Tonight I had the privilege of reading to my middle daughter before bed. (Jesus Storybook Bible-- I can't sing the praises of this Bible enough! Even if you don't have kids I encourage you to read this and be reminded how every story truly does whisper his name) E is in that exciting stage of really discovering and showing interest in Jesus. She selected the story A Dark Night in the Garden. And much to her delight I'm sure, I couldn't stop with just that one. We went on to read The Sun Stops Shining. "You see, they didn't understand. IT wasn't the nails that kept Jesus there. It was love." Does that not give you chills, yet at the same time warm you to your very core?? I finished reading the story with tears in my eyes and knew we couldn't stop there - God didn't stop there. So we read God's Wonderful Surprise And I just imagine Mary's joy as she runs to tell of all that she saw and heard at the EMPTY tomb that first Resurrection Sunday. Personally, I think spring is the perfect time to celebrate Easter. When God made all things new through the death and resurrection of His Son. He is Risen!
Ok, so let me get to the point of this post. And please, please read this next part with grace...
Every year I am overwhelmed by God's love and grace when it comes to springtime and most of all Easter. But every year I get this nagging feeling when it comes to part of Spring. Easter Baskets. I know what you are thinking. What could I possibly have against bright colors, pretty baskets, sugary candy or thoughtful gifts? Every year since becoming a mother I have struggled with this. And every year since becoming a mother I have filled an Easter basket for my children. After all, I love giving them gifts, and isn't that what everybody is supposed to do at Easter? But here we are preparing for that time of year once again and I still find myself uneasy and asking myself the same questions:. "How does a basket filled with candy or gifts begin to compare for the reason of Easter? And is that what I want my kids to associate with Easter? To look forward to on Easter? Where is the teachable moment for my child in the Easter Basket? Where is Jesus in the Easter Basket?"
Knowing myself as I do, there is a good chance I'm over-thinking this. But I'm curious. I want to ask you about your traditions- whether you relate as a parent or a child, the giver or the givee(?). What do you do with Easter, especially the basket? And why? Feel free to answer shorter or longer, anonymously or with your name in all CAPS, but please answer respectfully either way. I do not think that there is a clear right or wrong. I just would love to know how others have dealt with this or if at all. It is a blessing to listen and learn from others. So I thank you in advance for reading this with grace and responding in love.
Blessings.
And just as an aside,because I know there are other traditions that go with Easter, we do participate in Easter Egg Hunts - to me they are simply a fun family tradition that we often share with dear friends in spring (and they generally aren't held on Easter). We also dress up for Easter - the girls usually wear an Easter dress, and it's usually new or new to them (even if only because they've outgrown the years before), and we do make the connection that as we wear new clothes only Jesus makes us new inside.
Update: So the other day my precious daughter put her sometimes too legalistic Momma in her place. Out running errands, I cautiously broached the subject with her. I enjoy talking about things with her. She is a wise 6 year old. She looks at me and says "Its Grace Momma. We don't deserve an Easter Basket just like we don't deserve Jesus dying on the cross for us." So this Easter Season we will gather small tokens of love and place them in an
I'm still curious, how do you celebrate Easter? Are the certain ways that you make Christ the center of your Easter Celebration?
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/holidays/celebrating_the_easter_season/finding_easter.aspx
ReplyDeleteThis article has some really great ideas regarding Easter traditions and how they may be used to point children to the Christ and the Cross!
I struggle too. We don't do baskets. They do occasionally get gifts though. Basically because that's their mothers love language and I really can't help it. So let me rephrase, we don't do Easter bunny. We do egg huts too. I don't know where the balance is. I don't want my kids to hate holidays because they get nothing while everything around them is consumed with consumerism. But I want them to learn the true meaning, the true joy that comes from Easter. So I have been no help:)
ReplyDeleteThe fact that you are thinking of it, mulling it over, means you will be intentional. That's what God wants, intentional spiritual discipleship of our kiddos. So, he may not care (and he may) how we give gifts to our kids but he will/does care if we point them to him for his glory.
Hey Shae! I don't know if my response will be too simple, but I am going to respond without reading what anyone else wrote to you about it. I will just share what came to my heart as I read your words. We do Easter baskets. There is no theology behind them, nothing pointing toward the cross. We don't go crazy and we just put a few simple things in the baskets. A lot of times it will even be a book. I LOVE celebrating the simple joys of the holidays like this, seeing the joy on the girls' faces as the squeal with delight over what they have gotten. We do Easter egg hunts, too. We teach them to be thankful for the blessings, to have fun and be together, but we also do the Easter egg carton with the true meaning of Easter. We talk about the cross and what Jesus did. I know you have a kids Bible that you love, but Sarah Young has written one that I am also in love with! It is called the Jesus Storybook Bible. I love the pictures. I love the stories she included and how she points the Old Testament stories to Jesus. I LOVE teaching my kids about Easter! I do love the simple joys like the baskets and the hunts because that is a part of my childhood that I cherish and a memory I love. I will probably always do these things. I think whatever your family decides to do, be strong, have faith in the reasons behind what you choose, and pray that your girls will grow up seeking His face. That is what I am learning. I love you!
ReplyDeleteI think that I feel similarly to Rebecca. We dye eggs each year and last year we had our own egg hunt in lue of a family basket that I've made in past years (mainly to make the candy belong to the kids, so I wouldn't eat it).
ReplyDeleteMy 4 year old has been asking for an easter basket this year. She likes all things cute and girly and pastel. That makes her ripe for all the Easter marketing. So I haven't decided what we're doing this year, but what ever we do, we approach it as something fun to do, just like carving jack-o-lanterns without celebrating halloween. I've used these requests for an Easter basket to ask her the real reason that we celebrate Easter and to remind her of what she's been taught at home and in Sunday school.
Noel Piper has some great ideas on this subject in her book, "Treasuring God in Our Traditions". For instance, they make a play dough mountain together and use pipe cleaner people to depict what happens during the week, starting with Palm Sunday, assigning parts of the Holy Week story to each day, playing out the story daily with the chenille people. On Friday, they seal Jesus in the grave under the play dough mountain; Saturday, all there is to do but wait, and then Sunday is a celebration - He is risen! They bake a "Lamb" cake, and I think your Grace Baskets would be a great similar celebratory action to accompany the Lord's resurrection! There are lots of resources in her book, and I recommend it for such an intentional planner as yourself. :) It's a quick read, too.
ReplyDeleteShannon! I came back to your site to read more of your comments and I saw your update. I LOVE the grace basket concept that Avery came up with. Thank you for sharing! You are a beautiful momma with a precious heart for the Lord. He is teaching you to be willing to follow His lead. It's beautiful and inspiring! <3
ReplyDeleteNothing like the truth from.the.lips of babes to help us put things into perspective! God is good and covers us with grace and wraps us in his love. Nithing wrong with tangible reminders of those awesome gifts!
ReplyDeleteWe could call them "Blessings Baskets"! Go Avery! :)
ReplyDeleteWe do Easter candy, and for the same reason Avery said - it reminds us of the sweetness of God's grace. :)
ReplyDeleteFirst, I just want to say that I love your blog!! Thank you for being such a blessing to me and lots of other mamas. I just wanted to share what we do to celebrate Easter at our house. Starting 12 days before Resurrection Sunday, we do the Resurrection Eggs - one egg a day. The kids love them and have learned so much from doing them. We do egg hunts too but for the one we do at home, the eggs are always empty like the tomb. We have given them each a little gift or some candy every year, but I always struggled with that as well. I love Avery's idea! What a precious girl! There is also an adorable book that we read called "My Easter Basket and the True Story of Easter". This year we let the kids pick out a rabbit or chicks to give to a family through World Vision. They were so excited about it!!! We also love doing the Resurrection rolls like y'all do too! In everything we do, we just make sure that we bring it all back to Jesus.
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