Teaching them the meaning...

Easter weekend was a lot of fun in our family, but it got me thinking about things I want my children to know and understand.

My faith in God and God being the head of our household is a very important issue for me.

So it has been a touch and go subject with Hubby Dearest and I about how to approach certain holidays.

I LOVE the memories I have as a child surrounding Easter and strongly want those for my children too. However, I still know the meaning of the holiday and that is, too, something my children must understand.

So how do you combine the modern themes with the true meanings without loosing something?

I’m blessed that we found a lovely school that also provides crèche for Lil Mister. The school ages from 1 year all the way until you graduate high school. It is grounded in Christian beliefs and teaches the Bible right along with each subject.

Hubby and I love this. We love the environment and the people. I loved seeing Lil Mister come home with Easter art projects that centered around the resurrection of Christ (at his age the crucifixion is a little too…much! We focus only on the life and resurrection, casually mentioning the death part as we read the story. We’ll focus more on that as he gets older!).

Still, though, on the last day of school before holiday his school report along with some awesome candies were in an adorable basket made into an bunny face from paper plates.

At home, during our Bible time, we read the story of the resurrection and how miraculous it was. But I still made an Easter basket and did an egg hunt over the weekend.

Am I confusing him?

A lot of people will argue with me and say that I am.

A lot of people will question what my answers will be when my boys start wondering how it all pieces together.

For now, Hubby Dearest and I are taking it holiday for holiday. We teach our sons the true meaning of Easter. They know about Jesus and why we celebrate his resurrection (well, they will know as they grow! Admittedly, they are quite small still!). I’m trying my best to teach my sons that they can have a personal relationship with God and Jesus by exemplifying that relationship in my own life.

But we teach them that this is also a time to celebrate! Easter is a celebration…not just a history lesson! What do balloons have to do with a birthday? So what does a bunny have to do with Easter? They are fun traditions we do, as a family because we’re celebrating Jesus’ life.

There are lots of stories of pagan traditions. There are links from the egg to rebirth. There are numerous ideals of how to link the two.

Quite simply, I don’t see the point in putting so much into it. God knows the place of our hearts. I want in my heart, for my children to know the point of Easter. I want them to know the significance of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. I want them to know to celebrate all of these things.

So, for me and my house, we will worship God. We will also do Easter egg hunts and put up Christmas trees! ;-)

Besides….where in the Bible does it say we must celebrate Easter? If you want to get technical…..

Shana..