All that to say, basically, that Jen Hatmaker wrecked me last night with this blog post. I'm grateful, but wrecked. That's one of those churchy words, sorry. But she totally opened my eyes to something I've heard before, but never heard. Americans have commercialized and, in turn, bastardized holy holidays. I'm resistant to drop the "commercialized" version of holidays entirely because my memories of Christmas and Easter from childhood are so magical. I also know that I cannot shelter my children from the world entirely, nor am I supposed to, and I'm not sure I want them to be total outcasts. I'm not sure I know the right words to explain to my children why their friends get easter eggs filled with candy and stockings filled with goodies and they don't. I don't want my children to resent holy holidays because it represents something they see all around them that they don't get, but instead to understand the true meaning. I am really seeking out a way to do this. I'm always learning; I'm a work in progress.
This year, I really tried to make Christmas more about Christ and less about Santa and stuff. I probably halfway succeeded. Most presents were handmade and we nudged Ben to give Santa a toy of his to take to children in need with the plate of cookies and cup of milk. We read from The Jesus Storybook Bible each day of the month of December and watched a few movies together as a family. None of it felt like enough at all. I have even greater plans for this year.
But when I read the aforementioned blog post and the two other posts she linked to within that post, I felt slapped upside the head. In a good way. Sort of.
This is the week Jesus rose to his task and split history in two. This is the week he rode on a donkey, cried in the garden, suffered on the cross, rose into glory. This is the week that sinful, broken humans were granted a pardon, justified to perfection and set free. It is too miraculous for words. Songs and sermons fail us; we huddle at the cross, overwhelmed by the punishment that brought us peace.
Family, what does worship look like in light of this miracle? How do awe and wonder and gratitude and humility mark our lives as we honor the cross? As I’ve said before here and here, it seems barely worth mentioning that chocolate bunnies and fancy new dresses not only miss the gravity, but miss the point. I daresay the American response to Easter is insulting, devastating even."
I don't know about you, but the words she chose pierced my heart. Everything clicked. It all made sense. Here we are, spending money on eggs and candy and fancy clothes we'll wear one time in a year, and for what? It's actually appalling. And, yeah, devastating. We really are bastardizing this holy holiday. I know that's a little vulgar, but, well, so is what we've been doing. Jesus Christ went to the cross for US! For a giant population of sinners spitting in His face. Literally. He suffered tremendously and died so that we could be free. And then He rose again. And we celebrate this with fluffy bunnies, frilly outfits and chocolate. Where along the way did we lose sight of the truth of this holiday? What are we teaching our children when they get excited about Easter because they get to slip into sugar comas and bounce around the yard in bunny ears searching for eggs?
Sigh.
Jen Hatmaker, you changed my heart today. Completely and irrevocably. I will not be able to go out and buy us outfits this weekend to wear one time. Luckily, I've been a slacker mom who hasn't done this yet. Nor have I bought our Easter eggs or chocolate yet, thank goodness. Or maybe thank God? Maybe He's been working in my heart. I can't read her story of how their church did Easter smack dab in the middle of the homeless community and feel satisfied to dress up, go to church Sunday, come home, eat ham, throw some chocolate eggs on the lawn and go to bed. I don't know what Easter is going to look like for us from now on, but I know it's going to be different. And I am determined to find a way to make my kids love it and get it. I am ready to be radical.
God made the most unbelievable sacrifice. Let us spend this weekend thinking about that. Asking Him to show us how He would like us to honor this.
What if we calculated the money we’d spend on new clothes, anything having to do with a bunny and chocolate, and used that investment for great good, pouring out for someone in need of mercy? Maybe instead of matching outfits from Dillards, we invest in family t-shirts benefiting someone’s adoption, someone's mission for Christ. Perhaps rather than time and energy spent on ourselves, we ask: “Who can our family serve? Where can we put our hands and hearts to use in Jesus’ name?” Who in your city desperately needs hope but won’t find their way to the sanctuary Sunday filled by people dressed to the nines?" - Jen Hatmaker
That heart pruning is so not comfortable sometimes. I'll share my thoughts on Easter - for our family, our kids, Easter centers around the cross and the empty tomb. Along side of that we celebrate spring and new life - hope in Christ. A new dress or shoes for spring - if needed and a small treat on Easter morning from Mommy and Daddy with no mention of the "easter bunny." :) We do some of the egg hunts or dyeing but I really think of those as more just spring fun! It's eye opening to step out of our conventional culture and look at WHY we do things - I'm challenged all.the.time. on that it seems! (And yes, Jen Hatmaker is my mentor/life coach - she just doesn't know it lol!) Thanks for writing this!
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