Easter and life and death

We put two dozen fertilized eggs in our incubator to hatch Easter chicks. Two broke in the process, so out of 22 eggs, 15 hatched. One died upon hatching, and two died the next day while the boys were at their Friday school. I was taking a shower and Katherine was left alone with the little chicks (what was I thinking??). Todd went downstairs and saw Katherine holding a dead chick. He washed Katherine's hands and I came down and put the chick in the trash can. Another chick was dying and it died in my hands. Katherine had no idea what was going on, and why I put the chicks in the trash can. When the boys got home, Nathan cried and cried about his chicks dying. Later that afternoon, we saw one of the chicks looking sick. We prayed for it and made a little bed away from the other chicks for it, and hoped it made it, but it too died. Nathan was again very sad. He even saw this one die.

This has actually been a really good experience. This is our kids' first experience with life and death. We saw the chicks be born, and even some hatched out of their eggs on the boys' hands (in the bathroom with the hot shower going). We witnessed the miracle of life.

We also witnessed the normal, natural part of life: death. I explained to Katherine that life, or a spirit, goes into the chick when it's born, in its body. But when something happens to its body (like it gets squeezed too hard), then the body dies and the spirit goes to heaven to be with Jesus and Heavenly Father. The body is dead, so we have to put it in the trash can. But some day, the chick's body and spirit will come back together and it will be alive again, called the ressurection. That's why we celebrate Easter! Jesus died, and His body was dead and His spirit went to heaven. But three days later,  His body was gone! His spirit came back to His body and He became alive again! Because of that, all living creatures, including us, will come alive again too! (She wanted me to tell her the story over and over and over again).

When I was a teenager, I was there when a dog died. I pet it and talked to it as it died. It's a sad but beautiful and amazing experience, being there when the spirit departs the body and goes home, back where the spirit came from.

I also explained that to the boys. Death hurts for those that are still here. But it is a normal, natural part of life. Heavenly Father made us, and wants us to be with Him. This life is just temporary. Some day, we will all be back with Him, where we want to be. For those that get to go back to heaven, it's a happy time. (And those chicks will never have to suffer a cold winter or being chased by a crazy Manzo dog).

This Easter I understand its meaning a little more. We celebrate Easter because it means death is not the end. Jesus overcame death. Because of Him, we will live again.