What are your Easter Expectations?
Hey ladies, today I wanted to share a bonus podcast episode as we go into the Easter weekend — today is Good Friday, the day that historically we think about when Jesus was crucified and then after tomorrow on the third day, on Sunday, the resurrection as Jesus came to life again as he had conquered death and also paid the price for all the sins of all the world. So this is a very important and key weekend in our Christian faith, and understandably one that we want to share with our families and with our children.
But, if you’re like me, not all of your children or your family is following Jesus or following the Christian faith or your Christian values and what’s important to you. So while Easter may be the most important weekend, celebration and most pivotal holiday of the entire year for you or for me, it is not viewed the same for everyone. and it may not be the same for the other members of your own family so there might be some tension.
There might be some disappointment.
There might be some frustration…
…and there might be expectations that are just not going to be met over the weekend.
So going into the weekend I think it’s important for us as adoptive moms to think through our expectations and what they are and how realistic they really are as it pertains to having the cooperation or the buy in — whatever you want to call it — of the rest of your family.
Perhaps you want to make Easter a nice and memorable occasion for your family for your children, perhaps you want to have your family involved in church services, perhaps you would like to have your family gathered together without drama, and without conflicts, and for everyone to be on their best behavior.
You may have other expectations.
Whatever the expectations are, are they realistic as far as what you know already about your family dynamics, individual personalities and individual patterns of behavior and communication?
I know for me, most of my children are adults. I still have two adult children living in my household and one 17 year old who thinks he is ready to be a full fledged adult. I would love to have every one of them at church on Sunday and I would like to have the ones that don’t live here come and be here on Sunday to have a nice Easter Sunday dinner and to have pleasant conversation all the way around; a time of heartfelt and sincere prayer and gratitude and worship with my family…
…but I know that’s not going to happen. And so my expectations need to be tailored to my reality.
Realistic expectations
I don’t know about you, but I wonder if the holiday brings up unrealistic expectations or feelings of disappointment or even failure when you are not having the big happy celebration of your dreams. That can be a distraction.
So I think we can
- acknowledge those negative feelings and
- make our plans with realistic expectations
- while also praying for God to use this occasion and opportunity to bring the individual members of our family closer to him.
We can plan with realistic expectations while at the same time holding onto our faith and hope in God to work in each of our lives.
I hope that you have a pleasant Easter and I hope that your Easter is full of personal Worship and connection with God, with Jesus, and with other Christians who you fellowship with on a regular basis, I pray that our families will come together to the extent that each person is ready and I pray that God will continue working in our families and in the individual’s lives that make up our families in bringing each person closer to him.
And as we individually come closer to Jesus and closer to God the Father, then we will naturally be closer to each other.
Now that may not all happen on this one weekend and so I think we don’t need to put so much pressure on ourselves, or on others or just on the weekend and the time of year that it is and the event…thinking that things are gonna happen sort of magically just because it’s Easter. That’s not to say that God doesn’t have the power to make amazing things happen! God works in his own timing, and our children and family members have their own free will. We are not God and we aren’t able to force their free will. God doesn’t force their free will either or ours. So certainly if HE won’t, we shouldn’t be trying to force it either…
I’m kind of preaching to myself today and also I hope that this benefits you and you’ll take time to reflect on your expectations of others and of yourself this weekend.
And trust God to be working in the lives of the people who make up your family even when you cannot see it.
And as always,
keep learning, keep growing & keep loving.
đź’śđź©·♥️
Dawn
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Post Adoption (Mom) Coach
“STANDING IN THE GAP FOR 2ND MOMS”
Dawn Baggett is a podcaster and thought leader in Christian post adoption. As a Certified LifeMapping(R) Coach, Dawn helps Christian adoptive moms navigate the challenges of their non-traditional families with their own brand of success!
DISCLAIMER: I’m a coach, not a doctor nor a therapist. As a coach I do not offer mental or medical health diagnosis, treatment or cures. Furthermore, I am no longer a practicing attorney and do not offer individual legal advice. For individual advice related to your own personal situation I recommend you seek out an appropriate professional. Coaching may fill a spot in your overall support network.
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Copyright © 2024 Dawn T. Baggett, JD & Legacy Living, LLC - All rights reserved
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