I love Easter! Really, it is one of my favorite holidays. I always look forward to going to my twin sister, Gina's house, for her church's annual Easter egg hunt. It's one of our traditions in which we as sisters are able to get together and celebrate with our children. This year, however, I was dreading celebrating Easter. When I tell you why, you are gonna see the very selfish and worldly part of me.
It's April, which means that our federal and state taxes are due for the previous year as well as our current quarterly federal and state taxes. Yeah, it's also time to pay for both car tags and our property taxes. Praise the Lord that we had enough money to pay for everything that was due without using credit. We didn't, however, have ANY extra spending money. No extra cash to celebrate our 17th anniversary or to buy Easter clothes. Did you hear me??? I couldn't buy Easter clothes for me or the kids! I know you are probably thinking "so what?" This is the first year since I have had children that I did not purchase me or the kids brand new "church clothes" to wear on Easter Sunday. Not only new clothes, but clothes in which we all matched or coordinated! I kept telling myself that we were being good stewards of our money by not going into debt and by teaching our children that sometimes we have to make sacrifices. I completely believed that with all my heart. But my head, now that's another story! On Saturday before Easter, I was driving the four hours back from my twin sisters house and had a lot of time in the car to think. As I was talking to the Lord, I was having a huge pity party. For the first time in 14 years, my family would not be wearing new clothes to church on Easter Sunday. What would people think? They've already seen all the clothes we would be wearing to church that day. I am, after all, a Minister's wife! Me of all people should have a brand new dress to wear on Easter Sunday! When I got home, I drudgingly laid out mine and the kids clothes and continued on with my pity party. Even as I reminded myself that all of our bills were paid and we were being obedient to the Lord by not putting our family in debt for new clothes. I also reminded myself that it's just a couple of weeks until Jason would get paid again. A short time for sacrifice, right? But Easter would be over in two weeks and then what good would the new clothes do me? I was bummed and depressed. I climbed into bed and started reading a book when I got a text from my husband's Associate Student Pastor that they were at the hospital and his wife was in labor with their first baby. I hurriedly got dressed, made some calls, picked up a couple of friends and headed to the hospital in a torrential downpour of rain. My friends and I spent the night at the hospital waiting for that sweet baby to be born. Well, by 10:10 the next morning, she was not here yet and her mom was dilated to a 9. Oh no, the baby could come at any minute. I REALLY wanted to be there to celebrate with my friends, but my own baby girl was going to be baptized at our church by my husband in less than an hour on Easter Sunday! I hopped in the car and rushed to the church. I ran into the church just in time to see my husband and my daughter Jensen, walking into the water. I was there to witness such a sweet sight in which my daughter was baptized by her daddy.
Well, even after staying at the hospital all night, my friend's baby was born just 20 minutes after I left. Did I mention that when I left the hospital that I didn't have any time to go home and change or clean up? That's right...the Youth Pastors wife walked into church on Easter Sunday morning in clothes that she slept in: jeans, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes. I also did not have on any make-up and my hair was in a pony-tail. I hadn't even brushed my teeth! But, I did get to experience one of the most wonderful things that a parent can: my child's baptism. The symbolic act of showing that her salvation is an outward sign of her inward change. As we left the church and headed home, I felt great conviction. I had spent so much time worrying about such meaningless things. I worried about not being able to purchase clothes that the Lord knew I wouldn't get to wear anyway.
This turned out to be one of the most beautiful and meaningful Easters for me. I know it will be one of my favorites and definitely one of the most memorable. Because on Easter Sunday 2011, I was able to celebrate the resurrected life of Christ, new life in Christ as symbolized through baptism, and the beauty of a brand new human life. After all, it didn't matter what I was wearing. Later that day as I spent time with the Lord, I asked for forgiveness for my selfishness and my shallowness and I praised Him and thanked Him for blessing me more than I could have imagined that day.
By the way, after Easter dinner with my in-laws (who drove all the way to see Jensen's baptism), we headed straight to the hospital to see my friend's brand new sweet baby girl! Yes, this will be an Easter I never forget. And next year, I may buy some new Easter clothes, but I won't be more consumed with what I am wearing more than who I am worshipping.
