Yes, I had heard her name before and read about her in the gospels, but who was she?

“Mary Magdalene is probably one of the most versatile and controversial people in the Bible.
She’s been seen as the sorrowful sinner, the Apostle to the Apostles, Jesus’s wife/girlfriend, a guardian of secret knowledge, a chaste saint, a feminist icon, and a scandalous woman who is healed and repents.”

https://www.christepiscopalbing.com/who-was-mary-magdalene/

The Gospels mention her by name thirteen times! Mary Magdalene plays a major role in today’s gospel reading from John 20:1-18, so that’s why I wanted to focus on her. Early that first Easter morn, Mary Magdalene ventured to the tomb with two other women, Mary the mother of James, and Salome to bring spices to anoint Jesus’ body.

“The main reason a dead body was anointed with spices was to control the smell of decomposition. Jews did not practice embalming, and the funeral spices were a way to help minimize unpleasant odors. The spices the women brought to Jesus’ tomb were intended to eliminate such an odor and honor the body of Christ.”

https://www.gotquestions.org/anointing-spices.html

Empty Tomb & Jesus Leaving the Tomb
Empty Tomb
Jesus Leaving the Tomb

When they arrived, to their surprise, someone had rolled away the gigantic stone. I wonder how they planned to get into the tomb in the first place. Obviously, this band of women wouldn’t let a little thing like a big stone stop them from honoring Jesus’ body. But what now?

Where were the men, the disciples? Sleeping in? So, Mary Magdalene and company ran back and got Peter and John. The two disciples and the women raced to the tomb and found it empty, except for the linen cloth Jesus’ body was wrapped in and the kerchief that had been on His head. The two men left without any answers, wondering what all this meant.

Mary Magdalen cires

But Mary Magdalene stayed and received a major blessing with her persistence. She wept, she cried, and peeked into the tomb one last time. Again, another surprise—two angels appeared and she questioned them. Then because she stayed and didn’t leave, Mary Magdalene became the first to witness the risen Jesus.

Jesus - Mary Magdalene

At first, she didn’t recognize him, but when He spoke her name, she immediately knew it was Him. Of course, she wanted to hug Him! He was dead! He had come back to life! Thoughts raced through her head—I saw him on the cross three days ago. The Roman guard pierced His side, but here He is!

As she went to grab Him, Jesus warned her to not hold on. So what did she do? Again, Mary Magdalene raced to the disciples to tell them she had seen Jesus alive—the first witness of the resurrected Jesus!

As I pondered this story in church this morning, I realized God honored Mary Magdalene’s dedication in going to the tomb early that first Easter so long ago, her persistence in staying at the tomb in her grief and confusion, and her resilience in sharing the Good News about Jesus with the disciples.

Where would Christianity be today if she had trudged back with Peter and John and missed her opportunity to see the Risen Lord? To witness his resurrected body? To share with the disciples his resurrection?

Mary Magdalene’s message for me: Stay committed to my heart’s dedications. She reminds me to honor my grief and confusion any time by standing still where I am and not running away and then my God will share a serendipitous moment with Jesus.

Jesus is Alive! - Mary Magdalene

I hope your Easter has been blessed and that Mary Magdalene takes on a more meaningful role in your life today. So often, so many cultures today disparaged women around the world today, but this proves to me that my God believes women have an equal place in the world—He had a woman be the first witness of the Resurrected Jesus. That says a lot! And who can disagree with God?

Lastly, my book cover for Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir, won 1st place in the March nonfiction book cover contest on AllAuthors.com.  Thanks to all who supported me this month by voting on each round! I know I emailed you and posted on all my social media sites many times, but it worked—because of you!

Hair on Fire - 1st Place Book Cover Winner - Mary Magdalene

Enjoy my recent interview on the podcast, The Writing Table

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir

~ Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir available in audiobook format at the following places:

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A Mixture: Easter and Poetry
Christianity · Easter · My Thoughts

A Mixture: Easter and Poetry

Larada Horner-Miller2 Comments
Easter - A mixture

A mixture of Easter and poetry—yes, that’s a delight for me! Happy Easter. I want to share some haikus that came to me as I prepared for Easter this year. I walked through Lent and Holy Week with my notebook and pen, ready to record my thoughts and feelings in haikus. Remember that April is National Poetry Month!

A Mixture of Palm Sunday & Haikus

Palms covered the ground

Crowds praised Jesus riding by.

Right now, they cheered but. . .

Birds chirping a song.

Jesus prepares for his day.

Their songs comfort Him.

A Mixture of Holy Week & Haikus

Holy Week is here!

The week before my Lord dies

  1. Anticipation
  2. I follow you, Lord!
  3. Each day, I hear you.

(I had three possibilities for the third lines. Which do you like the best?)

Did You dread the cross?

Did You want an escape route?

You did God’s bidding.

The disciples watched.

Their ears so deaf to Your words.

So, they saw defeat.

Mary, your mother

Watched and pondered her son’s words.

She stood at the cross.

A Mixture of Maundy Thursday & Haikus

I sat next to You.

Your elbow softly touched me.

You just washed my feet.

I pondered the whole idea of Jesus asking his disciples to watch and wait with Him in the garden of Gethsemane on Maundy Thursday, yet they fell asleep. (Matthew 26:36-46)

https://bible.org/seriespage/70-garden-gethsemane-luke-2239-46

What would I do at that moment? Would I be able to stay awake?

A Mixture of Good Friday & Haikus

Watch and wait with me!

Join millions around the world.

Jesus, on the cross!

Satan tried to win

With every strike on the nails.

But no, Jesus won!

Every strike echoes

In my soul. Those nails for me.

Jesus died for me.

Three crosses - A mixture

Jesus died today

On a cross between two thieves.

His death saved the world.

I sit at the cross

Today. Its power remains.

Jesus overcame!

Jesus on the cross - A mixture

I kneel at your cross.

Your actions say, “I love you.

I did this for you.”

A Mixture of Easter & Haikus

Watch and wait with me!

Jesus, buried in a tomb.

Oh, will I see Him?

The Empty Tomb - A mixture

Jesus, Lord of Lords!

Everything is possible!

The tomb is empty!

Watch and wait with me!

A new day—Jesus arose!

My heart overflows!

Mary Magdalene

The first eyewitness to see

The Risen Jesus

The first eyewitness

A woman, not a man, saw Him

Jesus loved women!

For me, haikus provide a wonderful framework to express deep thoughts. As I reflected on the days leading up to Easter, I resorted to haikus to dive deep, and I love what happened—very different perspectives of an age-old story that means so much to me through a mixture of Easter and poetry.

Finally,

Do you ponder the days leading up to the Resurrection? What they meant back then? What they mean today? That’s what I so enjoyed during this Lenten season and Holy Week. And in doing that, my Easter has been a supreme celebration of the Risen Lord. How about you?

News, News, News!

All available at my website: laradasbooks.com or Amazon.com

~My new book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? WON the 2022 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards in the Body, Mind & Spirit Category. Have you bought your copy yet? Vist my website: laradasbooks.com or at Amazon.

Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? A mixture

Grab a cup of coffee, a pen and look at a chapter in my newest book!

~For me, it’s Christmas all year long! Here’s a variety of Christmas greetings from Flippo & Neeca, featuring his song, “When It’s Christmas Time in Texas”: https://youtu.be/mpJCUGffU3A

Just Another Square Dance Caller: Authorized Biography of Marshall Flippo - A mixture

Take Flippo with you on your phone and grab an apple to munch on!

~Have you bought a copy of Flippo’s biography yet? Believe it or not—it’s been three years. History and humor go hand-in-hand! Go here for your hardback or paperback: https://www.laradasbooks.com or at Amazon.

Mary Magdalene: First Eyewitness!
Christianity · God · My Thoughts

Mary Magdalene: First Eyewitness!

Larada Horner-Miller1 Comment
Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb

So many characters take part in the Easter story. Mary Magdalene has captured my attention this Easter. Happy Easter to all and here are my thoughts:

Mary rose early this Easter morning hundreds of years ago, before anyone else did. It had been a restless night for her—she still had trouble believing that Jesus was dead. She stood at the foot of the cross and witnessed him breath his last. She wept uncontrollably and the other women surrounding her collapsed into each other in their sorrow.

For the last two nights, the disciples and followers had slept together, scattering around the room on mats where they had shared the Last Supper with Jesus, frightened with what they faced in the future. The Sabbath (Saturday) had drug out endlessly. They couldn’t return to the tomb because of the Passover celebration, so they hung out in that hollow room, wondering what they faced.

Dawn breaks for Mary Magdalene

Quietly, as the darkness faded away, she closed the door behind her and headed straight to the tomb where they had buried Jesus. Dawn crept over the horizon—even the birds seemed to be stunned by the recent events.

The disciples had told Mary that Roman soldiers would be guarding the tomb, but she desperately had to be near Jesus. Mary wondered, “What will I do when I got there?” Freely weeping as she went now, Mary had to stifle her sobs during her sleepless night because she didn’t want to keep the others awake. It felt so good to sob deeply out loud! Her heartbreak echoed through the hills. Exhausted and nerves strained, she didn’t care who heard her on this sad morning.

Stone rolled away from the tomb - Mary Magdalene

When she came around the corner and started the incline to the tomb, Mary saw no soldiers—that caught her by surprise. Where were they? The next surprise took her breath away. Someone had moved the stone covering the tomb—massive stone that had taken several to place, rolled away, and she faced a gaping hole it had covered previously.

At that point, Mary went no further. She turned on her heels and ran back to tell Peter and John about her discovery. In her confused state, she thought someone had taken Jesus’ body and told the two faithful disciples that. They quickly latched on their sandals and sprinted to the gravesite. Younger John outran older Peter, and John arrived first. They measured the situation, then returned home in a confused state. What was going on?

To her credit, Mary lingered outside the tomb, weeping about the disappearance of Jesus’ body. Curiosity urged her to look inside the tomb once more—maybe they were wrong, maybe it was an illusion. Maybe Jesus’ body was there. But what she saw again surprised her—it had been a morning of surprises.

Two angels sat where Jesus had been and questioned her about her tears. She answered their questions directly, then a third person appeared behind Mary, who she thought was a gardener. She didn’t look at him but quizzed the angels and him about where they had put Jesus.

It wasn’t until this third person simply said her name, “Mary,” that she turned around, shocked, and recognized his voice. It was the risen Jesus. After a short discourse where Jesus told her what to do, she returned to the disciples. As she ran, her hair tangled with her scarf. Mary’s heart raced. She threw open the door to their lodging and exclaimed, “I have seen the Lord!”

Source: John 20:1-18

What an amazing revelation! In her lingering at the tomb and not rushing off, Mary Magdalene became the first eyewitness to Jesus after the crucifixion. A woman—imagine that!

“In all four Gospels, she is the first to witness Jesus after his resurrection.”

https://departments.kings.edu/womens_history/marymagda.html

I just spent forty days in a Lenten study using Fr. Richard Rohr’s book, Wondrous Encounters, with four other women from all over the world. Daily we communicated on WhatsApp after reading the day’s reading, then we commented and shared our lives. I’m sure these strong, spiritual women (my sister disciples) inspired me to connect so deeply with Mary Magdalene this Easter.

Mary Magdalene’s faithfulness as a follower gave her the privilege of being that person who Jesus first appeared to. I love the fact it was in saying her name that she recognized him. Before that, he appeared and Mary focused on the two angels and her questioning them. She didn’t turn around because she knew these two angels had all the answers she needed. Jesus spoke to her, but in was in saying her name that she recognized him—how powerful our names are when said by a loved one!

Finally, Mary Magdalene, a woman, became the first eyewitness of the risen Lord. She lingered, didn’t rush off in a hurry. I wonder what encounters with Jesus I’ve missed in my life by always being in a hurry—busy, busy, busy.

To many, the Easter story is familiar and maybe has lost its luster. By focusing on one person this year, it made this wonderful story rich and alive for me differently.

Have you ever focused on one character in the Easter story? Peter? John? Jesus? Judas? If so, what was your experience?

It's OK to be a Christian - Happy Easter!

If you missed my post from last week with a New Mexico flair:

~Celebrate spring with 20% off select book bundles at my Etsy Shop, Larada’s Reading Loft until April 30!

~NEW PODCAST to be released Thursday, March 17, 2022, discussing my new book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? : Live on Purpose Podcast at https://liveonpurposeradio.com/category/podcast/

~MY FIRST AUDIOBOOK IS AVAILABLE: Go to Audible to buy my first audiobook, Let Me Tell You a Story

~Do you listen to podcasts? Here are three podcasts with interviews about my new book & some Flippo stories:

Just Another Square Dance Caller: Authorized Biography of Marshall Flippo Easter meme

~Buy a copy of Flippo’s biography on my website: https://www.laradasbooks.com or at Amazon.

~Here’s a variety of Christmas greetings from Flippo & Neeca, featuring his song, “When It’s Christmas Time in Texas”: https://youtu.be/mpJCUGffU3A

Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? Easter meme

~Are you on a spiritual path? Do you want to heal from the horrible effects of the pandemic of 2020? Visit my website to find out about my new book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? and my other five books and three cookbooks: https://laradasbooks.com

How Do You Celebrate Easter?
Holidays · My Thoughts

How Do You Celebrate Easter?

Larada Horner-Miller7 Comments
Celebrate Easter - bunny
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Easter eggs? Church attendance? A religious holiday? Chocolate eggs? Our secular world celebrates Easter in a variety of ways. How do you celebrate it?

As a child, I focused on the secular side of Easter—finding Easter eggs, my basket, and lots of chocolate. I attended church each year with a new dress, shoes and hat. Our family celebrated with a festive dinner and all the fun activities for children, but no focus on the religious significance. Here I am in 1960, all dressed up for Easter at seven years old.

Celebrate Easter, 1960
Larada dressed up for Easter, 1960

In 1966, one memorable Easter, I ended up with a broken nose. Our county 4-H group had a roller skating party in Trinidad, Colorado, the night before Easter, bringing together country children from all over Las Animas County. The owners of the skating rink decided to wax the floor before our big event, so we skaters had a terrible time standing up, much less skating., and we skated often, so it wasn’t new to us.

After I finally got the hang of skating on this slick floor, I skated with my cousin and a friend from Hoehne, Colorado, holding hands, laughing and enjoying our night of fun. Suddenly he fell first, and she fell over him. I flipped over the two of them and landed flat-faced on the floor, nose gushing with blood everywhere.

I had been looking forward to this big day for months, so I cleaned myself up and continued skating, cautious and careful, ignoring the pain in my face.

Next morning, I woke up with two black eyes and a swollen, sore nose. The unofficial diagnosis: a broken nose! Even though I hurt and looked horrendous, I proudly dressed in my new yellow seersucker Easter dress, white shoes and white hat that cradled my head. Here I am in 1966 at thirteen years old, but you can’t the black eyes or the swollen nose.

Celebrate Easter, 1966 with broken nose
Larada dressed for Easter with broken nose in 1966

Because I didn’t have children, I didn’t get into the egg hunts, baskets and such. I had a memorable time with my young niece, though, in 1974. At that time, my husband and I and my brother and his wife lived in Denver, Colorado as young married near each other. At nine months, my niece didn’t understand the whole egg dying business. Her mom and I prepared the multiple cups with the different dye in each one.

We wrapped a tea towel around the little one to protect her clothes from the dye and began our joyous adventure. We gently placed an egg in each cup of color and used a spoon to roll them around to deepen the color. The transformation from white to different colors captivated my niece: red, blue, green, yellow! She squealed with delight standing on the chair peering into the multi-colored cups.

Celebrate Easter - dying eggs
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Excited and before we could stop her, my nine-month-old niece grabbed an egg out of the cup with her hand—now her hand was red. We tried to stop her, but in her exuberance, we couldn’t. The red dye didn’t discolor her hand too much, or we didn’t notice it.

Then we moved on to the next cup and the blue dye had already darkened to a deep shade. Her mom held her back as I rolled it around a little to get a deeper blue, then my niece’s small pudgy hand darted past her mom and grabbed the blue egg!

Dripping blue dye from her fingers, I quickly snatched it from her chubby hand and giggled. I loved her enthusiasm! But now we had a problem: her hand with fresh blue dye with the red stain already present. We looked down at my niece’s hand and it had turned a horrible shade of murky blackish grey! My niece howled, shook her hand to no avail, and we laughed! She kept shaking it, but the color stayed!

Her mom and I laughed at this strange situation, scrubbed her hand with detergent. The unpleasant color stained her hand still. My niece would look at it and shake it repeatedly, whimpering. Finally, we returned to our task and finished the dying activity with the rest of the eggs dark and colorful. But my niece had lost interest in the whole thing and became a reluctant observer.

After my Dad died, I made it a point to celebrate Easter with Mom every year. One year, her Methodist church from Des Moines, New Mexico had a Sunrise Service at Capulin Mountain, which is a volcano. We drove to the Visitor’s Center, then rode up the mountain in a school bus. When we got to the top of the volcano, the group gathered in a sheltered area to keep warm, away from the wind. Deer grazed inside the volcano and peace filled the air. I remember little about the service or the sermon, but Fred Owensby had arrived early and walked down in the cone. At the end of the service, he played “Amazing Grace” on his trumpet, and I shivered with goosebumps, not the cold. It was glorious! Afterwards, we drove to Des Moines for a pancake breakfast and fellowship and fun—a memorable time for sure!

Capulin Volcano

After that fateful experience with my young niece, I didn’t have another notable Easter with children until 2013. My brother’s family gathered with me and my husband for my mother’s memorial service on April 1. Easter that year was the March 31, the day before Mom’s service. My niece in the story above now had her children there with us. Her brother and sister’s families joined us, too. My nieces and nephew did a remarkable job under dire circumstance to celebrate Easter for their children. They colored eggs, had baskets and made it fun! And it was!

During my lifetime, I have continued attending church on Easter, celebrating our risen Lord. This year, I felt a deeper meaning in the whole Easter story from Good Friday to the celebration of Easter. Today, as I attended my church on Facebook Livestream, I marveled at the wonders and the blessings of this day so many years ago. The Resurrection story still brings a tear to my eyes.

I hope you had a meaningful holiday this year—beyond the trifles this world offers and delved into the deeper meaning of the holiday.

How do you celebrate Easter? Did you gather with family this year? Did you go to church? How was it different to celebrate it this year from the past? The same?

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~Here’s Christmas greetings from Flippo & Neeca, featuring his song, “When Its Christmas Time in Texas”: https://youtu.be/mpJCUGffU3A

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