Kids and Easter

This week, I have tried to include a lesson or story about Easter every day during breakfast with my kids.  I have read Bible stories, shared detailed devotions, and personal stories of what I thought Easter was when I was a child.

The goal of this time together is to share the Great News about Jesus Christ with my kids.

My almost 8-year-old, who asked Jesus into her life at age 2 1/2, was drawing Easter pictures today.  I was so proud of her recall and artistic ability as she diligently depicted the events leading up to Easter on construction paper eggs.  We were making decorations to hang in her Sunday School hallway, and she is always willing to draw pictures, especially if they will be displayed.  So she drew a picture of the tomb with the stone rolled away and the women who were walking there to take care of Jesus' body on Easter morning.  Oh how precious!

And then I spotted the giant purple Easter bunny just down the hill from the tomb.  Here I thought she understood everything about Easter, and then the Easter bunny shows up.  Sigh.  Well...it's a part of how it's celebrated in our culture.  Yes, we put out baskets filled with treats, but we really, really downplay the Easter bunny.  It's just not important.  Of course it's fun, but it totally detracts from the real meaning of Easter.


I originally planned to write a fantastic blog about how to lead your child to Christ in 3 easy steps.

 Because I thought it would be so simple.

Then I tried explaining the Easter story to my 5-year-old daughter.  Scrap that idea.  My perfect plans swirled down the drain like yesterday's Kool-Aid.

She has heard the Easter story multiple times and we talk about Jesus every day.  We had just finished reading a devotion about asking Jesus to forgive our sins at the breakfast table, so I decided to test the waters with a point-blank question:  "Have you ever asked Jesus into your heart, Kylie?"

She responded by holding two tight little fists up in the air.  "What does that mean," I asked.  "ZERO!" she responded.  "Zero what?"  "Zero times.  None."  And then she went to play with her brother.

I was slightly taken aback, but if you know anything about my Kylie,

1. She is strong-willed.
2. She doesn't do anything until she's good and ready to do it.  (See #1)
3. It will happen when SHE wants it to happen, and not when mom wants it to. (See #'s 1 and 2)

So I've had a come-to-Jesus moment:

It is not my job to make her to accept salvation.

I am not to micromanage my daughter's life (as if she would let me...)

Salvation is God's gift through faith in Jesus Christ

and it is up to her to make the most important decision of her life on her own.

Her choice.  End of story.

My wise sister agreed during our phone call tonight.  "That's the way it should be!"

Yes, it is...

But it's so hard to stand by as a parent when you know you've presented your child with life-giving information and they decide to leave it on the floor with the breakfast crumbs.

I must let her make her own decision in her own time, but I can present her with the right information and raise her in a home filled with Jesus' love.  And pray for her.

Because what seems impossible to me is always possible with God.