Easter Traditions

I sometimes chuckle when I think of all the silly things we do to celebrate certain events. When you get right down to analyzing them, what sense do they really make? We hang lights on a tree at Christmas. We give paper hearts at Valentine's, and we tuck eggs under bushes so our kids can come along five minutes later to find them on Easter. The actions themselves are silly; it's the symbolism behind them that make them worthwhile. (Although, there's no excuse, however sentimental, for eating marshmallow peeps. None at all.)


About five years ago, I wanted to do a little something special for Easter. I went to the store and loaded up on pita bread, grapes, cheese, raisins, refried beans (easier to find than hummus) and grape juice. I then told everyone in my family to go put on bathrobes and tie towels around their heads. I put all the food on plates and we sat on the floor in our living room, doing our very best to imitate an ancient Hebrew meal. I explained to my kids that Jesus probably ate pretty similarly to this, and they thought that was pretty cool. Even though our costumes and menu were a far cry from authentic, the Spirit was so strong as we concentrated on Jesus Christ that Easter Sunday.

I wrote it off as a one-time experience. But the following year, when Easter rolled around, sure, there was talk of candy and whatnot, but the most repeated question was, "Will we wear costumes and sit on the floor again?" I realized that my clumsy attempt at bringing Christ more fully into the center of our celebration had made a bigger impact than I realized, and we now have our "Jesus meal" every Easter. It's our own Pinkston family tradition. Granted, this year it was a little more frisky than usual, with Benjamin flinging olives around the room and not quite understanding why we wanted him to be reverent. Next year, though, he'll be old enough to grasp the concept that we're trying to be like Jesus, and the olive-flinging should come to an end.


However you chose to celebrate Easter this year, I hope you were filled with the love of the Lord and a sense of awe at the miracle of how very deeply He loves us. I know that He does; He has shown it to me and to my family in so many ways.