Hello, My name is Easter
Hello, My Name is Easter
Me, Easter Ellen. Nice to meet you!
Yes Easter – as in the holiday. As in the resurrection. As in Happy…
Not April, not Esther and not Heather. (those are the most commonly mistaken wrong names). I actually had a teacher call me April all the way through the 7th grade and a boss that called me Heather for almost 2 years. Really.
So why am I saying this. Well… I talk to a lot of people on here and people always ask.. so what is your “REAL” name. I say Easter.. “Oh – that’s ok – when you are comfortable, you can tell me what your name really is”. No. It really is Easter. Really. It is not my psuedonym name. Not my nickname. Not my fake name. It is my birth certificate name – For real.
So, then the next question is always the same “OOOOOOOHHHHH what a lovely name!!! 🙂 How did you get that name?” Occasionally, I would hear “who would name their kid Easter” or “what kind of a name is Easter???”
My daddy, being the eccentric man that he most certainly was (good thing that I have NONE of those genes!), decided not to call me Mary Ellen. You see, after a very long Easter weekend suffering through watching my mom go through the various stages of giving birth. (Oh wait – I think they knocked her out actually), as he was on the way to the hospital, he had an epiphany and just HAD to call me Easter. (I was born a little after midnight on the Easter Monday). I was their Easter baby.
I HATED the name growing up. You have to remember that I grew up in the early 70s in a VERY Anglo-Canadian culture. There were Kimberleys, Cheryls, Lindas and Sherrys. Shelleys, Marys, Lisas and Terrys. No Easters. No ethnic names. No hippie names (Frank Zappa sure helped me when his daughter was born though). Teachers would say – “you mean Esther” – I would say no. I would then get a polite tight smile that barely disguised a doubting sneer.
As I grew, the name grew on me and people said that it suited me. In my teens it did as I was (as one dear friend says) effervescent.
As I grew into my adulthood, my spiritual life grew and I came to know God. Life got hard but I hung on to my faith in a big way. It is all that I had to get me through some very dark, very trying (that is an understatement, by the way) days. Life sucked, but I kept calling out to God anyhow. Like the widow before the judge, I figured that if I pleaded before Him and prayed enough, He would get tired of hearing my voice and help me. Well, the day came when He did. Life changed. HUGELY. And here I am. I am healing, pretty much whole (or at the least, a lot more comfortable with my shortfalls), happy (most of the time) at peace in an amazing way, and I am so loved by my Father in Heaven.
Now my name has its true meaning come to fruition in me. Easter. Resurrected life. New life. Blessed, abundant and free to live.
Wow! You gotta love God – but then again – He always knew it would be this way.
So thanks Mom (and Daddy, I know you are reading this too). You helped to imprint that which was part of my destiny all along.
So that, my friends, is the meaning and the story behind my name.
🙂 Bless you all lots and lots!!!
~~hVg~~
Easter Ellen 
A beautiful name chosen for a beautiful soul. Tell your dad thanks for me.
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Aww.. thank you so much. I will tell him when I see him again in Heaven. 🙂
God bless you,
Easter Ellen
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I am certain you will see him yes, you’re path is already created. You’re a very good person. Blessings to you too, and hugs.
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I started following your blog because of your name as much as anything else. I wasn’t concerned about whether it was real or assumed. Thanks for the explanation. Sue
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🙂 Thanks Sue! It is a story that many have heard over the years.. and I am so blessed to have the name now.
Bless you lots,
Easter
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You are EASTER.
You are also very beautiful. Indeed!
God allowed all those people around you to get it wrong so they would remember you. And perhaps Him -through you and your name. To think He chose “you”. I think that is the grander part of YOUR name.
There are no coIncidences in life Easter. He knows us by name. You gt a double blessing!
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🙂 You are awesome Lisa – thank you. I do feel that it has been a special gift to me to help me remember that He has always been with me from my beginning no matter how difficult some parts were (and awesome other times have been).
xox
Easter
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Sweetie…
He has USED YOU FAR MORE than you even realize.
The first thin people think of when you hear Easter, is of course, Christ and the resurrection. Just think HOW MANY PEOPLE GOD IS USING YOU TO REACH WITHOUT YOU EVEN SAYING ANYTHING BUT YOUR NAME.
TO ME, the ones that get your name wrong will remember HIM (through you)
That just blows my mind when you let that sink in.
I am not discounting your hardships. At all. But there is something much deeper here. You have a special gift. If only through your name. You are ministering to people and you don’t even know it. BY YOUR NAME.
Now I feel a blog coming on. Lol.
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Wow – thank you. I had never thought of it like that at all. But you are right because the name invokes thoughts of God. 🙂 What a blessing!
As for me, He has used me a lot in the past for inspiration, intercession and ministry. It is a new phase of my life and I feel the calling to write and eventually speak. I am putting myself out there without a clue as to what the next step will be, but just letting Him lead me!
Thanks so much for your encouragement and kindness.
Bless you lots and lots,
Easter
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Thank YOU. I have been inspired. And from where I have been (comatose) I can assure you, Easter, He knows you by name. XOXO
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🙂 Big hugs and thanks
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Write to HIM. First. Write to HIM.
You will be astounded. You will learn a love relationship you have never ever known. I promise. And when you do, He will show you your every step.
My blog? Was His doings. Not mine. I would have never done this. In a trillion yrs. I closed down twitter, fb ( which I think is the devil) and I am just …well..Lisa.
Bigger hugs and love back!!
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As a middle school teacher, I never question someone else’s name. I’ve seen all kinds of names and all kinds of spellings. Though, I’ve never taught a student named Easter; I think it’s pretty cool. With your mom’s tough time, good thing you weren’t born in September. Labor Day could’ve been a much worse name.
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Sorry. Didn’t mean to be Anonymous. BTW, I have four kids (all girls), as well. Write on, sister Easter.
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🙂 No worries.. I don’t even think about that as there are so many people that need to be anonymous on line for whatever reason.
Have a great day Steve 🙂
Easter
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Hahaha!! I love that!! I was more worried about what they would have called me if I was born on Halloween! 😉
Have a great day and thanks for reading and commenting.
Easter
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I love that Easter is your real name! So cool. My Daddy was born on April 1st, Easter Sunday. You can imagine the teasing he took for that. I asked him one time when I was a little girl, why didn’t he just celebrate his birthday on Easter every year instead of April Fool’s Day. He told me that Easter was just as important to Jesus as Christmas was so he didn’t want to butt in and was okay with his birthday on the first. 🙂
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Oh I love that story!!! Thanks so much for sharing it with me!
Have a great day,
Easter
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This is so beautiful! I love love LOVE your name. (good choice, Dad!) Whenever anyone asks my favorite holiday I always reply Easter. It’s the most amazing day ever because that’s the day we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. No other religion can come close to celebrating something so amazing. How privileged you are to celebrate that every time you sign your name. And what a blessed reminder to all who know you of the power of that day. Glad to know you, Easter!
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Thank you so, so much. So sorry for the very late reply, but yes, I do feel very honoured to carry such a name and it not only represents my faith, but also how God has resurrected my own life.
Bless you lots and thanks again.
Easter
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Bless you, Easter (and nice to meet you, what an interesting back story). I can relate to your post here as I was the only boy with name, Kieran that I knew for years and I was not keen on my name either (I love it now, though tend to respond more to Baldy as it has grown an endearing quality, people have come to associate nice and funny things with ‘Baldy’ and I like that). My point is, I get what you are saying and you are more unique than you can know, as I am sure it was intended (and that is wonderful). Easter is a lovely name and I shall think of you warmly when I hear mention of it again, pal. *Hugs* from Baldy 🙂
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Hi Kieran. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement, as always. I am so sorry for the very late response.
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keep smiling, Easter 🙂
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.. and you as well. 🙂
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A special name for a very special woman. I love that photo of you too, my dear! Hope you have a great week! xox
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Aww.. thank you Christine, you are always so positive and encouraging – it means so much to me.
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What a lovely story! It’s so nice to meet such a delightful, fresh, inspiring person like you! I love names and people that are not “cookie-cutter” alike. Being unique is what makes you so special~
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🙂 Thank you for your sweet comment. Hopefully i will be back to posting daily. I appreciate your kind comment.
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