It’s the morning after Easter. Yesterday’s colored eggs are now chopped into my breakfast creamed eggs, or Goldenrod Eggs as we call them. Crumbs under the dining room table are reminiscent of the dinner we shared. It’s time to launder the table cloth and set it aside for the next occasion. The refrigerator is packed with leftover ham and desserts linger on the counter. There’s no doubt that “the party’s over.” Only my Easter lily is looking fresh and new.

But wait, Easter is far from over. There are six more “Sundays of Easter” and today is Easter Monday. I found the prayer for today, “Almighty God, you give us the joy of celebrating our Lord’s resurrection. Give us also the joys of life in your service, and bring us at last to the full joy of life eternal.” Now that doesn’t sound like a “party’s over” day to me. It’s a day of joy – joy yesterday, joy today, and joy tomorrow!

I like the phrase “the joy of life in your service.” It’s not a life of rigid rules; it’s not a life of long faces and remorse; it’s not a life of service that is mandated and required. It’s a life of joy, the joy of service. Because our Lord loves us with an unconditional love, we have the privilege and pleasure of giving our service to Him and to all those He loves.

Brings to mind the hymn:

“I received the living God, and my heart is full of joy.
I received the living God, and my heart is full of joy.”*

Judy

*Hymn 477, Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Text, anonymous; music, anonymous.