He’s Alive! He’s Alive! He’s alive, and I’m forgiven… and His gates are open wide!
I hope you and yours enjoyed your Easter Sunday! I imagine many of you share with me the nostalgia associated with this holiday. I’m reminded of my childhood — the special Easter dress,dying eggs, chocolate bunnies, packed out church, and then Sunday lunch at my aunt and uncle’s house in Newville, Alabama. With all the nooks and crannies in their garden and neighboring peanut field, they always had the BEST hiding spots for eggs! Unfortunately, though, in the 10 years since I graduated from high school, I’ve only spent a couple of Easter Sundays at home with my family, due to work or school or some or rising gas prices. Traditions have changed through the years, but three things remain the same on this most joyous of days:
- Church.
- Lunch after with loved ones.
- Dolly Parton.
Little random? Well give the song below a listen, and you’ll never think of Dolly the same again. I grew up listening to Ms. Parton, and I absolutely adore her… in truth she’s become an inspiration of mine for a number of reasons. I love everything about her. The flamboyant hair and outfits, the country twang, the songs, her passions for children and literacy… but I first loved her because of this song. One of my mom’s favorite albums when I was a kid was White Limozeen, which has gems like “Time for Me to Fly,” “Yellow Roses,” “Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That,” and a bunch of other classics of my childhood, but the last track on the album a bit randomly (seeing as it isn’t a praise album) is “He’s Alive.” I can remember riding around with my mom as a kid and just belting it out. The older I get, and the more I fully realize the importance of the celebration of Easter, the more I love Dolly for recording it. I just get chills at the end. Just give it a listen. I dare your skin not to react. (Also, Dolly in 1989… oh man. This fangirl over here is going crazy.)
And with all the great praise music out there, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of songs focused on Jesus’s resurrection. Here are a few of my favorites:
Hillsong United \”Mighty to Save\”
Matt Maher \”Christ is Risen\”
What are your favorite Easter traditions or songs?
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Not gonna lie, I’ve never listened to much Dolly, but that song is really good.
Love the songs! Some of my favorites!