Easter Sunday sickness

We were woken at 5 this morning by a very sick Scout. He missed out on his Easter eggs, and we have spent all day trying to keep water in him (without him gulping too much!!!) It went well during the day but he started looking well afternoon tea, had too much too soon to eat, and vomited again before dinner. He has been a very cranky and very clingy kid.

Can I confess to you as I write this I am feeling fairly sad and sorry for myself? And very much hoping Scout stays asleep tonight? As well as sad for Scout, Sparky and Bhaer. Our plan of joyful celebrations today didn't really turn out the way we hoped.

I'm finding it hard to remember that this too passes, so I can only imagine how it must feel to a 2 year old with a very rudimentary concept of time.

I'm struggling with being glad right now. I am worrying about who might be next. But I am putting my hopes in that time when God wipes my tears, and 2 year olds don't get tummy bugs.

Good Friday Grief

Good Friday has always, since I was a child, held much meaning for me, but it has added significance in recent years.

I lost my first child on a Good Friday 6 years ago, to miscarriage. The date itself (April 18th that year I think) hasn't stuck in mind, rather the poignancy of it being Good Friday. He/she would have started school this year. I always remember my first child on Good Friday and look forward to meeting that child in the future - the future that is ours through Christ.

That day 6 years ago was one in which I gained an insight into the terrible pain of God the Father. I had always been moved by Christ choosing to die for me , but now I had some understanding of the depth of the suffering of the parent. As I lost my child, which took several painful lonely and scary hours, I thought about the loss of the Son to the Father. In my grief, which almost overwhelmed me, I clung on to this, and found my way to the beginning of hope.

Easter holiday plans

1. Remembering, reflecting and thanking. I have been speaking more to Sparky about Easter and Jesus this year, and he told me he finds Easter sad and happy. We have talked about when sad is good sad.
2. Sparky's first Easter Show. I am staying home with Scout and Bhaer is taking him. Is it just me or is the show ridiculously expensive? Pity I have lots of childhood memories of it I want my kids to share. I also have memories of my parents being stingy with showbags. Now I understand.
3. So, instead I'm taking Sparky to see Monsters vs Aliens. Some debate over this, as it is PG - where have all the school holidays G films gone? But after consulting Kids in Mind, decided to give it a go. We can always leave if too scary. We will stick with 2D I think, for a 4 year old.

piccie from freefoto

Is the Easter bunny dropping by?

I had quite a few conversations about Santa (yay or nay? - in a nutshell - pretty much nay at our place - Santa is ackowledged as a nice story that isn't real) around Christmas, and today ran into my first Easter Bunny issue. Stuck in a long queue at the Post office (posting a birthday pressie to my twin - hello Addie!!!), a lady asked Sparky when the Easter Bunny was coming. Sparky looked very confused, and I suddenly realised we hadn't been talking about the Easter Bunny AT ALL .

This wasn't precisely intentional, it is just that the Easter Bunny isn't close to my heart. I don't remember ever believing in the Easter Bunny. My most vivid memory of the Easter Bunny is my father waking me up one Easter Sunday with the announcement "I have some good news, and some bad news. The bad news is the Easter Bunny is dead. The good news is your eggs were left before the Bunny died". Dad had gotten up to a dead bunny on the doorstep proudly deposited by our dog. Before you worry about my reaction, I was about 9-10 at the time and I thought this was the most hilarious thing ever - if a bit sad for the bunny. Usually Dad wakened us on Easter Sunday with the words Christ is Risen, but I guess he couldn't help himself that Easter after thinking up his quip.........

Anyway, I suddenly felt all confused and guilty myself. I hadn't prepared Sparky for this, and had no position or words ready! I quickly pointed to the chocolate stains around his face and said jokingly well the Bunny has already come today (he had been given eggs at preschool). She then seemed to be concerned at the lack of discipline of today's parents, that I couldn't keep the bunny until Sunday! I backtracked and explained that his eggs were waiting until Sunday, but this was at preschool. Afterwards, I made a comment to Sparky about the Easter Bunny coming on Sunday morning, and that this was the story we told. So I'm not sure what he makes of all this. We had only been talking to him about Jesus, even explaining eggs as being about new life, and suddenly out of nowhere bunnies hop into the picture! And now I'm wondering what he got told at preschool - it is a Christian one, so Jesus gets mentioned, but I'm not sure what gets said about bunnies.

So , people. What happens at your place at Easter re bunnies? (and chickens et al)

theology and kids

Story one: we read a book on Easter at playgroup and I asked Sparky about it later that day. That book was about Jesus mummy, not Easter. Easter is about Jesus I reply. Gales of laughter from Sparky. No mummy, Easter is about Eggs. Ok I may be a pastor, but how do you teach a 2 year old about the cross?

Story two: Last night, I was singing Jesus loves the little children to Sparky before bed. This always ends up with multiple verses Jesus loves all the Sparkys, Owls, Daddies and Mummies, at Sparky's urging. I wasn't feeling in charity with my family, the world or God really. As I sung each verse, I realised the simple truth of this song "they are precious in his sight" and my failure to live by it. I had been disciplining Sparky all day - necessary, but how could I try to bring in more grace with the truth I had been giving him? (see Cloud and Townsend Raising Great Kids :parenting with Grace and Truth, and Kimmel's Grace based parenting) . I was running out of patience with Owl, who is a bad sleeper, losing sight of how all this would fade in memory as he grew. I was taking out my frustration on my husband - thinking cynical thoughts about men generally. Forgetting that he was my ally in this difficult business of bringing up children. And I had certainly forgotten Jesus loved me, feeling like a grit your teeth hopeless unappreciated drudge. It occurred to me society doesn't appreciate mummies enough, but Jesus does - the Jesus that cared for his mother even as he died. I think I need to go back to Sunday School.