And because that tends to make me cranky
And because there's really no good reason to be cranky
(but instead a million and one reasons to be over-the-top joyful with thanksgiving)
And because I appreciate those who stop by here,
read my ponderings,
and encourage me in so many ways
(...phew!)
I'm hosting a little spring giveaway.
From now through Sunday evening, April 17 at 10pm CST, leave a comment and share your favorite Easter tradition. My high-tech system (aka Luke) will randomly choose one winner which will be announced on Monday morning. The winner will receive a gift box of spring lovelies from me to you!
11 comments:
Ooooh, sign me up:) A gift box of spring lovelies is just the thing to cure these "I thought it was spring?!?" blahs of grey mornings like this!
I want to "play" / participate, but unfortunately, I don't really have any SPECIAL Easter traditions :( When the kids were little i love teaching the Easter Story via the little symbols you put in the plastic easter eggs...and the very last egg is EMPTY! Becaus the grave is EMPTY!
I can share that Easter is my favorite holiday! Our GOD reigns! He conquered death! Rejoice! your faith is not in vain!...
hugs to you my friend!
Annette
I haven't been with my parents and siblings for Easter for a couple years (Indonesia, college :) ), but when I was littler I had a few favorite traditions! My parents hid our Easter baskets around the house on Saturday night and Sunday after church we got to hunt for them around the house.
During high school, I was part of the adult choir and the handbell choir, and so was my mom. We would get up very early in the morning (I always thought of the women at the tomb, getting up while it was still dark) to get to church for the sunrise service. My dad played organ, so it was a family thing--my siblings came to a later service. :) But my parents and I would be there at church, early, to sing and make music celebrating Jesus' resurrection. We were at church all morning, three services, and mom and I had to run up and down the balcony stairs to play bells and sing in the choir. In between services the choirs and instrumentalists had an Easter breakfast in the music room (everyone brought food). And then at home we'd stay in our special Easter clothes and have a family dinner.
My Easters have been different the last few years, but they're no less special!
My favorite Easter memory is very simple. One year over our Easter dinner my sister, three brothers and I had to creatively imagine how the food on our plates could tell the easter story. For example, a carrot stick was part of the cross that Jesus was hung on, a potato represented the tomb that was rolled away, a slice of bread was the cloth left in the tomb, a yellow jello egg may have represented the angel...ect. This was a great way to retell the Easter story while eating, being creative and remembering many details of the Easter story.
My favorite Easter tradition is just repeating "He is Risen" and responding "He is Risen Indeed." I know everyone does it, but it makes me so excited. Indeed our Savior is RISEN. HE IS ALIVE! I love my little ones saying it, they express such joy and I want to live in that joy every day.
We are starting to do more activities this year now that my kids are old enough and I am not moving into our new home;) I hope they will be traditions they see more of Jesus through!
How fun! I guess my favorite tradition is our Good Friday meal with my parents. We have had the same German/Russian meal since I can remember when my Grandma would prepare it. I don't know if there is significance to it and I should really find out but it is a special time none-the-less followed by dying eggs.
This year I am trying to institute a few new traditions and can't wait to see how it goes and if they become favorite things over the years. So many good ideas out there!
Happy celebrating!
~Amy
Oh, a box of spring lovelies from you sounds, well, lovely! This spring has been very different for my family. We have two in school and two at home. I'm working a couple of jobs. But by far, the overriding game changer is my Mom. She is still with us, on month 10 of her 6-8 mos. prognosis. So, between all these different "pulls", we haven't done much in the way of Easter traditions this year.
One thing we have always done is to pick a little dry branch and use it to hang our decorative easter eggs. A few weeks ago, as Ev and I walked up to my mom's door, we found the perfect little branch. No leaves, lots of crooks and crags, some buds, and even an acorn cap still clinging. It was a delightful little branch and right away we knew.
Later that day, Ev hauled out our box of decorations from under the stairs and set up some easter cheer. The little branch is center stage on our kitchen island, bringing a smile to my face every time I see it.
A spring give-away from you-- how fun!!!
We have a family at our church that we always have Easter dinner together-- their kids and ours love to get together. They love to hunt eggs(one egg has the $1.00 in it :))
Celebrating what our Lord has done for us is the best thing we could ever do!!
Happy Easter Friend!!
Lynn
I love the music the most. Yes, I know you are surprised :) But really, what is better then singing, "Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Alleluia!" I remember growing up as a kid on Sunday morning, singing that song loudly with my parents, hearing all the other voices around me. Gives me little glimpses of heaven!
I have also enjoyed the traditions shared by others above. This time of year, we have many "Spring" traditions that range from the kids making stepping stones to burning our Christmas tree and roasting hot dogs over the fire. I love the Easter traditions your family has enjoyed over the years and hope that we may adapt some similar to yours (like your Good Friday tradition with nailing your sins to a cross). Of course, I also do need to make your peanut butter eggs again this year :)
Got to your blog through my friend Kim's. Since Easter is all about the best joy there is, we decided last year to start a tradition of bringing joy to someone who needs it. Last year we bought groceries for someone who was just in a major car accident. And this year, we're still praying and asking God to show us who He wants us to bring joy to and how to do that! This has been an easy way to get our kids involved and they can understand the concept of gifting someone to make the person happy and smile, just like the gift Jesus gave us!
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