Relational Easter Eggs

A few weeks ago I had an idea.  I thought about putting on a neighborhood Easter egg hunt.  Then, like a good mother hen, I sat on that idea and expected something to hatch.  Or I hoped I'd forget about the fact that this good idea was there...and then I did something that I do, often.  I opened my big mouth.

Once a week I meet with this amazing group of women (Actually, lets be honest real quick.  It isn't usually once a week...but we try!).  We get together, talk about what we are learning through God's Word, discuss the happenings of our lives, the people we are in relations with, and the missions Christ has sent us into within our communities.  This group has changed me.  I've learned that by loving people, Jesus didn't mean to get everyone you can to come to church.  Don't get me wrong, I love my church, and my church family.  However, there's so much more.   It's truly loving, truly engaging, truly living in the opportunities of now.  But often times it does require a lot of verbs.

So this week at our get-together, I simply shared that I had this idea of planning this Easter egg hunt.  My girlfriend Lauren says, "I think that sounds great!  Get on it!".  Thanks, mouth!  Sooo...here I am, making phone calls, buying hundreds of Easter eggs, and trying to figure out how this is supposed to look.  But more importantly ,why I even want to do it.

I live in an area where there are a lot of young families like mine, and also a lot of single parents.  So I have a hard time not wanting to get to know these people in my own neighborhood.  But how do you get to know them in a non-awkward way?  I'm hoping it can start with a few hundred Easter eggs!

I'm already running into a few hang-ups though.  After calling the manager of our development, she informed me that I am not allowed to post flyers on doors, or even go door to door.  But said it would be ok to hang a flyer on the side of the massive multi-mailbox thingies.  Not cool.  I can't even remember the last time I looked at the side of those things to look at a flyer.  Actually, I usually don't even go to the mailbox, my kids do. So now what?  A good idea was mentioned that I could just go down my main street and talk to them about it, and ask them to invite their friends and so on...and just see who shows up?

Next, I don't really feel like just making a big thing that people show up to, do their thing, then leave.  I want everyone to have the opportunity to get involved if they have the ability to.  I would love others to donate eggs, candy, help hide, etc.  The funny thing is though, all the research I've done about egg hunts (yes, there's LOTS of ideas out there) is all about how to just get people in and out.  So I guess I'm gonna have to just try and see!

So why blog about this?  Not because I think I have a great idea....shoot, it could still totally crumble in a million pieces.  But that I was inspired by my friends around me to take hold of an opportunity to love those I am living in community with.  Even if I become friends with just one person out of it, I think it will all be worth it. 

Do you have an opportunity to love those you are living in community with? I'd love to hear ideas or things you may have done. 

Jamie