Easter Traditions...(for lack of a witty title)

I love tradition. So does my hubby.

We go through phases of traditions in our family life. Like "British Night" that ran for a good year every saturday night. It consisted of watching one of my now all time favourite shows "Doc Martin" followed by "The Bill" and eating a turkish meal of grilled lamb, homemade hummous and pita bread. We've had "Pizza Night", "Family Fun Night" and"Bacon-and-eggs-on-a-saturday-morning-while-watching-video-hits". Traditions give meaning and depth to a family. I think children especially find security in the pattern and routine of traditions.

So i'm pondering my Easter traditions today being Good friday and all.

Sometimes i do Lent. I'm not Catholic but i just love the idea of it. One year i gave up trash mags for Lent when i was a big gym junkie. It made me listen to more podcasts and sermons on my ipod and was altogether an enriching experience. It made me remember that the things written in those magazines are a chasing after the wind. The transient, the mask, the matrix.

I nearly always watch the tv series "Brides of Christ". A fantastic Aussie drama series made nearly 20 years ago now! With brilliant actresses like Josephine Byrnes, Naomi Watts, Sandy Gore and Kym Wilson it always makes me love God and love Aussie film making. Really, you should watch it. Its all about women passionately loving God and trying to understand the catholic church back in the 60's. Some of my very favourite themes.

I try to remember to start reading one of the Gospels a few weeks before Easter. This year i forgot (oops! Too busy reading Jon's Jail Journal blog- check it out!) But i find that reading a gospel leading up to Easter helps me to emotionally situate myself over the period.

Of course there's always a few family lunches, some easter egg eating and this year hubby and i have decided to watch "The Passion". Plus the very important fact of going to church on Easter morning. I love celebrating jesus. I love how happy everyone is, how jubilant the singing, how festive the mood. It's such a stark contrast from the sombre mood of Good Friday.

But that's the point really. Jesus died but remains alive. He took my place in the prison of sin but yet remains victorious. He went to Hell and yet remains free.

I love what he did for me. Who would do that?

Thank you Jesus for Easter, for all its traditions, for its meaning and mostly for you.