More than Enough to Celebrate

As we approach this Easter Sunday, our hearts have been burdened with how to handle the traditions of the day.  For generations, our family has recognized Easter as the celebratory day for remembering the Death of Christ and His Resurrection - but as the day goes by,  those truths quickly lose out to the eggs, the dye, the bunny, the candy, the baskets, the new outfits....you get the picture.  Jay and I have asked our respective families to not mention the whole Easter Bunny thing this year (I'd love for Americans to ditch that part altogether - to be honest, telling kids that a bunny hops around to everyone's house and brings you a basket loaded with goodies and candy is a little twisted.  At least Santa is pictured as a jolly old man - some renditions of this mysterious bunny are downright scary!)  We told our children years ago that all those traditions were myths because we wanted them to focus on the realities of Christ and what Christmas and Easter mean from His perspective.  I once heard someone say that if kids grow up believing in Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, Leprechans, and Jesus - then one day you say "Oh yeah, I need to tell you that all those things are make believe, except Jesus" (whose story often seems just as unbelievable) - that He can be quickly dismissed as fairy tale, too.  I never want my children to consider Jesus as a possible fairy tale or fond childhood memory.  He is the King of Kings and the whole reason we have any morsel of hope to be freed from our depravity!!  Jay and I were talking about this, and said if Jesus, His death, and His resurrection aren't reason enought to celebrate - than we don't know what is.  Why in the world would you allow some urban legend to share this day with JESUS!  We, as followers of Christ, worship the only God who has defied the grave.  No other religious figure has ever even come close to that miracle.  The Lancaster family encourages you to worship and celebrate Him and Him alone - He is enough.