7 Quick Takes: Post-Lent and Easter Week

(1) Like most everyone, I gave up sweets. All of them but extra-dark chocolate, that is. When we were all discussing this Lenten fast (and exception) on a Saturday night in Lent while enjoying Red’s daughter’s birthday cake, Mr. MaryAlice nodded, unsurprised, with complete understanding and deep wisdom as he said: “depriving a mother of dark chocolate is like depriving a diabetic of insulin.” Even a stranger could tell from this statement alone that Mr. MaryAlice is a seasoned father of six young children who loves his wonderful wife very much.

(2) Alleluia is a word unlike any other. The only thing that could have set my soul more ablaze with Easter joy than hearing Alleluia after these weeks was seeing Bella’s countenance light up as she heard the same first Easter Alleluia. Alleluia!

(3) What should fasting look like for a mother? I need to revamp my approach here, because this Good Friday, by evening, it looked like a sullen, grumpy heap of fried mother and ungenerous hostess. Before motherhood, the discomfort of hunger was a good discomfort that drew me into deeper contemplation of and union with Christ’s suffering. Now, I get so low on energy that resentment starts to creep in and derail any chance I may have had at contemplation in the midst of this active life.

(4) Easter egg hunts are still thrilling, not just vicariously through my children but even for me as an adult. Is it the springtime cheerfulness of brightly colored eggs scattered in fresh green grass? Is the knowledge of candy within? Or is it the voraciously competitive spirit ready to be unleashed at any opportunity?

(5) If only Mass was standing-room-only every Sunday as it is on Easter Sunday.

(6) Kat, the Resurrection Roll activity/recipe that you posted here totally stole the show on Holy Saturday. My kids thought it was amazing, and Bean is still begging for more “Jesus graveyards” (don’t worry, he got the point, even if not the name). I wonder how these would work with our leftover Peeps.

(7) Does microwaving Peeps ever lose its appeal?