Empty Easter Eggs...
I try to bring about a true concept of Easter as these 'easter egg frenzies' pop up throughout the day... but the True Story can get a little lost sometimes... especially when Evangeline's involved. I mean... this girl won't even sit in my lap long enough to read a short children's book... and it just feels a bit unnatural to chase a naked or screaming toddler around, yelling at them about 'JESUS!' So this year... we're leaving it at the easter eggs.
As a mom... (let's rephrase that)... As a desperate, tired, worn out, achy, feel like I'm losing my mind most days... mom, I've learned to 'pray without ceasing'. I've been asking the Lord to please open my eyes to His truth and the things that He wants me to learn. I want to enjoy learning about Him and His love for us. I want to see His lessons as beautiful, not just necessary. Anyway... I believe that He is answering me. His truth is everywhere... and He speaks to us in beautiful ways. Even through Easter egg hunts.
So... my dear Evangeline... this child is a candy fanatic. I blame it on the 'Rockey side'. This girl will see the Easter eggs spread out all over the lawn, just waiting to be snatched up. But instead of grabbing as many as she can, she will pick each one up and shake it to make sure that it has candy in it. Of course, most eggs have candy in them, so before finding anymore eggs... she will sit down and eat the candy right away.
I guess we can all relate. Instant gratification. We want our prayers to be answered immediately. We want the hard work we put into our children to be evident... right away. We want to see the fruit of our labors... if not right away, at least in this lifetime.
So fast forward a few days. It's the day before Easter, and David and I take the kids to visit my mommom and poppop's church for an Easter service, lunch and a huge Easter egg hunt. As we step outside, after lunch, we see the field full of bright colored eggs! We can hardly contain Evangeline as we're waiting for the hunt to begin.
As soon as it starts, all the kids race out into the field to collect as many eggs as possible... and Doodle is right in there with the best of them. 12 year old boys are no match for her speed, agility and elbow punches. As Doodle picks up her first egg... she pauses, shakes it, then tosses it aside and runs for another one. She picks up the next one... and exclaims... "This one no candy... it's yucky." And, again, throws it across the field.
Eventually we realize that all of the eggs are empty... but can be traded for prizes at the end of the egg hunt. I try to convince Doodle to save the eggs, but all she's interested in is the candy, so she keeps hurling them back to the field as I try to grab at least a few to put into her basket.
Finally, the egg hunt is over, and the kids start lining up to trade in their eggs. Poor little Doodle lines up with only a couple eggs in her basket that I had managed to sneak in. If only she had known and understood that the empty eggs on the field were worth something. There were great prizes that were much better than candy... but all she saw were empty, worthless eggs.
As we were lined up waiting to trade in our 3 eggs, a little boy came up to Evangeline and gave an entire basket of eggs to her. He got it. He knew what the basket of empty eggs was worth. He also knew that he had more than enough, two baskets full... so he freely gave his extra basket to Evangeline.
The Lord has used this story to remind me to have eyes of faith as I encounter the 'hidden eggs' in my life. Some days... I am able to enjoy the full eggs. The 'instant gratification' of well behaved kids... or a house that actually looks like I spent all day cleaning it instead of getting trashed as soon as nap time is over. I believe these moments are gifts to be enjoyed and appreciated.
But what happens when I come across the 'empty eggs'... or yucky ones , as Evangeline puts it? Do I immediately toss these moments aside and give up... or do I continue the race with even more enthusiasm? Those empty moments where faithfully disciplining your child just seems to produce more tantrums... or play dates that seem like all work and no fruit... or investing in a friendship with someone that doesn't reciprocate... having coffee with someone thats 'hard to talk to'... or pushing through pain or fatigue to stay later at care group or church to encourage someone that may desperately need it? Do I treasure these moments? Do I see these moments as worth it? Moments that are bringing out eternal fruit in my life?
These are all small, everyday sort of battles... but the list extends to the things can truly shake us. Years of seemingly unanswered prayers. Loved ones that we pray would come to know the Lord. Physical and emotional pain. A child with a terminal diagnosis. Children that run away from everything they've been taught or run after the thing of this world, with devastating consequences. The days we run ourselves ragged, barely meeting the needs of those around us and still feeling defeated. The seemingly worthless moments where all our efforts seem like failures... just a basket of empty eggs.
I'm praying that the Lord will give me an eternal perspective... one that lasts longer than my momentary disappointment. I want eyes of faith. I don't want to toss those moments aside, but store them up for eternity.
Thankfully, as sons and daughters of God... we will be handed a basket full of treasures, that His blood bought and His Son earned for us... treasures that we tossed aside on this earth. But wouldn't the 'egg hunt' be so much more fun if we chased after the empty eggs because we know they're worth way more than the full ones?
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