Easter dresses

Growing up, Easter meant my sister and I got new dresses. Living on a church salary, most of our clothes came from goodwill, so something new was momentous. On Easter, we would get a handmade dress or sometimes a store bought dress, if there was a little extra money. I still remember the thrill of one year especially, getting a hat and gloves and a purse to match!

Then there was always the egg dying and special dinner at my grandparents house loaded with all of our family and friends. Of course, I knew we celebrated Jesus' resurrection too, but as a child, it was only a piece of the entirety. And so my lovely childhood Easter memory formed its identity and interlaced through time, wafting through each year, making its way to the present, mostly intact.

Now, being much, much older, my 'Easter identity' bears a lot of similarities. However, there is a solemnity, reverence, gratitude and joy of the season and what Christ endured for us that has taken root since I was little. A grown-up version, you could say. Dresses, bunnies and easter baskets would seem just a bit silly and even possibly irreverent, except in their identity, for me lies this root of a much greater meaning.

I've noticed how we can often associate petty things with things of much greater meaning. At the same time, the greater meaning seems to lose some of its greatness without those same seemingly petty things. It's kind of human nature, you could say. For me when I see the Easter dresses and candy come out, I get that tinge of joy because I know its time to celebrate one the greatest days of all time.

And I know, when it comes right down to it, the story of Easter has nothing to do with lilies, chicks and spring. When I think of our Father God, in his love for me, sending His son, Jesus to earth...and the raw truth of what he suffered on the cross for me and then raising from the dead three days later, saving all of humanity...does that sound like something that is represented by an egg hunt followed by a nice ham for dinner? Its almost laughable. And yet, its all kind of morphed into one day, one 'identity'.

So now I'm buying Easter dresses for my own daughters. Once again I have carefully planned their outfits, little baskets, egg dying and dinner. For that split second when I start to wonder why I should care about these small 'materialistic' rituals, I remember these little unimportant things are really kind of important. My 'Easter identity' wouldn't be the same without them, and while I could live without them, what fun would that be?!

We each have our stories..our Easter 'identities', traditions and even moral convictions. In reflection on the real reason we celebrate Easter...the sacrificial and joyous story of redemption through His resurrection, and the not-as-important fun little traditions, I am pondering the lasting effects it all will have on my girls. Yes, the new dress is fun and dying Easter eggs is super fun, but...my excitement lies in their understanding of what Christ did for them and how much He loves them! I know that someday this season will hold for them a much deeper meaning than just the superficial, as it does for me.

Happy Easter!