In the Garden

For many years when the kids were home, I kept the tradition of making a Lenten Grace Garden during the 6 weeks of Lent. It's a diorama of sorts and my version of different ideas floating around out there. It changed slightly over the years depending on the container I used and what plants were available at Walmart. For someone who's not known for a green thumb, I liked this project because I only needed to keep it alive for two months tops. However, depending on how early Lent started any given year (it depends on when Easter is) I often found myself out on the back deck of our Ottawa home in the snow trying to plant a container garden while wearing winter gloves. I was committed! 

I did it for the kids to see a tangible reminder of spiritual symbolism and as an added reminder that this time of year if different. I would get their participation in some of the construction. Will would be sent out to the snow covered back yard to search for fallen twigs we could use to fashion a cross. Zanna would be tasked with shaping dollar store molding clay into a tomb and stone. I dealt with the mess of putting it all together but every year we did it and it was worth it. 

Our Grace Garden reminded us of the some other gardens where the trajectory of mankind forever changed - the Garden of Eden where it all started: man's intimate relationship with the Creator, Adam and Eve's sin exposed, and the promise of a Savior. The Garden of Gethsemane brings to our minds and hearts the anguished sorrow Jesus was feeling before his arrest and crucifixion, praying for the Father to take that cup from him. I see myself in the disciples, too weak and tired to even stay away long enough to be present and awake for my Savior. 

All those years I thought I was making this liturgical Grace Garden for the kids. After not making one for the last few years, I missed it. I craved the ritual of it, the symbolism, and the reminder always present as the centerpiece of our table where I was sure to notice it and remember at least three times a day: 

... the little stick cross, so inadequately showing the horror of that gruesome death for me

... the hand- shaped quiet grave with the stone rolled in front, patiently waiting for Easter morning (when I will roll it aside and replace it with a paper butterfly!) 

... the path to the jar of water and the shell, reminding me of my baptism which cloths me with Christ and because of his sacrifice I receive all the benefits of being his child. Heaven is my inheritance. Just as Christ was raised from the dead, so will I and so will all those who die in faith. 

... the stone "You have been saved by God's grace" Ephesians 2:5. This is his promise. And God always keeps his promises. 

Among other reminders of the season is the tree in the corner that was the Advent tree four months ago. Now its ornaments are copies of iconic paintings that depict the hard stops of Biblical history that prophecy his coming, that fulfill those prophecies, and put to art the scenes that prove God knew what he was doing all along. 

The purple napkins and my purple nail polish prove I'm a liturgical nerd and I don't care! Purple is the color of repentance and royalty. Read more about the meaning of Lent here. This year Wayne and I gave something up. We don't always but we decided to this year. It wasn't the greatest timing as far as convenience since it included our two week vacation and sometimes proved to be a bummer. But it was the perfect reminder on a holiday from regular life of Jesus' far greater sacrifice. Reminders, because we forget and fall asleep just like those disciples in the garden. We don't do any of this to try to earn anything! Christ did it all. His sacrifice was complete. Our paltry little sacrifice is simply a practice of looking back in the smallest moments of our day to the biggest moments to have ever taken place. 

To up my nerd factor, in case you needed further proof, I was inspired from a recent Women's Ministry Bible 401 class to pick up the Book of Concord. I hadn't planned on ever reading that  and even commented how because I'll never take the time to read it, why doesn't someone just tell me what I need to know? Famous last words and short story is that I found a reading schedule online that breaks it up into readable chunks (full disclosure - I'm behind and won't be finished by Easter) and I lugged that thing all over the country on our Spring Break. To make matters even dorkier, I need my reading glasses to make out the font size of the print. Do I look smarter? I'd like to think so:) 

 Lent is coming to a close and it's almost Easter. But first, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday ... I better go find that paper butterfly!