As spring approaches, something else approaches…wedding season! And that means this time of year is the primary time for bridal showers. This is a tradition that started primarily for women, but has expanded and now often includes the guys as well in couples showers (though my husband says it’s still not really THAT fun for men). “April [bridal] showers bring [summer wedding] flowers”…that’s what that saying is about, right? The whole point of wedding showers is to bless a couple with household needs as they start out partly because it would be expensive for them to have to buy everything they need by themselves and partly because women love to buy other women “stuff.” Heaping blessing upon blessing on a new couple is a great practice in our busy and (often) selfish society.

Easter is a time that I often think of the blessings God heaps out on us. He sent His Only  Son into the world to live among us AND He suffered AND died on the cross as payment for the sins of every person to ever live AND He arose victorious from the grave AND He ascended into heaven AND He’s coming back for us to take us to be with Him AND in the meantime He gives us gifts like the Lord’s Supper and His Word to remind us that He’s forgiven us AND He provides us with all that we need to support our lives. (AND really the list could go on and on and on, but I’ll spare you.) We get to see all of the undeserved blessings that God has showered on us when we take a look around.

This Easter, let’s focus on some of the heaped-out blessings of God as we have fun together:

• Dyeing Eggs-Whether it’s with vinegar and food coloring, shaving cream, Koolaid, or some other new Pinterest method so many families make this part of the Easter time fun. Originally Easter Eggs were dyed red to symbolize the blood that Jesus shed at His crucifixion. As you dye eggs this Easter, consider finding part of the Holy Week account of Jesus that you are reminded of by the colors you’re using. Let the kids come up with some. Talk about what colors remind you of certain things that happened to Jesus and why. (Like green for the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed.)
• Egg Hunt-The egg was a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus as new life emerges from a hard shell, reminding us of the tomb Jesus was buried in. Not only that, but we can also be reminded of how the women who went to visit the tomb on the first Easter, searched for Jesus. They were filled with great joy when they found out that Jesus had risen from the dead and kids are filled with a small bit of joy when they find an egg filled with a treat. Consider leaving one of the eggs empty so that you can talk about the feeling the women had when they found the tomb empty. Discuss how you would feel if you didn’t know where Jesus was.
• Lilies-White lilies in particular are a symbol of joy and hope. The white lily reminds us of the joy we have that we’ve been forgiven of all our sins through Jesus and the hope that we have to live forever in heaven with Him. What is joy? What is hope? Why does having these things matter?
• Chocolate/Candy-There was a time when people gave up sweets and treats as a regular part of the Lenten season. They wanted to focus on their repentance and sorrow before Christ and this was a small “fast” that many chose to do. Going without something during Lent is often a reminder of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness after 40 days of fasting. That’s why candy is such a big part of the Easter celebration for many because they haven’t had any for the 40 days of Lent. If your family “gave something up” for Lent, talk about what it will be like to enjoy it again. If not, talk about what treats you think we all might get to enjoy after our resurrection in the New Creation that Christ won for us at Easter.
• New Life (Bunnies, Chicks, Flowers, etc.)- All of these are symbols of new life. When Christ died on the cross, He won new life for us in Him. That new life is given to each of us at Baptism and we can be reminded of that at Easter. What does it mean to have ‘new life’ in Christ?

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 charges us to talk about faith as we go about life, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the way, when you lie down and when you get up.”

Not all showers are bad…and we can remember that God’s showers this April are a celebration of what He did and what’s He’s promised to do for each of us!