Easter Baskets...

We have a family tradition for Easter that we feel really good about. I need to put it down for our family history - after all, that's one of the purposes of this blog to me.

I thought I'd record the things the Easter Bunny brought in our family baskets this year. But first, three of the kids left him notes; Jonathan asked him why he doesn't want to be seen. As usual, there was a letter from the Easter Bunny to all:

Beckstrand Children -

I mostly combined your baskets with the family basket this year, enjoy! Jonathan, part of the reason you don't get to see me is because Easter is NOT about me. It's about Jesus Christ. (Same thing with Santa at Christmas time.) Remember Jesus, ok?

I love you all, E.B.

P.S. There's not a lot of candy this year, because you had a lot yesterday. (Besides, Kimberly makes all that yummy cookie dough!

Then, as usual, there were notes on items in the basket, mostly useful items we can or need to use. The E.B. finds some post-it notes in the house & uses them. Here is the list of them for this year:

A little birdhouse decoration - Jesus loves and provides for the birds and animals. How much more He cares for and provides for us!

A bottle of red (strawberry) shampoo - We are washed clean in the blood of the Lamb.

A package of macaroni - Christ is the "Bread of Life" - the basic food of life. (Macaroni is part of the bread group.)

A box of bandaids with some ointment - Christ can soothe and also cure all our pains. He felt them all!

A terra-cotta sun hanging - Jesus Christ is the Light of the world and the Son.

A new wallet for Jonathan - Render unto Ceasar the things that ar Ceasar's and unto God the things that are God's.

On big calculators for G, K & S - Christ was the Creator of the Earth - math was an essential part of that.

On boxes of Queen Annes (on sale after Christmas) - Through Christ we can all become Queens and Kings.

On a 4-pack of playdough - Christ did the will of the Father - is is our job to be as bending to His will as He was.

On a (recycled) puzzle - I am the "ONE" who will make all of the pieces of your life fit together right. Trust in Me!

On a bag of marshmallow ropes - Hold to the Rod - the Iron Rod (the word of God) - marshmallow rods taste good, but wouldn't hold up.

On a yo-yo for Jason - Christ created all things, even the spinning of the Earth.

On a pack of batteries - By the power of His priesthood Christ created all things.

On a pack of super-glue - Because of Christ we can be sealed for all eternity.

The kids love it. They used to get bigger things in their baskets (like Sunday clothes, DVDs), but we've weaned them from those, and all (except the teenager) seem completely satisfied, and the focus is right. Even he relaxed when he realized that nobody got more than him; since he got up so much later than everybody else, he didn't know.

The original idea for this whole thing came from the Focus on Your Child website, a Christian family support place.

There. Now I have it documented! Every now and then, we do something real right, and this feels like one of those.