One of the adjustments to living in Arizona involves all the new creepy crawly things we don't have in Pennsylvania - most of those things also want to hurt or kill you. One creepy crawler that is new to our family is the Mosquito Hawk. They are a giant mosquito look-alike with gangly legs that somehow make their way by the dozens into your house when you simply open the door to enter or exit. And when your husband leaves the door completely open for hours “for fresh air”, you can certainly count on a colony moving in.
After our most recent influx of house guests I did some research. Contrary to their common name, they are actually called crane flies and they are not a predator of the mosquito. Thankfully they are harmless. They die within a few days if they can’t escape leaving what can only be described as a crane fly massacre on the windowsills and floors of every room in our house. (Our vacuum cleaner is earning its keep this season.)
Not long after Easter our 3-year old pointed out the most recent crane fly casualty on her bedroom floor. “Look mama!” “I know - it’s dead. I’ll clean it up.” I reassured her. Instantly she came back at me. “No it’s not dead! It’s alive. LIKE JESUS!” And so went the next few weeks after Easter in our household. Dead bird? No, it’s alive like Jesus! Roadkill on our walk to the park? Yup - that will live too.
This has led to some thoughtful discussions and lots of reflection on my part. First, I’m amazed she’s learning the story of Easter and it’s clicking in her own small way. Credit to our preschool church school teachers! But I’m also thankful for the sweet and innocent reminders of new life that are actually around us each day. Reminders of how the Good News of Easter is not just celebrated once a year but every day and in every moment.
The Easter season never ends because we live on this side of the resurrection. This is something I’m incredibly grateful for because we live in a world that reminds us far too often that death is around the corner and life is fragile. And yet because of Jesus we get to live as Easter people with hope that death does not have the final say.
