Social Distancing Diaries: Day 23

Dear Diary

We were encouraged to supply our own elements for communion today.

Today can be categorized as a Lazy Sunday. After worship, a walk, and Zoom call with our Fellowship Group, I snuck in some more mask-making. I should finish up this batch tomorrow. We had our weekly Zoom call with my in-laws who have managed to stay home for 3 weeks now and are hoping to stay put for another week. Gold Star to them! They are running out of some essentials such as chocolate. They confessed to breaking into the stash of Easter candy but assured us that they would restock and have a grand celebration when this whole thing is over! There was grieving in our home when we realized we will miss Grandmas’s delicious Easter feast and special goodies that she normally makes for us. One of her specialties is little challa breads with an egg baked in the center like a nest (it’s like a hard boiled egg, but it’s not boiled, it’s baked). And we go over to their house on Good Friday and decorate Easter eggs. We’re sad to miss those traditions, but, this too shall pass.

Did I mention it was a Lazy Sunday? Also, bonus points for the creative use of the reclining loveseat.

We are looking forward to some Holy Week traditions. We’ll just be doing them at home instead of at our church. Our family enjoys the Maundy Thursday meal and foot washing. Last week at the store I picked up what I needed to recreate the simple meal of soup, bread, and cheese. And we’ll wash each other’s feet. Our church will livestream some kind of service on Thursday evening, so we’ll tune in to that. And I guess we can decorate Easter eggs too. On Easter Sunday, as part of our worship service, our congregation sings the Hallelujah Chorus. Eden is insisting we still do that. My goal when singing the H.C. is not to be singing on the rest at the end. If I’m successful, I consider that a win! I also hope that no one notices me turning the pages at the wrong time because I got lost.

As I was thinking about what we would be missing in our Easter celebrations this year I was reminded that the frills and the fluff and traditions are fine. And they can lend meaning and significance. But they are not necessary. I thought of Hayley who spent last Christmas in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains with no Christmas cookies, or movies, or presents, or twinkling lights. Yet it was still Christmas. So if this Easter has no new dresses, or Easter baskets, or egg hunts, or flower arrangements, or even the Hallelujah Chorus, it’s still Easter. It’s no less Easter. The fact of the resurrection does not depend on any of those things. And perhaps we’ll identify closer with our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world who already know this truth.

As my dad says, “Any day that ends with you smelling like a campfire is a good day.” So today was a good day. We cooked hot dogs and marshmallows over the campfire and enjoyed God’s glorious creation!