I Once Was Blind....

This year, we have been attempting to be more intentional in adding holiday traditions that are more than fluff. Fluff is fun, and we still want some fluff (I believe our God is a God of fun)... but, ultimately, we ALL know Easter has nothing to do with bunnies bringing eggs and leaving mounds of plastic grass that can be discovered all year round in funny crevices in the house.....(I think I just found some in my sock?)

This year, we wanted to add a tradition that my dear friends, the Nielsons*, do each year for Easter. They turn off the lights.

On Good Friday, in remembrance that the Light of the World was crucified and killed they turn off lights and electronics. Then, on Sunday morning, the Lights are turned back on, because, the Light was not snuffed out eternally, but conquered death to give us hope everlasting.

With flashlights and candles ready...we jumped on it.

LESSONS LEARNED IN THE DARK

THE LIGHT IS TAKEN FOR GRANTED

Stating the obvious, it is very hard to get things done without light.

The Earth needs light. Our eyes, have to have some light to see. In complete darkness our rods and cones just can't get it done. They DEPEND on the light. Without the light, we are fumbling around, feeling our way. No guidance. Everything is HARD.

But, taking the obvious further....His Light would be missed, coveted, and desired till the ends of time without His Son. Why had I taken this for granted? How dark would it be by now?


DIRT (and SIN) LOVES THE DARK

Dirt, in my house, is a constant battle. I am not a "cleaner" by nature, but, I do try. However, in the dark, the dirt THRIVED, BRED, AND CONGREGATED. The sticky was everywhere. When we turned the light back Easter Sunday it was unavoidable: We are really dirty people.

Without the light, another type of dirt would thrive, wouldn't it? The natural bent that we flawed humans all have would go unchecked. THRIVING, BREEDING, and CONGREGATING. Oh, how we need the Light to shine its splendor on the DIRT and GRIME on our souls!

WAITING ON THE LIGHT

We waited on the light. Chores and reading had to wait on the light of the next day. (Bedtime came a lot earlier as well.) And, I thought, like never before, how God's people were literally WAITING on the Light. How they had dreamed of having the Hope of the one True Savior...and then He was there! I think about these stories, being told, generation after generation about the One that would come. I wonder if, back then, I would believe He was who He said He was.

I also remembered how I should be ANTICIPATING the Lights return. How often do I even think about this? Shouldn't this be my daily prayer?

We will be doing this tradition again next year. Aside from the deep spiritual lessons I am praying that my kids will learn one day from this tradition...let's be honest...at ages 8, 6, almost 3, and 2.....THEY LOVED THE PLAYING IN THE DARK. The novelty of the flashlights and the candles (the DANGER!) was a blast. (We did have one incident where a certain child had to be taught that it's not a funny thing to yell "CANDLE DANGER! CANDLE DANGER! CANDLE DANGER!" at the top of his lungs when there was not, in fact, any danger. In reality, there was just a bit of candle wax dripping onto the counter.)


*Full disclosure: The Nielson family turns off all electronics as well. We did not, and yes, we did use the illumination from the microwave, the movie flickering from the TV, etc....I am sure that this had DEEP negative spiritual implications for us...but since this is MY blog...I don't have to go into that....do I?