Mushed Carrots and Mommyhood: An Easter Lesson

--Resurrection Garden photo courtesy of my friend and wonderful mommy to two kids, Karyn R.

What did you do to celebrate Easter this year? My husband, son, and I celebrated by taking a vacation up north to my parents' house to rest and recover. It was an utter delight, and now that I am back in the office part of me is still staring out at my parents' wooded backyard in my mind wishing for just one... more... sunset.

Lent was hard this year. It's hard every year, but this year felt especially somber. Our church did some communal fasting practices, giving up things like Facebook, radio, or news for a week at a time. The fasting, contemplation, and study had a chastening effect for me. They made me more aware of my dependence on God, of my sin, of my need for Jesus. They remind me that I'm not as self-sufficient as I think I am, as spiritual as I'd like to be, or as far on the road to sanctification as I might wish. 

They also remind me that, despite all my mess, God loves me. Then came Easter.

We started our son on solid food just a couple of weeks ago. He’s not sure how he feels about it yet (his quizzical eyebrows are in full arch whenever he tries a new food), but he sure gets messy. It seems only a matter of minutes before he is covered from tip to toe in bright green avocado or brilliant orange carrots. But through the mushy mess, he always smiles up at us. And we smile back at him.

Watching Lincoln smile, covered in baby goop, has reminded me of the beautiful truth of Easter. Not just because of the spring-y color scheme of baby foods, either! In the middle of his mess, Lincoln can smile because he knows that my husband and I will clean him up and set things right. He won’t have to sit in mashed sweet potatoes forever.

On Easter we celebrate that God looked at all of us here on earth, sitting in our mess—a mess that we created for ourselves—and decided that he loved us too much to leave us like this. So he sent Jesus, who came and lived among us, right in the middle of our mess. Jesus lived and taught and preached and healed. Then he died.

And on Easter Sunday, he rose again. Glorious. Victorious. And in his resurrection, he triumphed over death and sin. He triumphed over the mess.

So now, even in our mess, we can smile. Jesus died for it so we don’t have to live in it. He loves us that much.

Alleluia! Happy Easter! 

Pass the strained beets.