Traditions

Because I am attempting to be honest here...before I delve into the thought of traditions I must share that sweet Wyatt has requested the pull-up the last two days and has wanted nothing to do with the Potty. Ahh this too shall pass. Now onto what I really wanted to share today.
Traditions. I love them...I grew up having traditions for so many different things. But most of the traditions I can tell you about encompass a holiday, and most of those Christmas. We woke up about 3am each year, would have to wait upstairs calling our parents names until them came up there. We would have the talk about what Christmas is REALLY about - pray - and then dad would go down the stairs to get the camera and Darren and I would journey down the stairs hand in hand to the tree. There was always one present unwrapped under the tree (I can still see Donna Elberta my Cabbage Patch doll sitting there). The last gift was always a scavenger hunt present and my brother would with out fail trip me as I was running around the house following my clues to the present so he could get there first. We had a tradition with my grandparents called Speak your Peace (this was a tradition my grandfather did with his grandparents). Each grand child was required to prepare something to present in front of the family. Usually it was reciting a portion of scripture, perhaps playing an instrument, singing, or writing something that would be shared. This was then followed by Christmas carol singing and the last one was always Silent Night...I can still see PePaw in the side chair, his eyes closed singing it in German. Speak your Peace was a huge tradition for us. Less emotional traditions: the day the potatoes were dug up from the garden you have to make mashed potatoes...they will never be as good as the day they come out of the ground. There was the tradition of home made ice-cream on the 4th of July. Certain foods at Easter, Christmas, & always a home made birthday cake. Traditions of dad probably once a year leading our family in communion at home. A tradition of my parents tucking me in bed each night and praying over me (even as a teen and a young adult home from college)...the tradition of seeing my parents individually study scripture...prayer before meals...ahhh and the after meal games at large family gatherings. The tradition of simple words of I love you permeating most conversations throughout...tradition lives in the Unruh (my maiden name) way of doing things...
So as a young wife/mom I was riddled with how do I bring some of those things into our home? I think I was under the notion that traditions only encompass those big holidays like we are in now. But I want to share a book that I have fallen in love with that speaks to all different kinds of traditions, "Everyday" and "Especially" traditions. I was given this book 2-3 years ago by my sister in law and have loved reading it and finding some of those nuggets that I could implement into our home as our everyday and especially traditions. A must read is "Treasuring God in our Traditions" by Noel Piper (John Piper's wife). Mrs. Piper says that "Traditions are a vital way of displaying our greatest treasure, of showing what-Who-is most important to us." So what do my traditions say about what-who-is most important to us? What a great question to ask. I found it easiest to figure out the especially traditions - those special holiday kind of things we wanted to do. But the everyday traditions of Christ's word being spoken in our home, prayer etc. seemed a bit more challenging to make such a big deal ... not such a big deal if that makes any sense. I wanted hearing and reading scripture to be what you do...not on just special occasions but through out our day. Finding ways to make Christ our tradition no matter the day is the key.
I need to read this book again now as my kids are two years older...some of those everyday traditions that seemed "too old" might work now...think out of the box...ask your husband if there are traditions from his growing up that he wished were incorporated into your home...note to self...ask Jason...
I want to close with a poem from this book "Treasuring God in our Traditions" b/c it has been an inspiration to me since I first read it. John Piper actually wrote it in honor of Noel's father passing away. It is long so I am just sharing the 2nd stanza b/c it speaks to my soul...about the kind of tradition and legacy I hope my branches leave.
"In Memory of Dr. George Henry Reflections on Psalm 1 and Joshua 24:15

But there was shade, especially when
The tree was old: the leaves were thick
With life, and though the root was sick,
The bark deep-creased with age, the limbs
Were laden down with love, and hymns
Were heard beneath when wind bestirred
The bowing branches with the Word
Of heav'n. O there were years of shade!"

We must find our own traditions so that our limbs might produce shelter, protection, hope, sweet sounding hymns to many a generation...shade...hmmm sweet.