1st Day of Spring

The first day of spring ... we drove to school in a world covered by frost! I'm betting on one more good snow storm before it's actually spring. But, boy am I ready for warmer weather!

By the way, tulips are one of my favorite flowers - as long as there are lots of them and they're multicolored! They rank right up their with bunches of multicolored roses. I'm not big on the pastels, but love the rich, bold vibrant colors that when seen can only make you smile. The most beautiful floral arrangements (to me) are HUGE bouquets of tulips and greenery.

Clay built a new Indiana Jones Lego set last night. I can hardly wait for the new movie! I'll be in the theater on opening night!

It's also Maundy Thursday, the day of the 'first' Last Supper. It was Passover then, but Passover won't happen for several weeks yet this year. Easter is so early this year (it won't be this early for another 203 years) because Christians follow a lunar calendar and Easter is always the first Sunday following the first Pascal full moon after the first day of spring. So blame the moon!

I remember Holy Week being so different as a child. We celebrated the Passover and usually had a half day of school on Good Friday. I can remember playing outside in the afternoon, after church, wearing a spring jacket! My mom just said we had to not play boisterously because it was a solemn day. Everything was closed and quiet. Saturday was a day of making eggs and getting the house and food ready for relatives to come over on Easter Sunday. We always had a few baskets that were well hidden, with some small gifts inside. Usually, the following week there was no school or at times, no school all of Holy Week.

My children have no time off from school. Not even a half-day on Friday. Our current church celebrated Passover once - 4 years ago. There is no Friday afternoon service, only one late at night. The world keeps moving; nothing closes and it seems just like any other busy Friday.

We still color eggs and hide baskets and celebrate with family. I am saddened that Christianity is becoming so marginalized by our society; I think we lose a part of ourselves, our culture, and our ability to experience gratefulness for the miracle of existence when we ignore our faith and our heritage in the name of secularity. I am not convinced secular practices make us a better nation; rather I think it weakens us. Instead of celebrating who we are and what we believe, we choose to hide under the guise of "political correctness" so as not offend anyone.

You know what? It's not offensive to have a heritage, a faith, or a culture. I will take joy in others' celebrations as well. I remember a Jewish family that lived near us when I was growing up. Their celebrations weren't threatening or "bad;" they were interesting and made me feel more intelligent to know and understand some of their history. It also gave me a deeper understanding of my own history. I have brought my children up to take an interest in and enjoyment from other religions and cultures. Rather than lose our faith and history to secularity, I would prefer to celebrate and share!

Spring is nature's way of saying "Let's Party!" Robin Williams