Happy, happy Easter! What a wonderful, joyous day it has been! How grateful I am for the mission of Jesus Christ, for his perfect example, his Atonement, his resurrection. My heart has been so full of happiness today.
I don’t have much to say about the week. We spent most of the week sick, and by Friday were back on track. We had a soccer season start this week with a win that felt awfully good. Saturday was busy and on Saturday night my husband and I took our five daughters to see the BYU Ballroom Dance performance. It was spectacular, as always. My favorite parts of the evening were the moments when our two year old was so swept away by the music, the moves and the costumes that she would suddenly start waving her arms around or jumping and dancing. It was adorable.
The unusual week changed our Easter celebration and I learned a good lesson from it.
The decorations were never unpacked. Only my ceramic lamb made an appearance but it was enough. I am learning that celebration is an important part of feeling joy. It’s when we recognize the moment as something worthy of our notice, when we allow our hearts and schedules to focus on those things that bring joy. Savoring such moments also provides us with joy down the road as we recall warm memories.
I’m learning that too often I envision productions when a spirit of celebration is sufficient. I picture so much, my list gets long and struggling to live up to my own expectations can kill the celebration if I’m not careful. I let go of the production this year and let our Easter celebration be simple.
Years ago I bought some old rail road spikes to give my children a better picture when they think of the nails in Christ’s hands, wrists and feet. They joined our simple vignette as well.
Everything was simple. The food was traditional but simple. The day was gorgeous… sunny and mild with the sound of sprinklers running and children talking. Blue hydrangeas and vintage blue china made me smile contentedly.
I’m sure that next year my list of things to do for Easter will be equally long again, and I hope I’ll be able to accomplish many of them. Still, it was good for me to see how things can play out with equal amounts of joy when I am unable to deal with the list. I want to remember this lesson and take it to heart.
It’s spring break this week, and the timing was perfect. I am always a relaxed mom when there’s no school on Sunday. Tonight my brother and his family stopped by and we talked until late, knowing that we weren’t messing up a school schedule. I’m excited to shift into low gear for the next five days.
Have a great week!
Jennifer
