We each buckle up a kid and hop in the car to head home. Gripping a basket full of colorful eggs, my three year old shouts “I finally know what easter is all about mom and dad… candy!”
Her smile is wide. We look at each other and laugh.
A sweet and innocent response. To her, she’s solved the mystery.
Later we sarcastically joke with friends, “we’re doing great as parents”.
I had good intentions. I meant to pull out our easter books. I wanted to retell the story with props, for a deeper understanding. I hoped to memorize scripture with my kids. I desired to do all the fun art projects.
But easter snuck up on me and the margins in my life felt slim.
I remember talking about it from my heart, once or twice while we were driving, but honestly, I couldn’t tell you if anyone was listening.
Easter morning rolls around and grandma calls before we head out the door for church service. I prop the phone up on a water bottle as they talk and step out of the room to grab a baby, crying in his crib. Through the hallways I hear grandma ask my daughter, “do you know what easter is all about?”
Oh no, I laugh as I velcro a clean diaper on a squirmy little boy.
yes died for you and for me on the cross washed us white as snow someone opened the cave, he came back he has special powers, not like elsa’s
I hear glimpses of the story as I walk back down the hall.
My husbands eyes are wide, “did you teach her all that?”
And there’s two possibilities here:
ONE: She was listening while I drove and simply shared my faith.
TWO: Ms. Sherrie is a wonderful sunday school teacher.
But it was not the special props or dusty resurrection eggs, high up on the shelf in my garage. It wasn’t even the picture bible on our bookshelf or an elaborate art project.
I couldn’t be more reminded that my strivings will never measure up. I’ll never be enough in my own strength. But He sure is, and He works in ways I don’t always understand. (And let’s be real, He places amazing teachers in our children’s lives!)
Friends, I am praying that you’re enjoying the spring weather as much as we are. Every night my kids stink like “mud-kitchen”. Their arms are burnt, they have dirt in their nails, sunblock in their hairline, and sticky popsicle juice on their faces.
What a childhood.
Kendra
a glimpse into my pursuit to create in the margins, while leaving clean laundry in the basket another day a single daffodil stem, found on our walk to twinkle lane
This post is part of a blog hop with Exhale—an online community of women pursuing creativity alongside motherhood, led by the writing team behind Coffee + Crumbs. Click HERE to view the next post in the series "Simple”.
The comment about Jesus having powers but not like Elsa’s gave me a good laugh because my three and a half year old is really into reenacting “dying on the cross for our sins” but every time she somehow turns into Elsa by the end. It’s amazing what a three year old brain will and will not pick up on!
I love this so much 🩷
As moms, we try so hard to be everything for everyone, but we can't. We aren't everything and teachable moments don't always have to come from elaborate plans. That's also just the beauty of community. Being able to share and teach each other and each other's kids is such an important part of that.
What a sweet family and I'm glad you guys are enjoying the sunshine as well. We share the same weather most of the time here in the PDX. I'm excited for summer when it's our everyday.