My Slow-Down Fast didn’t wrap up quite how I expected.
I imagined creating quiet moments of contemplation leading up to Easter, and in a way I did enjoy more moments of interaction with the Lord, but not necessarily in long stretches of quiet solitude. I haven’t had a lot of down time, but I have been able to focus when I am silently interacting with the Lord, communing privately in brief snatches throughout the days. It’s everyday conversation. This dialogue is possible, I think, because, as I am more settled than I was back in March—more rested and less agitated—leaving me more open to listening to the voice of God.
But from a scheduling perspective, my slow-down fast was slow but more full than I anticipated it would be when I launched this concept at the beginning of Lent. This weekend we are enjoying out-of-town guests, and Holy Saturday fell on the birthday of one of my daughters.
Instead of a quiet, reflective, contemplative day leading up to Easter, we went bowling and played indoor Putt-Putt.
Instead of an austere day of fasting, I baked cupcakes and dished out ice cream.
At lunch, however, we paused and pulled out our collection of Resurrection Eggs that highlight moments in the last days of our Lord Jesus Christ’s time on earth, and after a review of each item, we opened the egg that contained the stone that sealed shut the tomb.
We took a minute to remember that at that time, everyone—the disciples, the women who traveled with Him, the soldiers who watched Him die, the chief priests and Pharisees—all surely assumed that “it is finished” just meant “the end.” He was dead, after all. It surely looked like it was over and all was lost.
But all was not lost.
All was won.
Easter morning is the day we open an empty Easter egg—empty because our Lord is not dead.He has risen, just as He said. This is cause for celebration.
Joy to the world, He is risen, Alleluia!
Your Easter celebration was one of flexibility! There are times when we must be adaptable to times and seasons. This is the way it often is with prayer, and our times with God. Not that we fit Him in, but we find a way to stretch our timetable to fit into His plan. It was good that in your Easter day observance, you included your guests in the opening of the empty tomb. Sharing our faith with friends and loved ones is community!
It turned out to be a lovely weekend, Hazel, and we did enjoy sharing the joy of Easter weekend with friends and family!
Ann,
“I am more settled than I was back in March—more rested and less agitated—leaving me more open to listening to the voice of God.”
It sounds as if you slow down fast bore wonderful fruit…even if they’re pears rather than the apples you were expecting. He does that with me a lot–sending me pears when I was thinking of apples.
Great comparison, Sheila. And I appreciate pears just as much as apples–they even taste a little sweeter, the surprise element (when I was expecting apples) also delights.
This is one of the few years that Easter did not conflict with a family member’s birthday (my husband or my daughter). I remember telling my pastor one year that we wouldn’t be at Easter services because it was the only day we could hold a family party. He said, “Jesus understands. He’s always risen.”
My daughter’s birthday fell on Easter Sunday once already, back when she was eight, so this is the second time it’s come very close. I haven’t bothered to calculate, but I assume it could happen a couple more times in her lifetime? Usually her birthday falls on the weekend I want to attend the Festival of Faith & Writing at Calvin College! 🙂
I LOVE what your pastor pointed out. He IS risen. From that first Easter to today!
Ann – I think celebrating your daughter’s life has everything to do with resurrection. We have life, abundant life, because of his death and re-life! Maybe the bowling ball was like the stone being rolled away, and the pins like the guards you fainted dead on the spot! I won’t go any further, but I am so glad you enjoyed the day and the weekend. And I learned a lot from your fast and these posts over the weeks.