I was going to write this yesterday but I was reflecting–and it was a day of rest so I didn’t want to “work” (though I did realize something about myself for another blog entry  . . . ) but I reflected all day and that does make it easier to post this today.

There is so much assumption that religious things are supposed to be about suffering–especially at this season.  Those who celebrate Lent are fasting from whatever they feel called to fast from for an extended time.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread is about going without chametz/leaven/yeast–symbolic of sin in our lives and intended to remind us to live unleavened lives.  And there is most certainly value in the self discipline involved in going without–especially in our culture that is about more more more.

But as I was blessed to enjoy Passover with my best friend’s family again this year (2 years ago we all went to our congregation’s seder because her floor was being retiled; last year I had to lead a seder for our congregation; this year we did our teaching seder early and encouraged everyone to celebrate in their homes) I did not feel like I was “suffering” at all.

We take Passover very very seriously.  Yeshua told us to “do this in rememberance of me” so each year when we participate in our Messianic seder, in rememberance of Him, we reflect on so much related to our faith and our walk and the sacrifice He made for us.

We celebrate with our families (which together are quite a substantial number of people already ), another dear dear friend’s family, and different close friends from homeschool group, my friend’s church, etc.  I think this year we had 22 people in attendance   Most of us drink occasionally the rest of the year (I’ll enjoy a nice glass of wine every so often, especially with Shabbat dinner).  And on this night we are required to drink 4 glasses of wine.  This year I did two glasses of wine and two glasses of grape juice because it was too much for me.

But we had good wine, and a combination of good food and food we’ve come to appreciate over the 11 years we’ve been celebrating .   We had wonderful fellowship with friends and family and really neat people.  We reclined, instead of knowing we were going to have to take off on a long journey as soon as the meal was over.  We remembered being in slavery in the context of walking in freedom! We danced until after midnight in celebration of what this night means.  My friend sitting next to me commented that this was the most fun she’s ever had at a “religious event.”  I informed her we’re not your typical religious people

It was a beautiful and enriching night.  This year our three older children (all the older children there) were ready to participate in the seder. They took turns reading. They searched for the Afikomen (even though we had an Afikomen War–one child opened the container in which it was hidden but was looking at my dd and telling her not to look; she saw it anyway but couldn’t get through him before ds1 reached in and grabbed it; all 3 laid claim to the ransom so we held a high counsel and determined they had found it as a team and they split the 40 pieces of silver).

We laughed. We celebrated.  Yes–the meal was eaten without leavened bread.  Maybe it’s the celiac’s but I’ve got a strange relationship with bread anyway   But this was not a meal of suffering. It was a meal of rejoicing, relaxing, fellowshipping and fun. Holy and simple all at the same time.