Sunday, April 12, 2009

Easter, Simply Easter.

This year Easter was the simplest we’ve ever had. Partly because of finances, partly because we’re really trying to teach our children the true meaning of Easter.

No Easter Bunny, no new clothes, no baskets. What? Nothing?

I did want to repurpose my girls some dresses but ran out of time, I wouldn’t have minded giving them little gifts like I did last year, but I waited until there was no money in the checkbook to think about getting anything. The girls got stuffed lambs that I got on clearance last year. The boys chocolate Easter bunnies that we got at a community Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday. So were they deprived?

We spent the entire week celebrating Easter! Had a special Birthday Dinner & Passover Feast. Read scriptures daily about the last week of Christ’s life. And had a special dinner today.

It was simple but lovely. It’s simplicity reminded me of a trip my husband and I went on to Denmark around 7-8 years ago. (Wow, has it been that long?) My husbands Wonderful Uncle and Aunt live there and were kind enough to host us and take us to many of the different tourist sites there.

My favorite experience happened to be when we visited Frederiksborg Castle.

Fredriksborg_palace

It was amazing. Here in America you go to museums, or tourist places and everything is roped off and guarded. There although I’m sure it’s heavily secured you feel as if your going back in time because you don’t see the guards, glass walls, or any of the security devices. You're there walking through history. You can read more about the castle HERE!

The most fascinating part for me was the Palace Chapel, and one small ajoining room.

Frederiksborg castle chapel

Opulent, ornate, Baroque through and through. Truly a marvel to look at. But really spiritually empty compared to a little dark room off to the side of it. The little dark room is the Kings Prayer room and it contains 23 of the most beautiful pictures of Christ’s life you have ever laid eyes on. It’s like walking on sacred ground – these pictures are so touching. And the joy and peace you feel is wonderful. You forget the worldly materialism of the chapel as you focus on the Savior’s life.

The paintings were commissioned when the castle was restored after a fire. It took Carl Bloch 14 years to paint the 23 paintings and they transformed his life in so many ways. He is one of the greatest artist’s to ever interpret the life and death of Christ. To see more of his paintings go HERE.

My favorite painting, which I had never seen until that trip to Denmark, is called ‘Agony in the Garden’.

agony in the garden

It’s humbling to know how much the Savior suffered in my behalf. Some day, after I’m out of debt, I love to purchase a large copy for my home.

I guess what I’m saying is that Easter can sometimes, like Christmas, get too ornate for it’s own good. You can focus on the ribbons, baskets, fancy dresses, colorful trappings much like the Chapel in the Frederiksborg Castle. But to get the true feelings of this marvelous holiday you have to simply go to the Scriptures, feast upon the words of Christ, feel his love, and remember with gratitude the greatest sacrifice ever made in your behalf.

I hope my kids got it, and if they didn’t I hope that they will at least remember all that we’ve done. They might not get it until they are grown and parents themselves. I didn’t get it as a child. Why does the Easter Bunny visit everyone else’s house but ours? I didn’t get it until years later. So I’ve really tried to do activities with my kids to help them remember what Easter is really about. Hopefully that will help.

I hope you all had a wonderful and peaceful Easter Sunday!

9 comments:

debi9kids said...

Fawn,
This post is GORGEOUS!
What a faith filled and just absolutely Beautiful way to express yourself.
We too, kept our Easter very much directed toward Christ (no bunny here either). We also did a big Seder and I think it really helped the kids to see and feel the true meaning.
Many blessings to your family this Holy day!
Debi

ps Those paintings are FANTASTIC!

Natalia said...

Wow. Absolutely beautiful post.

A very Happy Easter to your family from mine,

Nat

♥♥♥♥♥ Jennifer™® ♥♥♥♥♥ said...
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Sara said...

Good for you! What a beautiful way to enjoy Easter.

Treasure Ann said...

Such true words, and inspiration to appreciate the sacrafice of our Lord and Savior. What a wonderful way to help your kids to really remember the real reason we celebrate Easter. Thank you for sharing that inspiration message about Easter and the main reason it exists in the first place. That the reason is because of Jesus Christ-our ressurrected Savior. Thank God for Christ.
I had a wonderful, peaceful & blessed Easter. I hope yours was as blessed as mine.

Trena Doll said...

Sometimes I feel tempted to overcompensate for the fact that we grew up celebrating (if you can call it that) holidays & birthdays in a really low-key way. But as I get older and more curmudgeonly I find that I like the idea of the quiet, simple, inexpensive commemorations more and more.

Jen said...

Fawn, I am TOTALLY impressed! I think it's a wonderful thing what you are doing because if you ask any child what Easter is about, they will tell you that Easter is about the bunny and baskets and candy and even toys and the Savior gets lost in the shuffle of it all. I think it's wonderful what you are teaching your children. I loved the painting of the Savior with the angel in the Gethsemane. It really moved me. I haven't seen it before and love it!

Unknown said...

The easter bunny dpesn't coem to ou house on easter morning either. We have an egg hunt on Sat and grandma and grandpa house. I usually do more spritual things rather than temporal things.

Tha castle sounds amazing!

Jodi said...

I loved this post! And the amazing pictures ! WOW! I love how you are focusing on the real meaning of Easter...why can't we all do that!!!