Easter Evolution

My children asked me if we could dye eggs tomorrow. They also asked what I was making for Easter dinner. My answers? OK and Ham. Whatever.

Is this what Easter has evolved into?

This has been a very eventful week at our house. The kids are on vacation from school this week, I launched a new business on Monday, my Mother-in-Law was hospitalized for two days (comfortably home now) and the puppy got into my closet, chewed up two of my favorite slippers and apparently buried 1/2 of my last precious pairs of Vans. He also pulled books off the bookshelf to use for his chewing pleasure. He thinks trash is best enjoyed scattered throughout the house, freed from the confines of the garbage bag in which it was placed. Coco is not my friend. These situations took on an urgency in my life that needed to be addressed as each issue arose. Preparation for Easter became an afterthought. I been occupied with Ham, hospitals and canine homicide all week. Even now I'm not sure how to approach Easter. I am tired and would like nothing more than to rest this weekend.

Our church is hosting an Easter Eggstravaganza tomorrow. Work.

The praise team needs to spend a couple of hours rehearsing tomorrow evening. More work.

We will have tons of visitors at church who need to be welcomed. Even more work.

Dyeing eggs, ham dinner, dressing up (pantyhose-yuck). Work. Work. Work.

Just thinking about what needs to be done this weekend makes me tired. Somehow, they feel like chores. I hate chores.

My thoughts go back to Monday; the day of my business launch. Friends were coming over that evening to sample my wares (thanks, ladies; you're the best!) and I cleaned like a maniac to get ready; I even dragged the kids into the effort. You know what? I didn't mind it at all! I was so filled with anticipation of the evening festivities I didn't even think of what I was doing as "chores." It was a labor of love - I wanted my friends to feel comfortable, welcome and free to be as excited as I was about what I wanted to share with them.

Maybe that's why I am struggling with Easter. I have lost sight of my goal, allowing myself to be distracted by the minutia of the individual tasks themselves. My ultimate purpose for this weekend is what matters. Do I just want to get through the Eggstravaganza or do I want to share Jesus with children and their parents who may never have the opportunity to make a decision to follow Christ again in their lives? Why should I look at the preparation for Sunday morning as anything less than a labor of love? The Good News shared on this Easter morning is the most important message anyone will ever have the good fortune to hear! I have the opportunity to contribute to a comfortable, welcoming environment for people who may only visit our church once a year, or even once in their lifetime!

Wouldn't it be great if some of those occasional attenders saw a body of believers who were so genuinely loving to each other and to their Savior that they wanted nothing more than to come back the following week and learn more about whatever filled all of us with such joy? It would be a shame for them to see frazzled, impatient people, so caught up in the minutia of Easter dresses, our favorite seats and lunch plans that we aren't excited about the joyous celebration this Holy day commemorates!

HE IS OUR REDEMPTION!!
He paid our bond, our debt, through His sacrifice on the cross. Although we deserve eternal punishment for our disobedience to His law (our sin), He took on the punishment Himself, so we could be in fellowship with Him for eternity.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. - Colossians 1:13-14

HE IS ALIVE!!
He didn't just rise from the dead, then fade into history. HE IS ALIVE RIGHT NOW!! He is physically in Heaven, preparing a place for us, his children, so we can one day join Him there.

Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. - Mark 16:6

And that is the crux of the matter, isn't it?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

How can we not be excited about that? If we believe God is who He says He is, how can we keep that a secret? Why would we want to keep it a secret??

Now I'm getting excited! I can keep it simple and to the point. The kids can help prepare the Ham dinner, I'll happily wear a dress and Coco can spend the afternoon in the backyard. I'm going to keep the most important thing as the most important thing and let the people know that Jesus cares this weekend!

UPDATE:

1. I found my missing Van (sneaker) in the laundry room. The puppy left it beside the laundry hamper.

2. I have decided to wear boots.

God is Good!