Easter in Review

Last year we tried the whole big family Easter thing. Although pictures don't show it - it didn't go over well.  I wasn't happy because I planned a party and had to take the whole party to someone else's house.  I gave each person a list (since for whatever reason they insist on bringing things) and then others talked and said you bring this or that and switched things on their lists.  Resulting on things that I needed to make parts of the meal not being there to cook until 2 hours later.  It was a headache to say the least.  Oh and certain people didn't even want to be together and made it known they were not happy.

So, I gave up.  Easter is big for us.  We go to a very solemn Good Friday Service.  Then we CELEBRATE our risen Savior.

We partake in "secular" Easter fun - why?  Because it is fun!  God wants us to live JOYFUL lives. Look at their faces ... they are full of joy!

The joy of planting jelly beans so the Easter Bunny can find our house.

The joy of the Egg hunt.  You know that things are sticking when your 3 year old looks at you and says, we need to thank the Easter Bunny for all our eggs and lolly pops!

Then Easter morning (we did our egg hunt on Saturday because of predicted weather) the basket hunt.  

You further know it is okay to embrace the secular-ness of Easter when this happens.  

In the basket there is a crown.  (Because of Jesus, we can wear our crowns of righteousness.)  

Look Mommy, a crown!  I am a real princess now.  

Yes, you are a princess of the King of Kings.  The Easter Bunny gave you a crown to remember that today is the day Jesus went to Heaven.  (A 3 year old explanation of the resurrection.)

Later that day at church ... one of my friends -

I love your crown!

Thank you.

Are you a princess?

No, Jesus went to heaven.  

We shared Easter with our family, The Hickman Five.  We called Grandma and Grandpa and wished them a Happy Easter.  Little Miss talked to Grandpa and Little Mister talked to Grandma.  We also decided that God gave us REST.  So that is what we did, we rested.  There was no huge meal, there was no huge get together.  It was just what this Mama needed.  We had spaghetti.