Today is Good Friday which starts the beginning of Spring break here for our family. It is a time to enjoy one anothers company and to get a few things done around the farm. I am thrilled that my middle brother will be spending several days in the Smoky Mountains renting a cabin. We will be spending some time with him and his family. Today is his birthday so for the first time in many years I will get to give him a coconut pie for his special day. We will also be spending Easter together doing a very nontraditional thing which is hiking. This whole breaking of tradition has me all confused. I haven't done the normal things that I usually do on the Easter holiday which is cook a large meal, go to church, and invite other people to our home. It is good to mix up traditions upon occasion. I have been reading several people's blogs who celebrate the Jewish holiday at Easter time. I am very curious about this, and pondering on this for next year.
We will be taking some time to celebrate communion as a family. I know many people do not agree that it is proper for a family to celebrate communion in their own home. For those people, that is the job of the pastor/priest. However it is our conviction that we are all New Testament priests (Revelation 1:6). Therefore we have no problems with communion being served in our home. It is not a conviction that we would argue one way or the other, but something that we as Christians feel liberty to do. We have spent many years as Christians throwing away all of the pagan traditions. For years, we did not celebrate Christmas or Easter because of the pagan roots. Yes, both holidays do have pagan roots, but we threw the baby out with the bath water. We went to the other extreme. As we have grown in the Lord, I feel like we have found more of a balance. Balance is good, and I am at peace in celebrating the Lord during both holidays. After all, HE IS RISEN INDEED!
grace and peace,
julie
4 comments:
I am totally with you on the balance thing!
That's a beautiful picture at the top of your blog. Are those blooming already at your house or is that picture from last year?
Nancy,
The flowers at the top of my blog have a story behind them. Hydrangas have been my favorite flower from early childhood. I always begged my dad to plant them in our yard, but he never did until after I was married. When we bought our first little farm, my dad purchased and sent me 4 hydranga plants for our own home. We lived there for less than two years. I dug up the plants and sent them back to Ky. with my parents when we moved. I was going to dig them up again when we bought our next farm. However my dad became terminally ill with cancer and I just left the plants at my parents home. The picture is of my hydrangaes at his house probably 4 years ago. Someday I will buy more plants for our farm whenever I decide where I want them. He planted an entire semi circle of hydragenas in the yard. It was the exact spot that Michael and I took our vows on our wedding day.
By the way, how is that lamb??? He it too cute.
grace and peace,
julie
We just posted about this over at our blog....
Voiceinthewilderness,
thanks for letting me know. I already stopped to jump to your blog and read. Very well put. I didn't even address the easter bunny thing, and I agree with you 110%!
grace and peace,
julie
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