Growing up, my mother was (and still is) a church choir director. She had to be at church for all the services, including the sunrise service, so the Easter bunny would leave our baskets in the car =)

It’s Easter weekend. Though there you can still measure the snow in feet up here in Minnesota, and the low for Sunday is going to be 7 degrees, this holiday is all about spring, new life, goodness in the most unexpected places, family traditions, and resurrection. It seems to me that if one thing we reflect on at Christmas is becoming a mother, than one thing to reflect on at Easter is being in motherhood.

  • New life: most mornings, it’s hard for me to get out of bed. I’m just so freaking tired!! Even if The Boy only wakes up twice, when you go to bed at midnight, he wakes at 2 for a diaper change and milk then 7, that’s not much sleep in a row. I pray – truly, pray – for new life every morning. It feels like I literally need it. I need the energy from Him to renew me and carry me thru the day.
  • Goodness in unexpected places: when I haven’t slept well (see above), try to squish work in between playing/feeding/toy pickup/diaper changing, the dog barks in protection but wakes the baby from his nap. When there are still things left on my to-do list at the end of the year month week day. When there’s playdough squished in the carpet and the dog eats it. When I get peed on for the second time that day night hour. I need goodness. I need to be able to see goodness in the midst of playdough, pee, dog hair, scrambled eggs for dinner again. And because goodness is always there, I need to choose to see it.
  • Family traditions: our traditions have changed a bit since the carseat Easter baskets =) They’re very simple: we travel to Husby’s moms, enjoy meals with family, and make sure to eat an entire bag of SweetTarts jellybeans {cause yum}. We also use this three-season countdown calendar from DaySpring and LOVE it. Husby & I spend time in prayer, attend church services throughout Holy Week, and try to journey from joy to solemnity to joy. While these may be particular to Easter, it’s so important to have everyday rituals & traditions for our families!
  • Resurrection: oh how I need resurrection of the spirit! Life breathed into dead. Hope where there was none. Sometimes in motherhood it can feel like you need a loooong cool drink of living water. And actual water. But I feel like so many areas of my life are in constant need of resurrection. My spiritual life, marriage, job, even the food we eat! Resurrection, the turning over of my life to Him, the rolling away of a stone.

As a mom, I get the opportunity to foster traditions. To model seeing goodness where it looks bereft. To offer new life to my family, and pray it for myself. And to need resurrection (not in a physical sense, but in all others).

This Easter, I will be grateful, peaceful, joyful. I pray the same for you.

This post is part of an on-going series through (in)courage
Click here for more about our group, (in)couraging Working New Moms.  Our group is full for this session, but I’ll keep you posted when the next session begins!
 
– Anna
{girl with blog}

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