A Meaningful Easter

Recently I was reading a post about how to make Easter about the lamb and not about the bunny. I don't know that we've made a conscious effort to eliminate "the bunny" in our house, but it's just kind of happened. Don't get me wrong. I love Easter bunnies and coloring Easter eggs. I love egg hunts and pretty Easter dresses. It's when all of those things become more important than our risen Lord that I think we have a problem.

In case you're interested, here is how our family focuses on Christ during this season. It is quite simple, really:

1. We don't go out shopping much - you'd be amazed at how QUICKLY children forget about "things" when they don't see them.
   
2. We don't watch much regular television - everything is recorded, or from Netflix Instant Streaming, or our ROKU. Therefore... no commercials... no advertisting!
3. I normally decorate with TONS of bunnies and Easter things. The only things I have gotten out this year are our Easter flag, and a few of the children's favorite Easter bunnies from years past.
4. We are members of a wonderful Lutheran church, with a strong Christian education program. My children are surrounded by messages of Easter at church and at home.
5. We've been reading a family story since Ash Wednesday - helping us prepare for the mystery of Easter. I cannot tell you how meaningful it has been for our family to sit together each evening and read this story. You can read more about it here.
   

This morning I was at a meeting at church for several hours. When I came home the computer room was a mess, scraps of paper littered the floor, and it looked like my daughter had been BUSY. She was making Easter cards for friends. I knew when I saw her card that Easter, for her, is truly about the lamb and not the bunny. It is something that made tears come to my eyes.

Tomorrow is the beginning of Holy Week.... how you will you make Easter about the lamb and not the bunny? Do you have any favorite activities your children enjoy this week? Leave me a comment and let me know!

*Linking up with:

Five Minute Friday - Distance

Write for 5 minutes flat for pure unedited love of the written word.

Todays topic is DISTANCE...

Distance probably would have made me think of the proximity to home (and my parents)a few years ago, but now that I've been married so long and have lived in the same home for six years, distance has a different meaning.

During the past couple of weeks distance is something I've been trying to put between myself and a few things that have been not so good for me... distance between myself and the computer, distance between myself and that tub of ice cream, distance between myself and the television.

What I've discovered recently is that I don't want there to be any distance between myself and those I love, so I'm choosing to spend more time on the things important to me - and less time writing for my blog (which is why this 5 Minute Challenge is perfect!), less time trying to climb the "online ladder" , and less time worrying about what others think. In the end, it only matters why HE thinks, anyway.

I want to write about content, technique, and things that work for us, so I can lessen the distance between myself and my children. I love to read informative posts about curriculum and instruction, and have pared down my blog reading accordingly. A blog post written each day (sometimes two and three even - yikes!) a day creates more distance. It may look good when I turn on the computer, but is it really eternal? I'm not so sure.

Just a five minute rambling today, with no editing - so if I made sense - great. If not, I'll try again next week! What did you think? Why don't you take the Five Minute Friday challenge?

Visit The Gypsy Mama for more Five Minute Friday writings - what a cool idea!