Every Saturday morning, like clockwork, our little girls pop out of bed way before my husband and I are ready. We currently fantasize about the teen years of our kids sleeping way past 6am.
But since right now they are 5 and 3, it’s simply a dream that gets interrupted very early each Saturday morning. Instead of begrudging it every week, my husband decided to implement some exciting Saturday morning festivities that make waking up worth it.
Every Saturday we go out for family breakfast. It’s not fancy, I promise. I pull my hair into a messy ponytail, trade my pajamas for sweatpants, and get ready to smile at the friendly order takers through unbrushed teeth. We let the girls choose if they’d like to dress in matching sweatpants or stay cozy in their fuzzy pjs. Matt throws on his baseball cap. And we head to Chick-fil-a!
It’s probably not really healthy for our waistline. I can never make myself order the yogurt parfait instead of the chicken minis. But it’s life giving for our hearts.
It’s a weekly anchor for our family that speaks volumes to our kids. It’s our Saturday tradition that we desperately need after my husband’s late weeknight coaching, my girls’ exhausting school weeks, and my juggling life as a working mom.
It’s funny to think that such a small act can mean so much to our young children. But don’t think for one second that they would let us go to the “wrong Chick-fil-a,” and heaven forbid we’d suggest Cracker Barrel, and they don’t even allow us to switch up our order. Because…well tradition.
And tradition is vital to a family’s health. Tradition is vital to a family’s bonding. Tradition anchors the days and the years and the memories that our families create throughout our lifetimes.
Do you have a family tradition? Some can be small, like Saturday breakfasts. Some need to be bigger, like appropriately celebrating holidays that are the foundation to our faith.
I want to invite you to make a resolution this year that will change your family. Join us at Ever Thine Home to joyously celebrate Easter with grand feasts and gatherings. With appropriate lengthy anticipation of remembering Christ’s sacrifice. With determined and intentional discipling of your children during the Lenten season.
Traditions help us remember what’s important. This year help your family remember the true importance of Resurrection Sunday by making much of Easter. I invite you to join us this year in becoming Easter people. I invite you to help us resurrect the wonder of Easter.
We’re here to help. Starting with our Easter Advent countdown banner that begins counting down to Easter on Ash Wednesday, we’ll walk you through week by week how to build the anticipation and excitement in your home and how to teach your family the true weight and magnificence of Easter.
Are you in? It’s time to start a new tradition in your home this year. Your kids will notice. And then they’ll remember.
Lord, give me the creativity to start traditions in my home that help my family remember You.
You can also hear Barbara Rainey and I talk about adding this tradition in your home on the FamilyLife Today radio broadcast this week. Tune in here to help your family prepare for and anticipate Easter.
Tracy, what a great Sat tradition! I plan on ordering these great tools for my family! God Bless you all-love, Kristy
Getting ready for worship on Sundays was always a challenge for us when our children were young. Arguments galore. But we found Focus on the Family’s “Adventures in Odyssey” programs helped they eagerly got all ready and listened while we got ready. We discussed it on the way to church. What a blessing!
Wow, I love this so much, especially because God has been speaking volumes about it to me since last year. I tried getting Hubby on board but I am still experiencing slight resistance, but I am trusting God to reveal it to him too so we can do it together. Thank you for your emails, they are so practically enriching. God bless.