Looking for a place to feel inspired and challenged? Like to share a smile or a laugh? Interested in becoming more familiar with Canadian writers who have a Christian worldview? We are writers who live in different parts of Canada, see life from a variety of perspectives, and write in a number of genres. We share the goal of wanting to entertain and inspire you to be all you can be with God's help.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Can we have Easter Delights without Lenten Fasting? – Lawrence
A few weeks ago, when I was out doing the weekly shopping, I was surprised to see all the Easter goodies on the shelves. This was not just the usual chocolate bunnies and chocolate eggs but Easter crackers in pastel pinks, yellows and blues—Christmas crackers transformed from red, green and silver into the more gentle colours of spring.
There is rarely a day throughout the year when there is not some reason given for buying greeting cards and chocolate goodies in order to celebrate one event or another. Chocolate Santa Claus and chocolate bells are in stores by October; Valentine hearts are on the shelves almost before New Year’s Day is over; while Easter eggs and St. Patrick’s Day clover leaf emblems sit side by side with little distinction between the two occasions.
It occurred to me that we are continually looking for and being tempted by the good stuff in life; we don’t consider that sometimes we have to go through difficult times and, in fact, it might even be good for us to do so. We begin to think that it is our right to have the good things in life without ever having to experience bad things—we don’t look for the dry bread of Lent, only the sweet treats of Easter.
We certainly won’t see the dry bread of Lent being sold in the supermarket but without some difficulties in life we can never truly appreciate the rich chocolate of Easter eggs. Without the wilderness of Lent, or the rites of Holy Week and Good Friday, we could never truly appreciate our Lord’s resurrection and what this means to us as Christians.
© Judith Lawrence
Labels:
Christmas,
Easter,
goodies,
Judith Lawrence,
Lent
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Popular Posts
-
Write Canada is more than a professional networking conference. It’s a safe place where beginning and intermediate writers can learn ...
-
by Rev Ed Hird One of the best loved Christmas Carols is the 146-year-old carol: Good King Wenceslas. In 1853, John Mason Neale chose Wences...
-
Inspiration hardly strikes on an empty stomach. For this, and other reasons, writers must eat. And if you like minced beef (and you...
-
I know it's only the 27th of November, but judging from the abundant lights in my neighbourhood, the holiday programs on TV, the parades...
-
By Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird We hear a lot about essential workers and essential services in these COVID-19 times. At 7 pm each ...
-
There are many things I fear. Having a flat tire on a freeway. Or worse, having a flat tire at night. The result of this fear is that I avoi...
-
As an author, I take great pains to choose the right name for all my characters. Even the animals in my stories get the same careful deliber...
-
What a gorgeous day for a round of golf amidst a beautiful setting! The course, while close to town and nestled between several roads, is...
-
By Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird Corrie ten Boom once said: “I’ve never had the joy of bringing to birth a child, but I’ve often had th...
-
Love and chocolate—I can’t think of a better reason to declare February 14 as an official winter holiday. For the moment, I’ll skip over div...
2 comments:
Although I've been through enough of this earths valleys, they were not of my choosing. Each one has given me new perspective or made me treasure the simple, wonderous things in life all the more.
I've never given something up for Lent. But you've just shamed me into committing to do so next year. Perhaps choosing a tiny valley will make my Easter experience all the richer as well.
Ah yes, Judith, you bring both challenge and cheer in this piece.
I've expressed for some years that typically we evangelicals have much to learn from those traditions that are more contemplative in preparing their hearts for the wonder of the cross and the glory of the vacated tomb!
Fasting on some level can play a valuable part in that preparation.
Thank you.
Post a Comment