You'd think it would be easier to resist. The last six weeks I've fasted from treats (except for the homemade donuts I made for my brother's birthday) as a way to mark Lent. I've detoxed from the sugar. (Or so I thought.)
But there it is, still beckoning.
This was my first time celebrating Lent, and yes, it was truly a celebration for me. I know it's supposed to be a sacrifice, and there were many nights, especially the first week, when I would find myself wandering the kitchen after the kids were in bed, wanting a sugary snack but knowing I needed to be content with a slightly overripe banana and a handful of peanuts, when I could be a little irritable.
But overall, it was a sweet time for me. (No pun intended.) The last few years, I've lamented that Easter -- the most joyous of holidays -- seemed to come and go before I had a chance to stop and think about its meaning. We have too much Christmas and not enough Easter, in my opinion. So this year, I asked God what to do. And He clearly told me to sanctify the days approaching holy week by refraining from a small thing that brings me pleasure, and instead, seek Him as my delight.
I don't want to talk about it too much, lest I tarnish the intimacy. But yes, it was good. And Easter was more special because of it. I felt the sorrow and the joy, the despair and the hope. My mind was fixed on Jesus the last few weeks. It made yesterday's celebration all the more real. I could feel the joy bubbling up inside of me as we approached Sunday. Travis Cottrell's triumphant "Alive Forever Amen" was my anthem.
(Here's a link to my Easter iMix; Travis' song is the first track. If you don't already own that song, buy it now. I guarantee, it will be played in heaven.) (Well, almost guarantee. Certainly the spirit of the song is being echoed by heavenly creatures at this very moment.)
And while nothing matters as much on Easter as the TRUTH that indeed, He's alive and we are set free, I have to say -- yesterday was as picture-perfect an Easter as I can remember. The sun shone, the grass started turning green even as I looked through my camera, and the temperatures were in the mid-50s. It felt like spring.
Oh. And the cute kids? Icing on the cake.
Which brings me back to the cake. The cake sitting next to me. The cake that is calling my name.
It's almost as if the cake knows Easter is over, that my vow is complete, that life should now return to normal.
But you know what? After Easter, nothing is normal. Everything has changed.
I know I have the freedom to eat the cake.
But I do believe I'll put it away for now.
Even lemon chiffon cake cannot beat the Delight that is alive in my soul.
