Did you ever re-read a familiar Bible story and have a new truth jump off the pages at you? This happened to me as I was reading the story of the Road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-32.
Let me briefly summarize the story if you are unfamiliar with it. After Jesus’ crucifixion, two unnamed followers of Jesus left Jerusalem, headed down the road to Emmaus, about 7 miles away. While they were walking, they discussed all that had happened surrounding the crucifixion. A man suddenly joins them and begins walking with them. It is Jesus! However, the men are kept from recognizing Him.
Jesus speaks with them, “You seem to be in a deep discussion about something,” he said. “What are you so concerned about?” They stopped short, sadness written across their faces (verse 17 TLB). Jesus graciously conversed with them, listening to all their concerns.
Jesus was -ALIVE- and walking with them and they missed it - they missed their chance to celebrate!
How many times in life are we so focused on our trials and daily survival that we miss the blessings in our lives? How many times do we miss the fact that Jesus is walking right alongside of us, willing to listen? How many times do we miss the chance to celebrate with Him?
Who Invented Joy and Celebration? God Did!
When we celebrate, we tune into the rhythms of God. Going back to the creation of the world, at the end of each day when God finishes creating, He takes time to note, “it is good.” On the seventh day, He rests and enjoys His creation. It says in Exodus 31:17, "for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed."
Even God needed to be refreshed! How much more so do we need to pause and take time to note what is good in our lives? As a single mom for almost a decade, I understand the financial, emotional, and physical pressures that are with us daily. However, setting those pressures aside even for an hour will feed our souls, nourish our bond with our children, and leave us refreshed.
Jesus celebrated when He was here on this earth. Christina Boatright writes,
"The idea that Jesus was just serious and stoic all the time must end; it doesn’t reflect Scripture of the character of Christ. John 21:1-12 describes the story of Jesus at a wedding in Cana. For context, these wedding feasts could last for days with tons of (gasp!) dancing, food, and wine. In this story, Jesus helps the family throw the feast when they run out of wine. Then He makes more wine for them to save them from humiliation-not just your average wine, but literally the best wine the host has ever tasted! My point here is that Jesus had fun; He celebrated life and helped others to celebrate it, too!"
As family leaders, we too have the ability to lead our families to celebrate. When we celebrate, it transforms our hearts and minds.
The Ability to Celebrate is Not Dependent on Our Circumstances
If we wait for perfect moments, we will miss the moments of joy right in front of us. Most of us put extensive effort into planning for the major holidays, and yet they often fall short of our expectations. Celebrating does not depend on perfect circumstances or happy feelings. Even in prison, Paul and Silas found something to sing about (Acts 16).
Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples the night before his death. They celebrated God’s faithfulness to Israel. We can celebrate God’s faithfulness too, even when we are facing difficult circumstances.
What Is There to Celebrate? How Should Our Family Celebrate?
Now I can hear you asking, what is there to celebrate? I think every family develops their own celebration rhythms and that may change as your children grow. However, here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Most ideas are free or very low cost!
Keep a gratitude journal. Gratitude is a way to celebrate and foundational to every other celebration. Personally, I find keeping a gratitude list is key to keeping my mind focused on the goodness of God. There is a direct correlation between neglecting my gratitude journal and a downward shift in my attitude. On the left side of my journal, I review the previous day and write down what I was grateful for. Sometimes it is big answers to prayer, but more often than not, it is warm showers or a meal our family has enjoyed together.
Keep a family thankful jar. At a convenient time for your family (dinner time is usually a good opportunity), create a thankful jar and have slips of paper available. Each family member can name and write down one or two things they are thankful for. At the end of the month, empty your jar and read over what was written down. If your children have trouble coming up with ideas, ask them, “What was your best thing today?”
Celebrate the End of the Week. Making it through a long week is sometimes something to celebrate! My sons and I used to celebrate by popping popcorn and watching a movie on Friday nights. Your local library should have movies you can check out for free.
Celebrate the Beginning of Each Season. In winter, go sledding on the first snow or have a game day on “snow days.” In spring, visit the farmer’s market and have a fresh spring salad celebration where everyone can put on their own toppings. In summer, have a beach day, stay up late and catch fireflies, or make ice cream sundaes. In fall, go for a hike and collect leaves or enjoy a bonfire. Many city and county parks have firepits you can use.
Honor the Sabbath. You may not be able to dedicate a whole day to rest, but is there something your family can do to feel refreshed? Go for a family walk or bike ride. Go to the park, play frisbee. Have a game night and rotate who picks the game weekly.
Celebrate More Obscure Holidays Like Valentine’s Day. It is not just a romantic holiday. A few days before Valentine's Day our family makes one card for each family member and everyone writes something positive about that family member on their personalized card. We make a special dessert and open our cards.
Celebrate the beginning and end of the school year. Set the table with a tablecloth and candles, and have a special dinner without a reason, put on music, and dance. The ideas are endless, and I know you will develop your own rhythms unique to your family.
The End of the Story
Back to the story of the road to Emmaus, Luke 24:30-32 reads,
As they sat down to eat, he asked God’s blessing on the food and then took a small loaf of bread and broke it, and was passing it over to them, when suddenly—it was as though their eyes were opened—they recognized him! And at that moment he disappeared!
They began telling each other how their hearts had felt strangely warm as he talked with them and explained the Scriptures during the walk down the road.
My prayer for you, dear single mom, is that in the midst of daily life, God opens your eyes to see the goodness in your life. God will never leave you. As you tell Him all your concerns, may you feel His warm presence with you. Now get out there and find some reasons to celebrate!
