Easter Bunny Book Hop

One of my favorite Easter memories is the year I decided The Easter Bunny wasn’t real. Mind you, the year before, I was utterly convinced I’d seen him hopping away from our house on his way to our neighbors. But that was last year – I was so young and naive then. I was much more mature now, and with age came wisdom.  You couldn’t fool me.

 On Easter morning, my sister and I woke up and ran to the kitchen table, where our baskets always waited for us. There, just as in years past, sat my sister’s basket. It was filled with her favorite goodies and a pink, stuffed rabbit she named “Bunny”.  (She’s always been brilliantly creative.)

To my horror, my basket was missing, and in its place, there was a note that read:

Dear Chance,
Heard you don’t believe anymore… Things are harder for those who don’t believe.
-The Bunny

On top of it sat 3 jelly beans and there was a p.s. with a clue that started me on a crazy wild goose chase through our house and all around our yard. The scavenger hunt went on and on, with stops under my bed, in the shower, in the trunk of my Mom’s car, out to our mailbox, behind the tv, up a tree in our backyard – to name just a few spots along the way.

That bunny was out to prove a point, and I gotta give it to him; he did. By the time I made it to my final stop, I was exhausted!  He was obviously toying with me. My last clue led me to our laundry room. On the door of the clothes dryer, there was one last note that simply read, “Maybe you’d like to reconsider.” I opened it to find my basket and a blue, stuffed rabbit.  I named him “Bluey”. (I’ve always been brilliantly creative.)

I look back on that day all these years later with a smile in my heart… I can remember almost everything in that basket, and I can still picture Bluey’s face.  It all left an indelible mark on me, and by the next year, no one believed in The Easter Bunny more than me. I was foolish to ever doubt!

Seems like I’ve spent my whole life moving through various stages of belief and lack of faith. In myself. In my future. In those I love. In God.

Through small things and the biggest things, life has certainly taught me this lesson over and over. Things are harder for those who don’t believe. And they’re much easier for those who do. I’ve created a thousand obstacles by crowding out faith, or by blatantly ignoring what it was whispering to my heart. And I’ve torn down a thousand walls by believing they had to fall.

Easter has come and gone, but when you think about it, there’s a little bit of Easter in every single day. We wake up to a new invitation to begin again – whole and healed… shameless, courageous, empowered, and loved… A divine do over, but this time with a wisdom we didn’t have before, and help we could never afford. Ours, if we only ask and believe.

Old things are made new.
The past is shackled helplessly behind us.
All good things are made possible,
Everything works for our eventual good.
Life abundantly waits for us…
If we believe.

So I’ll say to you what a wise old Bunny once said to me… Maybe you’d like to reconsider.

This Post Has 23 Comments

  1. Kelly

    My Dad’s mantra “If you don’t believe, you don’t receive” does not only pertain to Bunnies, Santa, or Tooth Faeries. :)

  2. Les Clairmont

    Amazing what God can do with Bunnies and Santas

    1. Chance

      Yep.

  3. Holly Simpson

    Thank you, Chance. I enjoy reading your posts and it has even sparked good conversations between my husband and I in recent days. Keep your posts coming as It inspires me to think more outside the box about myself and what I am capable of.

    1. Chance

      That makes me so happy to read. I don’t think any of my posts are life changing, but I think the conversations they start and the new thinking that follows might. Thanks for your encouragement – and for reading.

  4. Kristi

    So thankful for new beginnings.

    1. Chance

      Yes, me too. Again and again.

  5. Erik

    “Things are harder for those who don’t believe.”

    Be careful with those bunnies my friend. They tell the truth.

    1. Chance

      :)

  6. Tanya sykes

    WONDERFUL post! I’ll definitely be a regular reader!

    1. Chance

      Thanks so much, Tanya! I appreciate you taking the time to read this post – and for subscribing. It’s an honor for me. I really look forward to hearing your comments whenever you wanna jump in. :)

  7. Miranda Gravett

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS! What a great lesson, and I am sure I will steal it and use it some day. What a brilliant connection!

    1. Chance

      DO! Steal it – I love this memory, and it taught me a lot. :)

  8. Topher

    “We wake up to a new invitation to begin again – whole and healed… shameless, courageous, empowered, and loved… A divine do over, but this time with a wisdom we didn’t have before, and help we could never afford. Ours, if we only ask and believe.”

    I know it’s hard to believe, but I spent much of this post rolling around pithy comments about the bunny… but you really brought it home with that statement. I love it… and I think your name of Bluey was beyond creative… inspired even (coming from the guy whose daughter’s middle name is Blue) :)

    1. Chance

      :) Topher. :)

  9. EJ Gaines

    Love this: “Things are harder for those who don’t believe.”

    Great nugget of truth, there. Bravo.

    1. Chance

      Thanks, EJ. Yep – I’ve proved it over and over. Getting better with time, though… :)

  10. Anna-Emily

    Thanks for another great post, Chance! Once again I agree with every single word. I’ve always noticed that non-believers have so many obstacles in their lives. What is more, they are 100% sure that life is meant to be that difficult and if things are easier for you, you don’t know what life is all about. I’ve just had a conversation with a non-believer this morning and she said she’d come to realise her life would never ever change and she’d spend it in the same small apartment she lives in now. It sounded sad…

    1. Chance

      That does sound sad… Saddest part is, it’s more common than we’d like to believe. I’m glad you’re in her life. I know you’ll be a great encouragement to her, as you are here.

  11. Dee

    What a wonderful life lesson Chance…this particularly touched me this morning, for many reasons but mostly because I’m having a hard time finding my way these days. So, I will continue to believe even though some days seem really hard. Thank you.

    1. Chance

      Of course you are… Zero pressure for you, friend. You’re learning things you don’t even know you’re learning. Seeds are being planted every day. Grief is like open heart surgery. I’m so sorry for this hard road you’re on. It does get better and there is life for you out there… in time.

  12. Jim Sterling

    Thank you Chance, just what I needed to hear this morning.

    1. Chance

      Thanks, Jim. You’re awesome.

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