Celebration  |  April 13-18

This week we've been looking at the spiritual practice of celebration. But, honestly...what is there to celebrate right now? People are losing their jobs, getting sick, and dying. Our world is suffering. Nothing is normal. We don’t know when this will end. ...One thing about God...He is still God, still good, and still working things out for the good in spite of the brokenness of this world, regardless of our circumstances. He is hope, and THAT is worth celebrating.  

Celebration  |  Engaging in actions that direct our attention toward God with gratitude, worship, and praise. We delight in God, Who He is and what He’s done.   

***Important note: celebrating doesn’t mean hiding, ignoring, or pretending bad things aren’t happening or aren’t having an effect on you. We still need to face those, own those, and work through them on our own, with others, and with God. Celebration, though, can be accessed during hardships and certainly once we’ve been allowed to process and even grieve.  

Conversation Starters

• Day 1: What’s your favorite holiday and why? How do you celebrate that holiday? 
• Day 2: When it’s not a holiday and you want to celebrate something (like you pass a really hard test, or make it on the sports team, get the role you wanted for the play, get an award, etc.) what do you like to do to celebrate it? Getting food? Getting some friends together? Making a happy post on social media? Something else? 
• Day 3: What’s something that happened today or yesterday that you’re thankful for? 
• Day 4: What does our family celebrate? What things, times, days, people, or ideas do you feel are valued and noticed in this house? 
• Day 5: When do you feel celebrated by us at home? How do we celebrate you? How does it feel to be celebrated?  
• Day 6: How do you see us celebrate God in this family? Does it feel natural to celebrate God or is it sometimes awkward? Why? 

Engage with Family

Easter is a celebration. This time is far from normal, and maybe our usual celebratory traditions have been thrown off. What new tradition can you set this year? Is it a family breakfast, a family walk, a picnic in the backyard or outside a grandparent’s house, a drive-by hello to family with signs that say “Happy Easter”...? Maybe you could start a tradition where you commemorate Easter by going around to each person in your family and sharing something that is worth celebrating this season!