Easter At Our House: Resurrection Egg

Resurrection Egg

It always amazes me how new and exciting Easter is to my children even when we do the same things.

My 3 year old came home with a Resurrection Egg (pictured above) from MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers).  She has the gift of sharing and was quite put-out with me when I wouldn't let her give the palm branch to her brother who loves green.  As we talked about the importance of keeping the pieces together so we could tell the story (which hasn't really resonated with her yet) I watched her struggling to understand the pieces.  As we talked about them my 5 year old picked up the sheet and tried reading it -- stumbling over words like Resurrection and Jerusalem she decided to just tell it from her own words.  In stepped my 7 year old son to explain that "that isn't what it really says."  As I struggled with how to balance teaching faith and basic reading skills and where my emphasis should be in that moment I decided to see if my son could tell me what each of the symbols meant without reading the paper.
Resurrection Eggs have been a part of our Easter celebration for many years http://sbpcmops.blogspot.com/2010/03/resurrection-eggs.html and I love how they have equipped my children to not only know the Easter story but also be able to share it.  As we walk on the beach, a rock will suddenly bring a discussion of Jesus' tomb as a child will announce "I have a rock in my egg"  The palm trees bring to mind Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and we tell the story again.
As I reflect on our Ressurection Egg experience of yesterday I am also struck by how often things like the using the "right words" or the egg being "my favorite color" so easily distract us from digging deeper into the story of Jesus.
Lord, help us to let go of the distractions and focus on you this Easter season.  Amen.

about getting caught up...

How easy it is to get caught up in life!  As a mother of a 7, 5 and 3 year old, not to mention spouse and MOPS coordinator I have some personal experience in "getting caught up" in life.  And also dwell in a constant state of feeling I will never "be caught up."  Life comes at me faster than I can absorb it and no matter what I take off my plate I have just learned there is more of life to enjoy than we have time for.  My church community has been exploring the concept of rest and sabbath.  It has been a fun way to dwell in the Lenten season this year.

This year's MOPS theme is "Love as it your life depended on it" taken from The Message version of 1 Peter.  I have been thinking on this theme for nearly a year now.  What kind of love is that?  How does that fit with the whole boundaries concept?  How does it fit with 1 Corinthians where it says that Love is kind when nothing feels kind about the screaming fit in response to my telling my 3 year old no to protect her physical safety.  What is love?

I have come to love the Lent and Easter season.  I used to think Christmas was better but as I have come to value the slower pace of Easter mingled with the grief and sorrow that are overcome by new life I have learned to relish the Easter season.  Unlike Christmas where celebration gets pushed closer and closer to July each year you sometimes have to hunt for signs of Easter.  Is it really coming?  I remember thinking this year, 'How can it be Ash Wednesday already?' it seems like Christmas just finished.  I feel Easter is a season that I have to carve out time for -- the world around me doesn't join with me in the same way they do at Christmas.

As I have reflected this spring I have realized[...

...how easy it is to get caught up in life...and never get to finish your thoughts.]* added to complete post 1/27/2015

how often I miss the Wonder of God...

I just finished reading Margaret Feinberg's book Wonderstruck (http://www.margaretfeinbergstore.com/products/wonderstruck-awaken-to-the-nearness-of-god)

An incredible experience of spiritual disciplines with all the wonder and none of the discipline..

For my rigid, engineering self it is so easy to get caught up in Sabbath and Lent and how they "should" be observed and miss out on "...breathing in the goodness of God."  As Margaret explores rest, prayer, friendship, and gratitude she did an incredible job of drawing me into the wonder of who God is and what He offers us when we can stop long enough to open our eyes, hearts, minds and souls to Him.   How often do I get so caught up in the treadmill of life that I miss out on abundant living?  But there is safety in that treadmill.  Margaret wraps up her book with, "30 Days of Wonder: A Challenge to Experience God More"  I love her opening lines, "I've shared my journeys with you hoping to inspire you to experience God more for yourself.  As followers of Jesus, we have the opportunity to live each day in wild amazement of God.  If we pay attention, we can begin discovering the wonders all around us -- those moments of spiritual awakening that spark our curiousity to know God more."  But as she continues I know the potential costs..."...commit to praying for wonder each day and then together live alert to the ways God answers....you may sense the Holy Spirit leading you to do and say things you may have passed by before.  [The wonder of losing my own agenda.  The wonder of inconvenience].  You may find God nudging you to reach out to someone you've never noticed.  [The wonder of befriending the friendless and needy.  The wonder of journeying with others through grief and loss.  The wonder of joining the outcast.] You may feel an urge that the person who is supposed to volunteer or get involved is you.  [The wonder of serving and sacrificing.  The wonder of getting in over your head.]  Or you may sense the tug of the Holy Spirit to take more time diving into the Scriptures or taking time to pray.  [The wonder of transformation and change.] You may begin sensing God's presence in places and experiences that you never expected. [The wonder of surprise and mystery.  The wonder of the unknown.]"  The last two sound pretty good until I start to think a little more deeply about them.  A recent sermon series at my church was called "Jouneying with Jesus" but as we are knee deep in the season of Lent and Jesus walking toward the cross I have to seriously question the excitement and wonder of journeying with Jesus. 

Easter At Our House: Lent this year...