It’s been several years now since we first learned of our son’s egg allergy. And it was certainly an adjustment to not having everything “egg” at Easter time. From dying the eggs to hiding them, to hoping the kids find them all so they don’t stink up the house, to eating them for breakfast and making recipes with them later in the day… Easter has always meants eggs galore! From my earliest Easter memories as a child through adulthood, eggs have been a huge tradition year after year. I mean, aren’t they for most of us? I think my husband and I may have even colored eggs together on our own before we had kids! (We also honeymooned at Disney, so basically we are big kids.)

Getting around egg allergies at Easter

We’ve found alternatives to coloring eggs that are also fun to do together. We’ve put stickers on plastic eggs, tried dying some fake eggs (that were made to take the color but didn’t really), and even found chalk eggs that you write and draw on with chalk (which of course comes off when you touch it). None of it is quite the same, but they’re still fun.

There have never been any community Easter events that we’ve been able to attend in the past because they’ve always focused on an egg hunt with chocolate bunnies everywhere. Have you ever tried taking your child somewhere that is filled with fun treats for all the other kids around but you have to tell your child they’re not allowed to touch or eat any of it because it could harm them? It sucks. And we try to avoid doing that to him as much as possible.

Good friends are one of the greatest blessings

We are blessed to have some of the kindest, most compassionate people in our lives who have gone out of their way this year to make sure that not only my son, but other kids with food allergies, are able to participate in some fun Easter-themed activities by hosting some food-free or allergy-friendly events. Not to mention family who are always willing to put their food-based traditions aside for the sake of spending time with us and making our son safe.

But I had a nice conversation with one of the friends I mentioned above about our adjustment to no eggs at Easter, and she said the words that I’ve always said to myself and know to be true… but they seemed to mean so much more coming from someone who didn’t actually have to give up eggs.

“It isn’t about the eggs anyway.”

You may read that and think “well duh.” I would have said “well duh” to that statement for most of my life. But it’s about so much more than the “well duh” aspect of it. It’s about letting go of the things that don’t matter and clinging to the things that do. Not just at Easter, but always.

And not just at Easter, but always, the message of Jesus is full of life-giving hope.

Bunnies are cute and eggs are fun. We’ll be celebrating with both in our own way. But above all that, above the excitement that my kids will experience through fun activities and goodies this year, I want to make sure that I am relaying the significance of Jesus in their lives. That even with the struggles we face and the bodies we have with illnesses, pains and food allergies, there is more after this. That even when we make mistakes and make wrong choices, we are forgiven by someone who loves us more than anyone else ever could… by the God who created the universe who also created us, with purpose and significance. That Jesus died on a cross for everyone from the criminals hanging beside Him to Mother Theresa.

As much as I hate food allergies, they’ve had ways of changing our family’s perspective that help put our priorities in check, and send us the simplest reminders of the most significant parts of this life. And for that, I’m thankful.

God of salvation

You chased down my heart

Through all of my failure and pride

On a hill You created

The light of the world

Abandoned in darkness to die

And as You speak

A hundred billion failures disappear

Where You lost Your life so I could find it here

If You left the grave behind You so will I

I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done

Every part designed in a work of art called love

If You gladly chose surrender so will I

I can see Your heart

Eight billion different ways

Every precious one a child You died to save

If You gave Your life to love them so will I

Like You would again a hundred billion times

But what measure could amount to Your desire

You’re the One who never leaves the one behind