Let’s Hear it for Easter!
by Maggie Roth
And so we reached the final Sunday in our Sabbath journey. Part of me is a little sad that the end is here but another part of me has awakened to the experience in a way I didn’t expect and leaves me extremely grateful.
The adoption of this practice has been so much more than the changing of our habits on Sunday. Though I’ve felt at times I’ve been “keeping score“ rather than enjoying the Sabbath, I know that this experience has been much more. It’s caused me to examine how much I’m willing to change and to honestly assess my faith and how I live it. One of the questions I keep running into as we’ve built our weeks around Sunday is – are we really a Christian family? What does that even mean? Could you tell our family apart from a non-Christian family? Are we actually practicing our Christian values?
I know we’re trying more now than ever before, and that’s not an easy endeavor. We live in the midst of a world where status and respectability seem to be mixed up with fancy houses and fancy clothes. I know better and can honestly say I’ve made my peace with that rat race, but I wonder if my children will. How do I help form the minds of little ones so that they know that God is so much more awesome than anything the world has to offer?
I’ve started realizing how much of our lives (food, clothing, you name it) is built around the mistreatment of others. I’m constantly stunned at how much we unwittingly affect others across the globe. To that end, I have tried to incorporate some new practices in our lives (though we have a looong way to go) and I think this Sabbath journey ties into this. Somehow, in the midst of all this awareness and all this restructuring, there is a path forming. Our family is still trying to find trail, but we’re out here, looking around, trying to figure out how to make our way through the mud.
I admitted last week that we’ve been much better about taking the commercialism out of our Sundays than we have putting God back in. It was kind of embarrassing to state that, but I have to think that honesty is the best policy in these situations. Life doesn’t always unfold in a grand mystical way. But then again I think this Lenten journey has formed a foundation that we will build upon. Mike and I have already agreed that we want to continue this beyond Easter Sunday. Perhaps not to the rigid standards we’ve been keeping, but we’ll keep the tradition going.
How I wish there were more resources available to us young families trying to figure out this messy wonderful life. Is there a United Methodist family blog?? I kinda doubt it. But, my goodness, I’d love to see one. I’d love to hear how others are muddling through also.
I had hoped that Lent would be a more meaningful experience this year than it had previously. Hands down, it has been. We are so grateful to have been challenged to make a significant change. In fact, I don’t want to monkey around with dumb sacrifices that are meaningless anymore. What does giving up sweets have to do with giving more of my life to Jesus? It seems so silly now. Lent has forever been altered in my life and I’m so glad for it! This is about concentrating on the life Jesus called us to lead and trying to follow him. To actually practice our Christianity.
So thank you, Holy Covenant, for holding us to this Lenten commitment. Thank you, God, for helping us recalibrate what it means to live a life where you are front and center rather than in the background.
And now, without further ado, let’s hear it for Easter!
Tags: Maggie
