Written By: Rebeccah Sinclair
With Easter just around the corner, my social media memories came alive, reminding me of the
activities and traditions our family has attempted over the years. The five children in our family range in
age from 4 months to 8 years. They are obsessed with crafts and activities, which I happen to have a
strong aversion to. Despite this, every year, I look online and in stores for simple, fun Easter activities for
my children. It usually takes me about 15 minutes into any activity to realize how stressful it is to me.
This has happened frequently enough that my children have become little encouragers, rooting me on
to “persevere” when they can see me struggling and sense my frustration. It’s become obvious to them
when I’ve reached my limit of paper scraps on the floor, arguing about who gets what color crayon, and things
spilling or getting incredibly sticky.
The reality of my Easter Expectations hit me when I came face-to-face with the memories of an
epic Easter failure a couple of years ago. My social media page reminded me what that year’s Easter
looked like:
- It’s “Resurrection eggs” that end up in the trash because the made-from-scratch gluten-free dough was a HOT MESS.
- It’s eggs that don’t get dyed because I put too much water in the cups.
- It’s made-from-scratch sugar cookies that turn out terrible.
- It’s having macaroni and cheese and ground beef for dinner because I’m not a culinary artist and did not plan to even attempt a special dinner.
- It’s arguments, tears, early naps, and longer nap times.
- It’s feeling inadequate because you seem to be the only family that doesn’t have a perfect family Easter picture.
Reading through my memories from that Easter, I laughed at how all my attempts at being creative
and fun with our children did not pan out. I remember the complete exhaustion and the tears- no, not
the tears of children- MY TEARS. I had so many hopes, goals, and expectations for making that Easter
special, memorable, and fun. I remember the argument with my husband that morning, and I remember
ending the day with so much disappointment. Thankfully, the memory I had posted did not end with the
list of disappointments and failures.
“It’s also knowing at the end of the day that it’s not about ANY of that. It’s
remembering that Christ came and KNOWINGLY CHOSE to endure what he did
for our sins and then showed his power and glory through overcoming death.
Praise the Lord! He has risen! And cooking ground beef and Mac and cheese or
burning cookies doesn’t change how important and how glorious that is.”
As I read through this memory, the reality sets in that Easter does not depend on me and my
activity list and ability to be creative. It’s something I know but often forget. Easter is memorable,
special, and amazing- not because my family was able to color eggs and meet the Easter bunny, but
because Christ did something amazing that no one anywhere else has ever accomplished.
If you have the time, energy, and creativity to have fun crafts and activities for your family-go
for it! Have that time and enjoy that time. But if you don’t. Or, if it doesn’t work out, that’s ok! Give
yourself some grace. Keep it simple, and enjoy that simplicity.
-Rebeccah Sinclair
