Did everyone have a nice weekend? We had unseasonably cold weather yesterday, and ended up doing NOTHING- just chilling out and going to a birthday party :)
On my mind this week...
I posted a few days ago about committing to prayer for our nation, but today God was dealing with me about taking time to intercede for things in my own life. Example, we really felt the leading of God last fall to make a huge move across country, yet the doors never opened for my husband to get a job. We are not at a place financially to just get up and go without employment. Plus, we just never got a definite- " Yes, you need to go right now." From God.
Also other things that need prayer such as for my special needs daughter, my husband's stressful job, our baby in utero etc. It's very important to hide the Word in your heart, but I kind of forget about prayer, and it's necessary.
Organization!!! I am ITCHING to get on my house and get the stuff condensed. I visited a friend yesterday and she lives in a single wide trailer, yet it is very uncluttered (despite having two little girls) and clean. It seems no matter what, stuff just keeps accumulation. Why is it so hard to keep a large house picked up?? Too many rooms to spread it all in. So, the first thing I will focus on is the playroom/toys and childrens' rooms. The hit the bathrooms, laundry room and kitchen. Must streamline the cleaning!
Sewing- today I hit a sale and got a short set pattern for the girls and a tiered dress pattern, plus the crib set patterns. We are going to be traveling to upper Michigan in about three weeks, so I gotta get some clothes together. PLUS, I wanted to fix them Easter frocks. I am quite traditional and like to get the family new church outfits complete with shoes and hats for Easter. Probably isn't necessary, but I do.
Which leads into the question I'm going to ask- how do you celebrate Easter? I've been on the fence about it but I recently heard the origins of Easter/Ishtar, a pagan holiday where they exchange colored eggs etc, way back in the days of Jezebel. So, I told the girls there is no Easter bunny and that mom and dad give them gifts because Jesus rose from the dead on Easter and He is the gift of eternal life.
However, I can't not do Easter eggs, because it's a big family thing. We gather at my Uncles' farm for a huge fish fry and egg hunt. How can I exclude them from that? As a child, I clearly understood the distinction between resurrection Sunday and Easter bunny/eggs. So I decided we would keep the Easter decor, continue with filling the baskets with presents and egg coloring/hunting, but no Easter bunny. It's fun, and children like to have fun.
Still I'm curious about what others do, so tell me.
7 comments:
Growing up my family (not Christians) generally didn't do anything for Easter although two or three times we did get a sugar free Easter egg (we weren't allowed regular chocolate) but then they stopped making them. OH's family always give Easter eggs but we're not really into chocolate so we tend to give them stuff like homemade biscuits or homemade bookmarks with scripture on. That's all it is though - we don't really have any "celebrations" as such other than the Easter eggs.
For Easter we just attend church and eat a big ham dinner (usually with my family). Simple but enjoyable. No Easter eggs, bunnies, ect. 'But'...we also don't do Halloween or Santa Clause (at Christmas time...obviously). My kids don't think they're missing out on anything. We like to stay focused on the 'real' reason for holidays. Obviously, this is a decision you and your husband have to make together.
Also- you can just send me a check. I have a health food store near us and I've gotten some herbal supplements (for pregnancy) from there. In fact, I'm going to start evening primrose today in hopes that it will get me softened and ready for labor. Maybe I'll be able go into labor on my own this time?! Wouldn't that be great?! ;-)
Have a great day and have fun cleaning...I have laundry to do 'and' my house could use a good,deep cleaning too. Seriously, what happened to my 'nesting' instinct this pregnancy?!!!
We actually do not celebrate Easter,halloween or christmas. For us we talked to our kids about the whys and the origins of those traditions and pray God puts that convicton to never go w/the flow of the world(we celebrate HIS resurrection w bread and g juice like He said to do so,)why not do that with your kids instead. It can be done regardless , it's a matter of you deciding if you're going to listen to the conviction .We are not suppose to blend in. hope I don't sound harsh, I'm not too good w/words.
Oh dear! Easter.... Funny you should ask... I just wrote about this same subject this morning on my blog.
Hugs and blessings,
Hunter
First of all, if you are anywhere near Port Huron Michigan while traveling up north, let me know and I'll treat you to a cup of coffee. lol
As for Easter, our kids know there isn't an Easter bunny or anything like that. We don't mind them getting stuff from relatives but do give them Christian books and make sure they know the real reason for Easter. We have a large family dinner at someone's house (it changes each year) and enjoy it as family time and celebrate the gift that Christ gave us.
Chele
We usually attend services and then have a large dinner with the family. We do easter eggs but my kids know the reason we celebrate Easter. I think it is in all how you present it. It is just another day on the calender until you add your own beliefs about your faith to it. If you want it to be about our Lord, then it is. If you want it to be a pagen ritual then it will be that way for you. I am not to concerned, my kids picked out the resurrection eggs anyway;) I think it can be made into a wonderful holiday to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord.
we celebrate the resurection of Christ on the orthodox date (it follows the passover celebration-Christ was celebrating the passover on the eve of his arrest) the whle week of Passover we read a Jewish story book abut the Passover- watch Charlton Heston do a lovely Moses in the 10 commandments..all kinds of fun stuff...and then we goto a sunrise service Sunday morning.
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