Best Shot Monday

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Little Mister Kyle turns two this week… and it’s already going a little too fast.

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First, Let me explain the reason for this post… and it’s going to be a long one, so hang on… or run the other way, whichever suits you…

For some reason that I fail to comprehend, I have been the recent recipient of a barrage of emails and comments that have basically attacked my integrity as a Christian for celebrating Easter. Yes, you heard that right… for celebrating Easter. The gist of the comments have basically been variations on a theme: That Easter was originally a pagan holiday that the Christians commandeered and I must be either ignorant, immoral or a flat out fraud if I choose to celebrate Easter. I have a number of problems with this assumption.

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you have probably become aware of the fact that I am a Christian. Before I continue any further, I would just like to acknowledge for a moment that many people who read this blog are not Christians. I want you to know that you are welcome here. That I respect and value you as readers and that this post is in no way intended to be a sermon or an attempt to force-feed anyone my theology. So, please do not feel in anyway obligated to read this post… or any of my posts for that matter (grin).

At my blog, I do not often delve deep into the hows and whys of Christianity. My posts that speak to topics of personal faith tend to be more reflective in nature… things I have learned about myself, about my own faith. I blog pretty much how I live my life. What I believe is just a part of who I am. It just naturally comes out here and there as I chatter away, but I’ve never been the sort of person who could put together a post, or an everyday conversation for that matter, for the express purpose of Christian instruction … or discipleship (one notable exception being discussions with members of my own family).

So I was somewhat confused as to why people I didn’t even know, and had never spoken to or interacted with on any level, suddenly felt obligated to come here and share with me their opinion that I am an ignorant, immoral fraud. I haven’t until now even posted anything about Easter. And I’m not the sort who harasses other individuals over what they believe. If you’re an atheist or agnostic or member of a religion entirely different from mine, I’m not going to come hassle you about it. If you want to write on your blog that you believe the Easter bunny is an alien savior from another planet or that you prefer to dance around a maypole completely bereft of clothing by the light of the spring solstice moon, that is your prerogative. I’ll likely not be spending much time at your place if you fall into the latter two categories, but I’m not going to give you a hard time about it. And I expect the same courtesy here.

Lest I be misunderstood, by saying that people are free to do as they please, I am not intending to imply that I do not believe that some activities are morally bankrupt. I believe in standing up for what is right, and for living a life in harmony with what I say I believe. I just don’t believe it is my job to go and push the world’s face into the carpet and rub it’s nose in the mess it has made. I have messes of my own to attend to which keep me humble in my striving to live a Christ-like life. What I am saying is that those of us who call ourselves Christians, if we spent less time bickering amongst ourselves and pointing fingers and put half as much effort into living lives worthy of being called Christian, then perhaps more of the world would be inspired to do likewise.

So now, on to those pressing questions: Why do I celebrate Easter? Don’t I know Easter has it’s roots in a pagan holiday? Why don’t I celebrate Passover instead? Wouldn’t that make more sense? (I have paraphrased the questions for the sake of polite conversation) Here’s my answer… and it applies to any Christian holiday that I celebrate that may be believed to coincide with pagan festivities:

Why do I celebrate Easter?

I celebrate Easter because in my culture, it is the day we as Christians set aside to remember, give thanks, and celebrate the resurrection of Christ. I celebrate the resurrection of Christ because I believe Jesus is who he said he was: The son of God, who loved me so much that he died in my place, and that he was resurrected. He died so that I might live and because He now lives, He makes an eternity in heaven attainable for me through his grace. For me and for my family that is worth remembering, worth being thankful for, worth celebrating.

Don’t I know Easter has it’s roots in a pagan holiday?

I have heard this, yes. I have heard the same thing said about Christmas. In a recent conversation with my father-in-law on the topic, a pastor by the way, he made a very good point: Virtually any holy day that one could pick off the calendar is has likely been celebrated by some pagan group at some point in time. That for everything holy, there is a counterfeit. That while the word Easter does have pagan roots, that is true that “easter” is really “ishtar” one of the pagan gods and that tammuz her son is a resurrection figure, the celebration of the resurrection of Christ is most assuredly not a pagan practice. He went on to say, “I refuse to stop celebrating the resurrection of Christ simply because some pagan has counterfeited what God has done. I refuse to stop reveling over Christ’s resurrection because someone chooses to confuse ishtar with Christ. If we stop doing things because someone else has corrupted it or has counterfeited it then we might as well pack up and go into hiding.” A wise man, my father-in-law.

While I do have a problem with shifting the focus of Easter onto the Easter Bunny, I do not have any personal spiritual conflicts with the observance of Easter as the fulfilled promise of the resurrection of Christ, no matter where it falls on the calendar, and no matter what the pagans are celebrating at any point in time, past present or future.

“One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regards the day, regards it unto the Lord; and he that regards not the day, to the Lord he does not regard it. He that eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he that eats not, to the Lord he eats not, and gives God thanks” (Rom. 14:5-6)

I also teach my children about what the world believes. They know about the Easter Bunny, about Santa Claus. And they know they aren’t real. Around Easter time, they eat jellybeans and chocolate Easter bunnies, so long as they are gluten-free. And I don’t believe for a minute they are going to grow up and become converts to the worship of ishtar or any other pagan god or goddess because of it. They are jellybeans and chocolate nothing more. Do we really need to look for and see perversion in the innocent joys of childhood? At our house we don’t find it a necessity.

My father-in-law is quotable on this topic as well… “I can remember coloring eggs when I was a little boy. It happened at “Easter.” But not once did it ever provoke me to diminish my wonder over the resurrection of Christ. Call it compartmentalization, call it what you will, but to the pure all things are pure. To the impure of conscience everything is defiled. My counsel has been that if you can’t celebrate the wonder of Christ’s resurrection without these accouterments then you are in trouble spiritually. But I refuse to give up hot cross buns because some misguided soul equates them with some pagan ritual. They are flour, water, salt, and some other things that make them good to eat. And I can eat them freely without having one idolatrous thought.”

Amen, Dad.

Why don’t I celebrate Passover instead? Wouldn’t that make more sense?

Long story short, as a Christian I believe Easter (Or Resurrection Sunday, if you prefer) is a completion of the Passover ceremony. I have deep respect for the Jewish faith, for the Passover and all that it stands for. I have observed Passover with Jewish friends, and you will not find me saying a word against anyone observing Passover. However, as a Christian, I believe Jesus to be the fulfillment of the promise and prophecy contained within the Passover ceremony, and it is much more meaningful to me to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.

So. That is what I believe, and why I celebrate as I do. I hope this clears matters up for those of you drive-by types who have felt compelled to share your ‘wisdom’ with me.

Happy Easter!

Please Note: This was not written as an open invitation to debate this subject. It is a statement of what I believe personally and nothing more. You are welcome to leave comments on this post and to ask questions, and I will do my best to answer any questions of the reasonable and intelligent variety. However, I will be removing comments that are of inflammatory intent or seek to debate this topic. That is not the purpose of this post. There are plenty of other places on the internet to debate topic in the most detailed and heated manner you may choose. This is not one of them.

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~ Wordless Wednesday ~

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This Christmas has been such a gift for our family - or I should really say, a lavish pile of gifts that we still haven’t finished unwrapping. Moment after moment, indelibly stamped on our hearts as we tug at the ribbons with smiles a mile wide. It has been the Christmas longed for, hoped for, prayed for. The one we wept over so many times in hospitals or while cradling a sick child in our arms as we lamented its loss.

Although we started out the Christmas season with pneumonia, strep throat, and ER visits, Christmas itself, was pure undiluted joy. We find ourselves still a bit heady with it, as it’s rather unfamiliar territory, but all the while willing ourselves not to be looking around for the threat of a dropping shoe. So we didn’t look for one - not even a tiny little peek. We just sat back and soaked it all in like dessicated sponges with our hearts full to overflowing. I can say, just as we have always said, even in the midst of tragedy, that God is good - and breathtakingly faithful.

And once again, I am unable to pick a single moment for Melody’s weekly “The Gift of Every Moment” post for December. So instead, I will share a virtual collage of some of our favorite moments that twirled into our beautiful Christmas with the individual beauty and whimsy of a flurry of Christmas snowflakes…

A beautiful Christmas Eve at Jacqui and Kyle’s great grandparent’s house - What a joy that I still have my dear grandmother to make Christmas memories with!

Christmas morning at Ken’s parents house - And Jacqui sneaking an early peek at the stockings!

Kyle peeking out the window at his second Christmas morning in the world.

Kyle making us laugh after finding an old pair of Grandpa’s glasses frames.

If it has wheels, it’s the best Christmas present ever! At least in Kyle’s book.

Late Christmas Morning at my parent’s house. Jacqui singing happy birthday to Jesus with her cousins, James and Jonathan. The cake was actually a gluten-free coffee cake I had made so that Jacqui and her Auntie could have something to nibble on, but it worked for a birthday cake in a pinch. As long as it was capable of holding up birthday candles, it was a birthday cake to the kiddos!

A rare flurry of Christmas snowflakes, like a made to order Christmas wish! A Currier and Ives moment that put a childlike smile in my heart.

Snowflakes are for making snowballs with and snowballs are for throwing - especially at Mom and Dad!

Christmas night at Ken’s parents house and a sleepy, but happy Jacqui.

Me trying to finish up the last of my traditional Christmas book… and failing quite happily.

Back home the day after Christmas - Jacqui falling asleep in Daddy’s arms during her bedtime story.

Stockings all ready for our family Christmas…

And a tree waiting for pint-sized early risers.

Princess Jacqui showing off her new dress-up dress.

Jacqui drew a picture for us of her “Christmas List” … which primarily consisted of a Disney Princess Talking Vanity.

Jacqui was one lucky little princess because Mommy just happened to see one at over half-off the sticker price during a 4-hour sale… or the Disney Princess Vanity would NOT have made an appearance at our house. Jacqui was blissfully unaware of the close call.

Even princesses enjoy a little off-road adventure now and then. Kyle only put up with it for a minute though before yowling, “MINE!! MINE CAR!!”

Over the weekend, we lost power and resorted to blanket forts and stories…

Although there were so many Christmas toys in the fort that there wasn’t much room for kiddos.

After the kiddos went to bed, Ken and I sat down to a few rounds of Monopoly by candlelight. I’m pleased to say that I trounced him - three times. He’s demanding a re-match this evening : )

Jacqui declared this to be, “the most wonderfullest magicallest Christmas ever!!” We couldn’t agree more - and the moments keep coming.

*****New Year’s Monopoly Update - Mandated by Ken…*****

So… my luck apparently ran out tonight. See all those hotels? All Ken’s. All in the low rent district, but he managed to completely shut me out of a monopoly of any property on the board. He owned the only two monopolies and promptly erected enough hotels to rival Las Vegas.

And here was my sorry hand… Nine mortgaged properties, one railroad, one ten, one five and one one. I accused him of being a slum-lord.

As you can see, this troubled him greatly.

Even my most pathetic pouty face couldn’t induce mercy and he gleefully forced the mortgage of my last railroad and then took my paltry sum of $116.00 and shoved me into bankruptcy.

Lucky for me he’s not the sort to gloat…

This post was written for the Wrapped Emotions writing prompt:

“Capturing the Gift of Every Moment”

Please click on the link below to visit Wrapped Emotions to see how other writers took on this prompt…

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