Dying hands. . . . .

and the counter, and shirts, and arms, and . . . eggs. :) The Saturday evening before Easter each year we let the kids dye eggs. This year we upped the number to 18. The next day we hide them and have a good time. We don't really see dying and hunting eggs as having anything to do with the real meaning of Easter just like we don't see what a Christmas tree has to do with the birth of Jesus. It's just a seasonal thing we do.

For us, Easter is a time of remembrance. We remember the sacrifice Jesus made not only in his death but in leaving heaven for us. The birth and life of Jesus are worthy of celebration but without the resurrection they mean nothing.

We typically have a low key observance of "religious" holidays. We don't do "Happy Birthday, Jesus" parties, no "resurrection" eggs or empty tomb cookies.

.About a week before Easter, Ty carried a tray in a restaurant for an elderly woman. He put her tray down on her table and apparently she asked him a few questions. I was getting drinks for our family and she came up to me.

She had a very concerned look on her face. She said, "I asked him if he was going to have a good Easter and he said, 'We don't celebrate Easter".

I quickly explained that we don't 'do' the Easter Bunny. We attend church weekly so attending church is a given. We talk about Jesus daily so he didn't see anything 'celebratory'. She seemed very relieved and complimented me on his manners and behaviour.

The whole conversation got me to thinking. I'm thankful that Ty didn't think we 'celebrated' Easter. To him the truths in the Bible are a day in, day out thing. Nothing out of the ordinary.

He knows that Jesus is special, he knows that the Bible isn't just another book but he doesn't see why our actions and thoughts should be any different on Easter than they were the week before.

Easter Sunday we had several "extra" people at church. Ty commented on how many people were there and that he wished they would come every week. I can honestly say, he isn't concerned about numbers. He's truly concern for the kids his age especially, that don't attend church.


I admitted that I was concerned as well. Obviously, the adults know that Jesus died and rose again or they wouldn't have bothered coming on a "special" day. It does make you wonder how someone can understand such a fundamental part and not feel the need to attend church on a regular basis. I am so thankful that my seven year old son 'gets' so much. He is a very insightful and thoughtful young man.