Lessons From Today
First, some background...
- I recently heard that if a person would just leave 3 bites on their plate at each meal, that they'd lose 10 pounds in a year. I've been trying to do this. It's amazing how I usually do not miss those 3 bites at ALL!
- I've been exploring our music channels on cable recently. It's so nice to be able to turn on some music in the background while I'm doing chores, and not have to listen through commercials.
- The whole Easter egg and Easter bunny thing has been bothering me a bit lately. The resurrection of Jesus is really what we're all about, and it seems that all the kids care about is the candy. I've been trying to figure out a way to make it all work together.
Now that you know all that, my little lessons from today will make more sense:
1. I have terrible will-power when it comes to food. I almost cried as I forced myself to STEP AWAY from the fresh guacamole and nachos I made myself for lunch. But sure enough...after a few minutes my mind and taste buds had moved on to new things (like a nice piece of dark chocolate...hey I never said I'd give up chocolate!).
2. Thomas loves Reggae music! He also really loves to dance - he's loved is since he was a day old. Back then he'd fall asleep in my arms as we swayed around the kitchen. Now he stares at me, wide-eyed and smiling as we bop around to the music.
3. Along with the 3-bite diet I've put myself on...I should also add a daily dose of "dance with smiling 18 pound baby". It's a workout!
4. Discuss the importance of a holiday with the children, but do it while they're not eating their holiday candy. The kids were eating candy from the eggs they got at school today. I thought it would be a good chance to talk to them about the holiday.
"Hey, why do you guys think we do stuff with eggs on Easter?"
"I dunno. Why? Hey, I want that red jellybean!"
"Well, what comes out of eggs?"
"Candy!"
"No, I mean...when an animal like a chicken lays and egg, what comes out of that egg?"
"A baby chicken?"
"Yes, that's right. A new chicken...a new life...comes out of that egg."
"Yuck. Black jellybeans are gross."
"So what happens on Easter?"
"We get candy!"
"Yes, but what else? What about Jesus?"
"Jesus rose from the dead on Easter."
"Yes! So Jesus got new life on Easter. And what happens to us when we ask Jesus into our hearts?"
"He comes."
"Good. Yes, and what does Jesus do when he comes into our hearts?"
"He just stays there. He's with us then. Hey! No! That pink squishy thing is mine!"
"Yes, he is. But he also does some cleaning, right? Our hearts are kind of a mess before Jesus comes in, and Jesus cleans them up for us. He gives us a new heart. He gives us new life."
"I'm thirsty. The black jellybean taste is still in my mouth."
"So the new life that Jesus gives us is sorta like the new life that comes out of eggs. And that's why we do stuff with eggs on Easter!"
"Uh huh."
(pause)
"So now can you tell me? Can you tell me why we do stuff with eggs on Easter?"
"Why?"
"I just told you why!"
"'Cause you can put candy in them?"
"NO! The new life remember?"
"New life? Um. My candy is kinda crunchy. I couldn't really hear you when you were talking about that part."
SIGH
I guess maybe we'll go over it again while we're painting our eggs this weekend. But the Easter bunny? And why a bunny has eggs? I just don't know what to do with that one...
Some people probably think we're (my husband and I) too serious about this stuff, but we don't do the Easter Bunny thing. We still do eggs-we use the resurrection eggs (with symbols of the Easter story inside) and dye some eggs and hunt for them (because, come on, that's just fun!) But we have no decorations with bunnies or chicks, and limited eggs, and we don't participate in other people's Easter stuff because it's usually inundated with bunny stuff.
I'm also bothered by how pagan it all is in society, because I love to decorate for holidays, and I am hard-pressed every year to find anything referring to Christ on Easter. I have one cross with lilies on it. We've also decided to gradually collect the Brian Jekel paintings from the passion week, and display those during Easter. At least during Christmas there's nativity-oriented stuff among the santas, reindeer, and snowmen. But at Easter, Christ-oriented stuff is much harder to find.
Oh, and the reason people think we're too serious is because we don't do Santa or anything related to Halloween, either. Not all things in our culture are edifying to our kids--Scott and I have decided it's worth it to risk upsetting our kids to protect them from influences that do not draw them closer to the Lord.
The Easter Bunny situation is a difficult one. I grew up in a house like Kimberly just commented on, and had a very happy and blessed childhood. My husband's home growing up was not so strict. They did church and easter bunny stuff, and his childhood was equally happy and blessed.
Anyway, we do a little of both with our kids.
This morning, while waiting for my youngest three to wake up, my oldest was anxiously waiting to see what the bunny brought. While waiting I asked her to tell me again what Easter is REALLY about. She said the appropriate response, and I asked her how she felt about the things Jesus did so that she could go to heaven with him. She said that it was really neat, and then she prayed and thanked him for all he did. She also wished him a Happy Easter! :)
So, I she seems to be able to understand the truth through all of the bunnys, etc.
The younger ones don't really understand yet, but they will as they get older.
All in all, I think the bunnies, and eggs are OK as long as we are sure to teach her the truth as well.
Have a very happy and blessed Easter!!
~ Amy @ Memoirs of a Mommy