Veggiefails

Seeing that it is Easter time and I like to try to reinforce the Lover's story in our lives through some celebration, plus the fact that AO1 is totally into hunting down eggs and eating chocolate, I thought the veggie tales video would be the perfect addition to the activities I had planned. It said that Easter was more than chocolate and eggs and that the characters would discover the real meaning of Easter.

(Of course we can get all into the pagan roots of the holidays, but we won't go there, here. To me we live in this culture and I think it's great to incorporate the Lover into the rhythm of our lives wether it be through holidays, daily occurrences, the seasons...)

So, I'm thinking this video will be all about the Lover and the passion story. Instead, it was all about a church building and it's stained glass window!!! I mean, I think eventually they may have mentioned JESUS and HIS SACRIFICE, but AO1 and I only made it half way through the video before we were totally disgusted and turned it off. For 20 minutes, it was all about the evil man who commercialized Easter with his egg making and refusal to attend the club or let his workers off against the church people who boasted over and over about their new window and the need to go to the meeting in order to see it's unveiling. The "christian" workers were about to break into the factory to steal some business plans in order that their building could be saved-- when we shut it off.

This is in part my fault. Our plan had been to preview every video before letting my children watch. Then I had kids and realized that if I had 45 minutes to myself, I certainly didn't want to spend it watching a kids video. I thought maybe I was a little closer to my goal by at least sitting with him to watch it. Instead the veggies failed us. It was only a senseless battle of commercialized religion vs commercialized holiday. How many times do we miss the point? How many times do we preach religion instead of showing the love of the Savior to those around us and helping instill in them the desire to know this love?

I used to do this very thing. I thought that by inviting people to church, I was going to help the "wayward". In reality, I didn't know how to talk about the Lover to others, or how to share his love with them. All I knew was to get them in the doors and let others do the rest- whatever that was.

That is not the WAY! The Lover's rebuke comes across very strong through the Message version (Matt. 23) "I've had it with you! You're hopeless, you religion scholars, you Pharisees! Frauds! Your lives are roadblocks to God's kingdom. You refuse to enter, and won't let anyone else in either. You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You go halfway around the world to make a convert, but once you get him you make him into a replica of yourselves, double-damned."

Help me Lord to walk, speak, hear and obey in the love and example of the Lover, the only WAY to life, freedom and grace.