Rock Hunting

We hunted for rocks this Easter. Yes, rocks.  And it was so much more fun and valuable then any Easter egg hunt I've ever been a part of!

My friend Vanessa, who obviously knows me well, sent me {this} link about a family who filled their baskets with rocks before Easter. I loved the symbolism so much that I had to steal her idea and take my family rock hunting.

We grabbed Brody and Adelyn's baskets {and some target bags to keep the cloth liners from getting too dirty). Then we set out on a long bike ride around our neighborhood, scoping every spot we thought might have some rocks the perfect size for their basket.

The kids followed their Daddy like little ducklings most of the time as Jonathan {ever so secretly} put rocks in their paths to find.

Our neighborhood has a lot of playgrounds which occasionally proved to be a huge distraction to the mission, but it only made for more fun and memories of our great adventure. 

Once we found enough rocks to fill up each of their baskets we took our rocks home and explained to the kids why we had them hunting for rocks. The rocks represent our sins. We talked about what sin is and all the different ways we sin each and every day. Brody wrote {Adelyn scribbled} those sins on his rocks: lying, cheating, stealing, disobeying parents, etc.

We talked about how much fun we had hunting for rocks and how sin can often be very fun too...at first. But, if we allow it to overtake our hearts it can become a heavy burden to bear and weigh our hearts down, just like the baskets were hard to carry once they started to fill up with rocks. 

Then we talked about how Jesus came down to earth to die on the cross and take away the weight of our sins. He took our sins out of our baskets and put them all in his basket. He took the heavy burden away from us; and if we believe in him and trust him as our Savior then we will see him one day in heaven along with everyone else who believes. 

So, the kids left their baskets full of rocks that night. The next morning, Easter Sunday, they awoke to see their baskets had been emptied of their rocks and replaced with gifts. Their rocks {sins} were now in Jesus' basket. 

The gifts in their baskets {from "The Easter Bunny"...because we can still have fun!} serve to represent the sacrifice Jesus made for us over 2,000 years ago and the gift of salvation he offers to us if we just trust in him. He is the greatest gift and the true reason we celebrate Easter. The eggs, the bunny, the candy, and the new clothes are all fun but we are missing the true joy of Easter if we do not set our hearts and our focus on Jesus.

This year was extra special to us as it was Brody's first year to really be able to celebrate the true meaning of Easter with us. He prayed and accepted Christ as his Savior this past October 20th {2014}.  After many, many questions and long discussions about what we believe, he decided he too wanted to ask Jesus to come into his heart.  

It was tough for Jonathan and I to accept he was ready...and to be honest we kept him from praying the prayer several times much earlier in the year. Jonathan and I were both saved at a young age; and while we both believe our decisions were pure and true, we have learned so much over the years and have really grown {and continue to grow} into a full heart-knowledge of what it means to surrender our lives to him and trust him above all else.  

So, it was hard to let our 5 year old make that decision...knowing he didn't know what we have come to know over 25+ years in the faith. But, we had to remind ourselves that obtaining salvation in Christ is simple: 

Admit you are a sinner. 

{Romans 3:23}

Believe Jesus is God's only son and he came to earth to die on the cross for our sins. 

{Romans 5:8 and John 3:16} 

Confess and repent that you are a sinner in need of a savior...and come to Jesus by faith, knowing you cannot work your way into heaven. You are already forgiven and the gift of eternal life in heaven is already yours...all you have to do is accept it. 

{Romans 10:9 and Ephesians 2:8-9}

While the A, B, C's of salvation are the "fire insurance policy" to get you into heaven and keep you from hell, it takes time and maturity to learn to truly commit your life to him and trust God's will and plan for our life is so much better than any plans of our own. 

We know this. We live this. Now we are trusting that Brody took out his "fire insurance policy" back in October, and we are praying he will grow to follow Jesus and serve him by serving others.

Sharing with Things I Can't Say