It’s that time of year again when I get to take my oldest out and go Easter outfit shopping. It’s the one time of year when she gets to select her entire outfit including the shoes and accessories. {Speaking of accessories, have you seen all of those cute fedora hats for boys?!}
Here’s the thing-My husband and I are avid garage salers. We get just about everything from a garage sale or second-hand store. Seriously. I have even purchased a toothbrush, in the package, from a garage sale! {Did that just gross you out?}
So, this idea of buying something new and freshly out of the package is sort of foreign territory in our household. Our clothes, toys, and school materials are all borrowed or purchased gently used. The penny pincher in me loves a good bargain {or anything else that is pretty much free!} but more than anything, I have learned that I don’t need to spend the extra money on something brand new.
People tend to wonder how the Easter bunny, the eggs, the candy, and those cute, fuzzy chicks were originally incorporated as symbols to capture the Easter story, but no one ever seems to question the attire on Easter Sunday. We dress ourselves up for Christmas services, Easter services, weddings, and other extravagant events for an obvious reason. It’s a celebration.
How often do we recognize the importance behind these symbols which are rooted in biblical truth? We get the opportunity to share these with our children! When my children are older, I want them to look back on their childhood traditions and not only remember them, but remember how they were transformed by them.
A few Easters ago, I remember hearing two verses of scripture that made me look at Easter differently with my children. We decided to start a new Easter tradition with our children to help remind them of the new creations that they become when they put their faith and trust in God’s hands. We wanted to do something simple in order for them to grasp this idea of being crowned and clothed in righteousness.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Regarding your former way of life, you were taught to strip off your old nature, which is being ruined by its deceptive desires, to be renewed in your mental attitude, and to clothe yourselves with the new nature, which was created according to God’s image in righteousness and true holiness.” – Ephesians 4:22-24
I wanted to come up with a tangible way to captivate this idea of truth from scripture. Being the person that I am, I tend to stress this idea of celebrating and passing down traditions. I cherish the sight of Jesus woven through the traditions that we will be passing on down. I cannot do this unless my husband and I are consciously and intentionally sharing the Good News with our children in new and engaging ways.
When our children are older, I want them to look back on their childhood traditions and not only remember them, but remember how they were transformed by them.
Because many of our things get handed down, we know that sometimes they can show visible wear more quickly and eventually something will need to be replaced. We don’t take the kids out shopping for brand new things often, so we thought that this would be an effective way for their little minds to experience this newness of life.
We know that each child is interested in very different things. It didn’t have to be a new outfit, but we wanted to get them each something that needed to be replaced. Peanut would gladly welcome a new dress or pair of high heel shoes. The boys on the other hand, would rather go on a trip and explore the outdoors, play ball, or get dirty playing with their tractors.
Peanut is old enough to remember this tradition by now. She knows when Easter is around the corner, she gets to go Easter dress shopping with mom! We head out the doors for a sweet treat as I share with her the meaning behind those scripture verses. Then, we hit the stores and shop the dress racks. Let me tell ya, It’s so much fun! Who doesn’t love a good reason to go out shopping for that perfect outfit?!
Seeing the look on her face when she puts on that brand new dress is priceless. I never get tired of watching her as she jumps and dances in the mirror. It’s like she gains a whole new confidence in herself. There’s something about clothing yourself with a fresh, new look that makes you feel like a hundred bucks. {I decided to buy the boys their own outfits too. I couldn’t resist those Kelly green pants!}
My husband plans to take the boys out and purchase a new ball for them to play with outside. {We lose balls constantly in our house and they deflate ten times over!} The boys may not be old enough to fully understand this idea yet, but taking part in this tradition every year will hopefully help get the message across in the years to come.
When you have growing and active children, you are going to see the wear and tear on all of their stuff. {We have the same issue with our markers and crayons!} If we really think about it, we too, are just like those old, worn out pair of blue jeans that our kids wear. We are tired and worn from the inside out.
Even though we are broken beings, God still values us. We are worth saving in His eyes. We are sons and daughters to His throne and that’s how I want my children to feel as they wear their new Easter outfits or receive that brand new gift. When my kids have rough days, I want them to remember the day that we gave them that special gift with that special note which pointed them to Jesus’ promise of loving us unconditionally because we are His. In His eyes, we are made new and clothed with our very own crown of righteousness.
God has redeeming power over the sins in our life that make us feel unclean. I look at these promises and I reflect on them myself.
Maybe it’s not going out and buying a new outfit for your kids, but maybe it’s taking them out fishing with a brand new pole, playin’ a game of baseball with a fresh, leather glove, or pulling out the weeds in your garden and replacing them with new blooms.
Take your kids out on a special adventure, get a little dirty, {or a little fancy} and share the new life that we have in Jesus this Spring.
The Hen House 