When I was five or six years old, I asked my mother, “Why is Easter called Easter?” It was a full ten years later when I finally understood the real answer to my question.

My mother struggled in trying to explain why Easter was so named. Mother was religious, but she is not the only religious person to struggle with the answer to this question.

The Catholic Encyclopedia admits that the word Easter “relates to Estre, a Teutonic goddess of the rising light of day and spring….” Well, finding that out was shocking! This holiday is named for a pagan goddess.

Major rains often bring severe flooding. Last month witnessed extreme flooding in Peru. Last Friday it was Colombia. As Deutsche Welle reported on April 2, “A total of 17 Mocoa districts have been affected. Many houses simply no longer exist: The people in them didn’t stand a chance. The ground literally gave way beneath their feet, washed away by the sudden, unexpected flood.

“Australia is surveying the devastation wrought by Cyclone Debbie, which has flooded vast tracts ‘almost the size of Texas’ and left at least three dead” (BBC, April 2, 2017). The aftermath and flooding, as well as the current crop destruction, is estimated to reach AU $1 billion. Tens of thousands have been forced to evacuate their homes, thousands are still without power, and this week, as rivers crest, areas of central Queensland could suffer the worst flooding in 60 years (ibid.).

“The European Commission has put its ‘full support’ behind giving Spain a veto on the economic future of Gibraltar” (EU Observer, April 3, 2017). But “the head of Gibraltar’s government has unequivocally stated that his territory will remain British despite Brexit” (Deutsche Welle, April 3, 2017).

Ah, the Proverbs 31 woman—she’s the biblical epitome of what true womanhood means. She’s the dream lady for many men and the role model for many Christian women. Proverbs 31 contains an exhausting list of her endless, diligent endeavors. She works, and she works astutely and industriously. This is one strong lady. Tucked away, however, buried within the list of her physical accomplishments, is a revealing description of her heart. “On her tongue is the law of kindness” (Proverbs 31:26).