The Bald Goat

It’s that time of year again!

Time for chocolate bunnies, colored eggs, and playing hide and seek with an imaginary bunny. Time for girls to wear pretty new dresses and boys to wear a tie that makes them look like angelic gentlemen…(if only for a few hours!) A special time of festivity and celebration that only happens once a year!

Oh, and the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and returning from the grave to save our souls. Almost forgot about that part…

I am being sarcastic, but we do have the tendency, especially in America, to give in to the commercialism and secular festivities of the season. And I do it, too. I look forward to seeing Piper in her new dress and our boys dressed up in their little man clothes. To hide eggs and watch our kids go and find them. To consume large amounts of marshmallow Peeps and chocolate. 

I am ok with these traditions. I am even ok with not trying to find some way to Christianize these traditions to make them acceptable for a religious holiday. (I do not like you Resurrection Eggs!) They are fun and happy times. But I do think we need to be careful not to lose the “reason for the season”. I don’t think we have to chose. It is not one or the other, to egg or not to egg. I think God likes to watch his children have fun just as much as we like to watch our children have fun. His love for us is incredible!

I think one of the most healthy things we can do is to enjoy our traditions and allow them to be just that, traditions. Have fun and laugh and smile for the camera as we make memories that will last for years to come. But then, never let these joyful things overshadow the amazing joyful event that this day marks for us to remember, the resurrection of Christ and the power of God to overcome all obstacles to save our broken world. Remember this event. Share it with your children and with each other. Be intentional about this part of the day and when your children ask, “What does the easter bunny have to do with God?” you can say, “Nothing. It is just one of those crazy fun things we like to do.”

Lord, I thank you for happy times and fun for the sake of having fun. Let tomorrow be a day filled with laughter and joy. Let us remember the events of 2000 years ago and what it means for us today. Tomorrow let us celebrate the origin of the grace that we embrace every day of the year.