Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Easter (05/30/05)
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TITLE: The Empty Basket | Previous Challenge Entry
By Robert Bronkhorst
06/03/05 -
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An old rocking chair was nearby and I sat down and began to read…
"Today started out no different than any other day, except that it happens to be Easter morning. A large empty basket was sitting on the table waiting to be filled. My brother Matt and I were the first to arise, as usual and had skillfully scoped out all the possible hiding spots the day before in hopes of gaining an advantage over Donni and Mary-Lynn. I could barely finish breakfast as a result.
Mother and father, though poor in wealth, were rich in spirit and always made sure that we had that same richness in our lives. Father taught us how special everyone and everything is and to enjoy the simple pleasures that life has. They never focused on how much money we had or what items we possessed because one doesn’t have to be rich to enjoy life. Father always said that God will provide everything we need.
It was the same way with all the holidays. Mother and father tried to make the holidays more special by focusing on what the holiday meant instead of how much we got. Mother and father would find different ways in which to teach us about the holiday and help us grow in faith as well.
One such way was the annual Easter egg hunt. We would all look forward to rising in the morning to look for the dozen or so plastic eggs that our parents had bought home from the five-and dime store downtown. We knew that each egg had a treasure inside, yet what that treasure was remained a mystery so the possession of them was highly cherished and each one of us would create different ways to collect the most.
After all the eggs were accounted for, we would soon find ourselves sprawled on the floor looking over what we had found. Then the O.K. was given, and the treasure was revealed.
Each egg contained one piece of candy and a slip of paper that contained a Bible verse, as well as where to find the passage. Sometimes the passage was just a word, or a simple sentence, yet each slip of paper contained a special meaning of what the holiday was all about. Father would then read the selected passages to us. It gave us all a moment of humility , as well as a warm feeling inside.
It was one of those life’s treasures that I cherish forever..."
As I sat in that chair and looked at that empty Easter basket sitting there undisturbed on that shelf, I thought about everything that life has given me.
I married a lovely woman twenty-one years ago. We don’t live in a big house, but manage quite well in the one we have. We have two cats and three kids, one of whom wants everything that money can buy…but he only gets what our money can.
Life is like that empty basket, and each day is like those eggs that were cracked open. Each one is filled with a treasure that God has given us to enjoy and we are unaware of what it contains. That should remain a priority to all of us. Appreciate the fact that the sun shines, that the birds sing, the roses still smell great and He will always give us these gifts to put in our empty baskets.
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Your article flowed well. You painted a clear picture of memories found in an attic. I found myself rocking in that rocking chair. Nicely done.