New Easter Traditions


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What an unexpected weekend of fun. I love when last-minute celebrations turn to such sweet memories. When things are planned WAY in advance – I have more time to obsess and make them all about the event and less about the people. I like this last-minute approach this year – adding two new traditions to our lineup.

We hosted two events at our house this weekend  – the Good Friday Playdate (rain moved it from the park to my house) and then a brunch for a couple families in our Connect Group.

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Moving from Atlanta to Orlando has been a wonderful, bittersweet adjustment which I’ll detail more – later this week. It has caused us to make create our own community – and make them our family. It has pushed me to realize that our family of four is our family – and we can make our own traditions.

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It doesn’t take away the sting of missing our extended family. It just makes you realize what you have right in front of you. And that is indeed a blessing. And Easter weekend is a beautiful time to rest in what we have vs what we don’t.

 

Good Friday Playdate

Let’s start with Good Friday – it was a small crowd but absolutely perfect. Rain messed up the tree plan, but it didn’t stop us.

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We made tombs/crosses.

 

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We colored.


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We talked about how this is yet another opportunity to GIVE to others.

 

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We stuffed our eggs with money and notes. Inspired by #40acts and a mom I met on Instagram.

 

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I am not sure they retained anything I said – but I know they’ll remember we stopped on Good Friday and celebrated our King.

 

 

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We worshipped together.

 

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We walked around and discussed some key things about Easter. It was an hour. And most of it was from my house and the dollar store. I will share more in the book of course on how simply you can make life’s most important lessons an experience vs a lecture. And, thanks to Rachel – I believe a new tradition has begun at my house. I love this day.

 

Easter Brunch

So, when my mom or mother-in-law has been feeding me for 37 years – what does a girl do when Easter is coming? Uh – invite people over and say “bring your own amazing dish.” Right? I love community that is built through connect groups, small groups and bible studies. You just simply “do life” together and that is fun.

(Note: Many of you asked about the cross – this isn’t like a sneaky hook to the book. But I am detailing a lot of it there. Basically, I made a cross. And pinned “sins” to over lent and then changed it to this Easter morning to show new life and the process of forgiveness.)

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I enjoyed playing house like a grownup and dusting off my grandmother’s china and many things we used at her house when I was a child. I made an egg casserole and didn’t burn it. Winning.

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My sweet friend Carey’s husband – Chad. Showed up with his own griddle, apron and banana pancake recipe. He won.

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We all got the rare family photos. These are the Keeneys – one of the single biggest blessings of the “yes” to moving.

 

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And then got invited to a kids performance of Frozen.

 

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Luke played the keyboard from on top of the castle. Committed.

 

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Then a dance party broke out with Eye of the Tiger.

 

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And the dads. This picture owns me.

 

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And moms hit the floor. And we didn’t totally plan our matching outfits – but we did go to the same Kayce Hughes trunk show and sort of fell in love.

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And then we went to church for the whole reason. For my favorite chills bumps of the year. To honor the Lord we really believe died on a cross and rose again. For our family, we serve Him. We want the world to know he lives. We are thankful for this grace in our mess. I don’t want his sacrifice to make me self-righteous or worse – unmarked.

I want his sacrifice to impact my heart and how I see others. How I see this one life and how I live it well. How I seek to love well and live authentically. How I forgive quicker and love bigger. Lord, search my heart. Grow me each year. Lead me to the cross. Daily.

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5 Comments

  1. I think we’ve had one Easter with family in our 14 years of marriage…a couple more Christmases/Thanksgivings, but yes- usually trying to find other families with whom to celebrate. It ends up being a nice perk of moving so much. 🙂 Your celebrations look they ran over in the fun and memory categories!

  2. This year we didn’t have any extended family for Easter either. We had a quiet day with our own family. Each holiday looks different for every family. Us moms put so much pressure on ourselves to make the holidays perfect, don’t we? I love your approach of making your community your family! 🙂

    Cooking Up Faith
    http://www.cookingupfaith.com

  3. This is so nice. I think I am drawing a blank this year. My son’s birthday is two days before it, so that throws it a bit, because my focus is to get through his birthday. 🙂 But I think it will be fun. My favorite thing, that my kids love, is resurrection tombs I make out of paper that have candy in them saying the savior is no longer here. They look forward to that every year. Other than that, I don’t know what we are going to do. Maybe celebrate Easter with my Mom as she recovers?

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