Celebrating Easter

As many of you know, who read the blog and know us in real life, we follow the Christian faith and believe passionately in the life, love, and truth of Jesus. We strive to love Him and through that love He will give us the grace and ability to love others, exceptionally.

With that belief, comes teaching our children about who Jesus was/isA key tradition/holiday to this is Easter. It is the memorial of Christ's death (Good Friday) and the joy of the Resurrection (Easter Sunday).

This year, while sitting in bible study, my teacher was talking about worldly traditions that have overshadowed the true religious meanings of certain holiday's, particularly Easter. Instead of the central focus being about egg hunts and candy, make it about what it was intended to be -- about Christ and His saving grace.

I recognize that this doesn't come easily to a 3 and 4 year old. I feel like I have to tread lightly on the death part and talk only of things they can understand at this stage in their life. I have to remember that we have many years to come of understanding the enormity of it all, and ultimately it will be their decision to choose to follow Christ and the Holy Spirit has to lead them to do that.

So, I think of myself as the teacher who gets to bring practical applications to help them learn more about this.

--these "He has Risen!" rolls seem really cute and so perfect for little minds to understand.

--another family noted that they were going to celebrate with a memorial on Friday and then everyone gets new fresh clothes for Sunday to help them understand the new life in Christ. (I'll be honest, I'm going to have a hard time connecting this one. I just get super excited about clothes and I feel like if I try too hard to connect the spiritual part, I'm faking it a bit.)

--I like #5 of this. My friend Jodi did this also. I might do this next year. I just don't think my kids are quite ready for it. Nor am I ready to devote the time it needs me to give it.

--tonight I found cookie cutters in the shape of a cross, church, lamb, and bible. We'll be making some sugar cookies for Sunday's brunch at church.

This is the first year I feel like the girls get it and are grasping some of what we are passing onto them. I'm looking forward to talking about Christ and His redemption over the next couple of weeks and I hope that will carry over to many more conversations throughout the years to come.