What I learnt...

A Passover service is called a Seder, which means a *set order*. Within that order there is room for much variety. The Haggadah gives directions for the Seder & Seders vary from family to family. ~ from my Haggadah Easter Monday. All my girls were home again. Liddy was pretty tired but enjoyed her Easterfest. We had one or two phone calls while she was gone: to whinge about how cold Toowoomba is [& aren't you so glad I told you to pack warm?!!]; so Ditz could listen to Superchick live [how peculiar's that?]; to let us know she'd arrived safe & to let us know she was on her way home.

Danielle was here to meet her & share, finally, our Seder.

We dragged a table in off the verandah because Dearest nabbed the dining room table years ago & we haven't seen it since. Eating on the verandah might have been nice but it is getting cool & all the rain has the mozzies out in absolute hordes.

I learnt doing a small Seder sort of defeats the purpose. It is meant to be a big celebration of family & friends ~ but we worked with what we had & next time I will plan differently. As I'll know what I'm doing we'll do more of a celebratory meal but this time I kept it really, really simple. I learnt I have no idea how to roast an egg in the oven. You wouldn't believe what I did or what happened to the egg! I learnt my hands on kinesthetic learner got so much out of all the symbols ~ the white candles for Elijah & Moses; the bitter herbs, the harosh, the afikomen. Ditz was rolling her eyes a bit but she's a very different sort of a learner & I'm sure absorbs that sort of thing through the pores of her skin, rather like I do.

I wish Dearest was well & could lead. It would be nice not to have to do it for a change, but Dearest relies on me to get these things together. Next time I will break it differently; plan some games or quizzes in between things ~ work on getting Dearest to do at least some of the leading. Having done it once Dearest had some input on how to make it flow better ~ & jolly good advice too. I work totally from my head space & that's not always terribly practical. He's a hands on man.

I learnt no matter your learning style the Seder is designed so that you remember the story. I learnt I was right about at least one thing: it wasn't perfect, & a bit of a mish~mash in places because I had no idea what I was doing really, but it hasn't mattered. My mind keeps returning to the symbols used & I find myself meditating on how amazing our God is because Easter is a completely seamless fit into Passover. I am reminded that we, the Gentiles, are grafted into the root & branch of Judaism, not Judaism into Christianity. Passover flows into the festival of the first fruits [more symbolism; Liddy was charmed] & we move inexorably towards Shavuot [Pentecost]. Interesting.

After all the seriousness the girls needed to let of steam. There's nothing wrong with them really...

The traditional ending for the Seder is, "This year here, Next year in Jerusalem." I find that interesting too. The fourth cup, the cup of the kingdom, is the one Jesus deferred. He will not drink it until we join Him in the new Jerusalem in the Kingdom of God. Indeed, Next year in Jerusalem!