As a child, I remember the thrill of the Easter egg hunt and the pride of my new Easter dress, but it wasn't until I became a parent that I grasped the profound layers of this holiday. Join me as I take you through a nostalgic yet eye-opening journey of Easter traditions and the critical role they play in shaping our children's faith. From church speeches to the excitement of seasonal festivities, I share how we can teach our kids about the resurrection of Jesus Christ while still enjoying the fun. For single moms, I offer a message of hope and strength, highlighting how intertwining joyous activities with spiritual lessons can empower us and our children through life's challenges.
Embracing Christianity isn't about striving for perfection; it's about accepting the forgiveness and grace that Easter signifies. Harnessing modern technology, I discuss how it's easier than ever for everyone, including the elderly or those less familiar with the Bible, to access its teachings. And to all the single mothers listening, this is a reminder that you're not alone. Our conversation extends beyond mere celebration, touching the heart of what it means to stay united and resilient in our community, providing a support system for one another and our children as we navigate the journey of Christian parenting.
As a child, I remember the thrill of the Easter egg hunt and the pride of my new Easter dress, but it wasn't until I became a parent that I grasped the profound layers of this holiday. Join me as I take you through a nostalgic yet eye-opening journey of Easter traditions and the critical role they play in shaping our children's faith. From church speeches to the excitement of seasonal festivities, I share how we can teach our kids about the resurrection of Jesus Christ while still enjoying the fun. For single moms, I offer a message of hope and strength, highlighting how intertwining joyous activities with spiritual lessons can empower us and our children through life's challenges.
Embracing Christianity isn't about striving for perfection; it's about accepting the forgiveness and grace that Easter signifies. Harnessing modern technology, I discuss how it's easier than ever for everyone, including the elderly or those less familiar with the Bible, to access its teachings. And to all the single mothers listening, this is a reminder that you're not alone. Our conversation extends beyond mere celebration, touching the heart of what it means to stay united and resilient in our community, providing a support system for one another and our children as we navigate the journey of Christian parenting.
It's not how you arrived at the title, but what you do with it.
Speaker 1:
Hey, ladies, welcome to the single moms United podcast, where we cannot spell United without you. Hey, if this is your first time dropping by, welcome If you are a repeat listener. Thank you for your loyalty. So today I want to talk about Easter. So this still stays in line with my previous topics, or the letter E that I'm extracting word choices from, and so, with Easter right around the corner, how convenient that it starts with the letter E as well, so very convenient. So I just want to talk about, as I have in the past, about holidays and how you are educating your children, why we celebrate certain holidays.
Speaker 1:
Now, if you have school aged children, obviously they're like oh, spring break, woo, woo. I get a break from school, I get a break from teacher to teacher, I get a break from homework. Life is good and the weather is good. I don't have to get up early for a whole week. I can just lay around and be comfortable. And a lot of people also use this time to take a short vacation. They actually go out of town and get away for a minute, which is absolutely fair, right, it's all about just getting that break from reality. And so when we think about Easter and spring break. You know, how are you really educating your children about that? Because they're just thinking it's just time away from school. So, what Easter? And I get some candy and some other things that go along with Easter, and for some of you you may take your children to church.
Speaker 1:
And back when I was growing up, I mean it was a big deal. You know, we used to have to do Easter speeches and standing front of the church and recite that speech. They give it to you like two weeks beforehand and you have to learn it by heart. No sneak peek or no, nothing to consider, as you have to recite that poem or that speech. And then, of course, you got a new outfit at least I did and you got your hair all done Okay, at least I did, and it was just a very fun time. And then they of course had the Easter egg hunt and so forth. So it was a great occasion.
Speaker 1:
But again, was I really taught what Easter was and what it truly means, as it is for a Christian? And I don't think I was. I thought it was all about just getting time off from school, getting new clothes and standing in front of the church and front of people and reciting some words that were given to me. But I didn't understand that the real reason for Easter was to celebrate and remember the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And, as a Christian, that's so important because his death, he gave his life for us so that we might live, because of his love. And when I think about John 3, 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believe it than him should not perish but have everlasting life. And that's what Easter is all about.
Speaker 1:
And at some point, if you are choosing to celebrate Easter with the Easter eggs and hiding that in the Easter baskets and so forth, moms, please also educate your children regarding the real reason for Easter that's the real reason and explaining to them who Jesus Christ is. So if you are taking them to church, please don't let Easter be the only Sunday you take your children to church. That should start. If you're not going regularly, that should be the start, the beginning of you introducing your children to Jesus Christ and to the church. Because this is why it's important, because, again, at one, at some point in your life and their lives, you're going to have to release them into the world and, as you know, the world, and on specific days, it's just not nice. There's just so much violence and anger against people and the prejudices that are happening. There's just so much that's going on right now.
Speaker 1:
And guess what? You can't keep your children linked to you forever, and as an older single mom and with both of my children living their best life, you know there's still that worry. I still worry about them. I have a young son and I worry that you know, if he gets pulled over by the cops, what may or may not happen there. I have a daughter and abuse that happens to young women. I worry about that, and so I have to constantly pray that God just watches over them and keeps and protects them. Because I can't be with them, I have to let them go, and that's the same with you, single mom. You're going to have to let your children go into this world and there are going to be days that they're going to feel alone. They're not going to know how to respond to certain situations, and the reason why they don't know how to respond to those situations is because they don't have that backside support.
Speaker 1:
And when I say support, I'm talking about the ability to pray to God, right, and that's why you should take this opportunity to make sure that they know who God is. And so I hear you. You say well, you know what? I don't know who God is, never heard of him, where does he live, what's his address? And that's okay, that is absolutely okay that you don't know. You can't educate what you don't know. So if you don't know, then I would encourage you to visit some local churches, and especially ones that have youth groups or really have a program designed for young kids as well, because I took my kids to church. They were in Sunday school, they went to vacation Bible school, because that's how my mom introduced us and when I say us, me and my siblings to Jesus Christ and to knowing who he is, now don't panic if you say, oh, my God, I'm supposed to convert, I'm not supposed to do this anymore, I'm not supposed to do that anymore, because now I'm trying to get to know Jesus. No, ma'am, it doesn't work like that. So don't freak out on me, please don't freak out on me, because what happens is, if you set the bar too high, then guess what? Yeah, you're going to fail, right, but if you take it slow because you're not going to change things that you do now to become this instant Christian? You're not going to do that.
Speaker 1:
Christianity is all about love and forgiving. It's just that simple Love and forgiving. So if you're walking into a door, so if you're walking into a door and someone is behind you, once upon a time you used to just keep walking and didn't pay attention to that person behind you in the door with clothes. Well, now, as a Christian, it makes you think okay, well, let me hold the door for this person. See how simple that is. Doesn't require you to do cartwheels and all of that. It's just now. You're showing love, right? So maybe you cussed a lot or cursed a lot, however you want to say it in the past and you think now that you're Getting in the church and so forth, that you're gonna immediately stop cursing. No, no, something you should work on. Yes, but does it start immediately? No, okay. So if a word slips out here or there, I would say it's okay, right, but here's the bigger thing You're just learning how to love your fellow man. That's what it's all about. So it's as simple as this as well.
Speaker 1:
If you see someone, hey, good morning, good afternoon, how are you doing? Whereas in the past you see a person you may or may not speak, more than likely not speak right. And Now, as a Christian, you're you're learning how to speak. You're learning how to acknowledge your fellow person, you're minimizing, judging. And then also, you know, when I go through drive-thrus or when I'm checking out at a store, I tell the cashier or whoever I'm interacting with, that you know, I hope you have a good day. I leave a positive phrase with them before I leave. That's all a part of being a Christian, because you never know what someone is going through.
Speaker 1:
And here's the best part about being a Christian At the end of the day, when you're starting to encourage someone else, in spite of what you're going through, it helps you to sleep better at night. Think about that. It helps you to sleep better at night because you've left trails of positivity Throughout the day. Now I hear you. I can't be like that every day and Again. That's okay. It is absolutely okay, because you're still human. Those same Emotions are not going to change Right immediately, but if you work at it, if you work at it, and one of the things you'll start finding as you're starting to leave these positive nuggets along the day's journey is that you know it's gonna start becoming more natural For you to say that it's just gonna roll right off your tongue. And so once you start doing that, now you're starting to get into the Christian arena.
Speaker 1:
So don't let anyone fool you by saying, hey, you got a quote, 10 scriptures and you got to carry the biggest Bible. You have to live perfectly to be a Christian. No, ma'am, because God knew us before we even got here and we're gonna make mistakes. And that's the beauty of being a Christian, because how many folks is Gonna come back and forgive you for some bad things you've done? Not many, not many. But Jesus Christ, he's always, he's a great God, he's a loving God and he looks beyond our faults and sees our needs.
Speaker 1:
And that alone, ladies, that alone is enough to say you know what? I want to get to know this person, because now, once you get to understand who he is, then you get to start reading the Bible, or listening to the Bible, which is a beautiful thing, because Audible and some other apps out there will actually play the Bible for you and you can get a greater understanding that way, unlike when I was growing up, I didn't quite understand the scriptures. Until I was taught you had to have a teacher, but for me to like sit down and read the Bible, some things just didn't resonate with me. I'm just going to be honest. But now we have that ability to have the Bible play for us or read to us, and especially for some of the elderly that can no longer see, you know, that's a great resource for them. So not just for them, so you can take advantage of that as well, ladies, and starting devotions and things like that.
Speaker 1:
So back to my main topic. I know I went to the left and to the right, but Easter is about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So that means, ladies, he's not dead. They tried to kill him but he got up on the third day. And if you're going to church this Sunday and the minister, the pastor, is preaching, he's going to talk about the third day, that third day when he rose with all power in his hands and so that we might have a right to life, of the tree of life.
Speaker 1:
So, ladies, I hope you enjoyed today's episode, easter, and I hope you're able to educate your children around this holiday and that they no longer just think it's all about spring break and finding Easter eggs and eating a bunch of candy, but really understanding the true reason for this holiday. And let me put a comma behind this no, I'm not an evangelist, but I am a Christian and I thank God for being a Christian and that's why I'm doing this podcast to encourage you, young ladies, that you will be encouraged and motivated during this time of single parenting, and that's what it is. You're trying to get it done on your own and I want to just make sure you're encouraged and motivated, even on those hard days that you know you can get through this. You all have a fantastic week, a fantastic day, a fantastic month as single moms united we cannot spell united without you, and it's no matter how you arrived at the single mom title, but what you do with it. Take care, ladies.