O Happy Day! .. of Yesteryear

O Happy Day!

I pretended to be asleep when everyone else arose early to go to sunrise service at our church. Mom said I didn't have to go and that I could sleep in that morning. I was, after all, thirteen years old. I did feel a little bit sinful, but I also felt excited. It's not often that I got to stay home alone. I used the opportunity to check out all the Easter goodies --colored eggs in the egg dish, right in the center of our dining room table, the baskets for me and my sister and brother hiding in the kitchen pantry, filled with candy including my favorite, a Mallow Cup. There was yellow jello with peaches and marshmallows waiting in the refrigerator. Mom's new dress was hanging on the back of the door in her bedroom, and there were my new shoes.

My new shoes were beautiful, made of black patent leather, so shiny, with a gray and silver wide ribbon thread through the top where laces normally go. They had a one-inch heel, my very first high-heeled shoes.

Too soon, everyone came home, but we had a great breakfast of hot ham and eggs with homemade biscuits and red-eye gravy. My Mom was the best cook in the world. Each of us kids received our basket. I was secretly delighted even though I pretended it didn't matter since my advanced age should have precluded a basket for me that year.

In addition to the basket, Mom gave me my very first lip stick. It was the palest pink you could imagine, and it made my lips shine as honey does on top of a pancake, glistening. Before I remembered to be nonchalant, I jumped up and hugged her. For good measure, I hugged my Dad too. My sister, Janet, looked at me as if I had sprouted wings, not that I cared much what she ever thought. My brother Jimmy just mumbled "girls are so dumb." I paid no attention to that slow-mo.

This perfect day just got better. We all went to morning church service. My new clothes were just as pretty as Leatha's and everyone knew Leatha was the most beautiful girl in Logan. My shoes were a hit, and Miss Cline said they looked like tap dancing shoes, the kind Juliet Prowse wore in the movies when she danced. If you saw her in that movie with Elvis when he was in the Army, you'll know what she meant.

The service was so beautiful but so sad. The preacher had made a wooden cross on which he had placed catsup stragecially. From four rows back, it looked like blood to me. He read the scriptures about how Jesus was beaten and dragged through the streets like a common criminal. I tried not to cry, but I did. How could they do him that way? I loved Jesus with all my heart, and I never tired of the bible stories about him.

I gave my heart and life to Jesus when I was eleven years old. I was baptized in a clear creek on a cold November day. When they were almost ready to dip me under, a lone deer came out and stood in the water. It was beautiful. Somehow, I felt that Jesus sent the deer to make me unafraid, as it was. Then, I went under the water and came up happy!

There were no baptisms this day. After church, my Daddy took us to the theater downtown, and a jungle movie was playing. I loved jungle movies. This one was in 3-D and Jimmy ducked when a spear was thrown right at us. He's such a lowlife, and I nearly fell out of my seat. I was laughing so much.

Near the end of the movie, still seems like a dream, Jesse Martin sat down beside me. My heart nearly stopped in my A-cup chest, let me tell you. Was I lucky or what that I was sitting near the end of the row with an empty seat beside me? He whispered. "I saw you at church and you were the prettiest girl there."

I nearly fainted, but I smiled and said "Why thank you, Jesse."

"The movie is almost over, but I wanted you to have these." He pushed some little red-hot hearts in my hand. They were a little sticky, but I did not care one bit.

Then, Jesse leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, and he jumped up and went back to his seat. I just put my left hand on my cheek and felt my ears get hot while Jimmy snickered. He started singing in his silliest voice, "Kathy has a boyfriend." I ignored him and held on to the red hots with the other hand. Then I ate one and thought to myself, thank you Lord Jesus.

When we got home, we had a big Easter dinner with ham, mashed potatoes, green beans and home-baked bread. My Daddy prayed and thanked the Lord for all the good food, the wonderful day and, most of all, that Jesus died for us so we might be free and happy and saved forever.

As the old Christian song goes, "O, Happy Day. O, Happy Day, When Jesus washed, my sins away...."