Two other Easter ideas

It is so tough to figure out the right balance of SPRING celebrations and EASTER prep/celebration. They are both fun and good. I hope that in the midst of the Easter Egg hunts, budding trees, 80 degree weather, jelly beans and mini eggs (my favorite!!) we don't forget that this weekend there is something else that we are celebrating. There is great joy in spring and all of the fun that comes with it, but what greatER joy there is in the fact that Jesus died for us WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS. Not only did He die for us, but three days later He ROSE AGAIN! I feel like I grasp 5% of the amazing reality of what we are celebrating, but thankful that it's great no matter how much I grasp it or don't grasp it.

Here are a few more of our projects this week to help focus our hearts and minds on what this weekend means for us.

Owen came home from school with a few Easter eggs and so we added to the collection (he would draw the egg and "decorate it" and I'd cut it out) and taped them on our back door into a cross shape.





A little dancing to "To Be Like Jesus." Note how fired up B is.






This is called a "wordless book." Originally it was used by Charles Spurgeon (from what I gather). I found helpful info HERE. We basically punched holes at the top of each color of paper and glued a Bible verse on the back of each sheet to have a reference to what the color should remind you of (Black = sin, red=jesus' blood shed for us, white=being made clean, white as snow, yellow=heaven, that because of Jesus, we will be there with God one day, and green=growing in grace). If you'd like more specifics, let me know! (NOTE: This is NOT a good one for a 2 year old, at least not my 2 year old. B ripped his a part rather quickly. Maybe a laminated version would be better for him!)

Easter Mountain

You may remember that we made an Easter Mountain last year. We got this idea through a fantastic book by Noel Piper called "Treasuring God in our Traditions." If you click HERE you can follow to a post that her son Abraham made a few years ago that includes instructions. I thought I'd post this now in case you are interested in joining us in this this week!

One thing that this post didn't include was how to break up the scripture into sections. Below you will find how we decided to split up the verses. Each day I would (and will again starting in the morning...our "mountain" is in the oven as I type!) set up the "people" and the "mountain" in a scene contained in the verses, we would then read the appropriate section of verses to the boys. Some sections are a bit long, and I even skipped over a bit. You can decide the best way to divide it up for your family. Just be sure to capture the main parts!

Monday - Mark 14:22-31
Tuesday - Mark 14: 32-42
Wednesday - Mark 14:43-51
Thursday - Mark 14:53-65 (maybe just part of this since it's a long section)
Friday - Mark 15: 21- 41 and 42-47 (again a long section, pick what you think is best)
Saturday - Nothing. Just wait.
Sunday Mark 16:1-8

I hope and pray God will use this to sink His truth deeper into our hearts and minds this Easter. How much we need to be reminded of the great love that the Father has upon us, sinners! That He would give His Son to die for us and bring us into His family. "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." 1 John 3:1

Narnia!

Narnia has come to our home and we are so excited. Through a series of random events, Matt and Owen have started to read the Chronicles of Narnia. They are starting with the Magicians Nephew (the order that CS Lewis prefers them to be read in from what I hear). Owen loves it. They read about a half of a chapter a night at bedtime. Owen really seems to be engaging with it. I have read it a few times with him, and just at the moment you think he's NOT paying attention ("Mommy, why is there a blue line all around the page...") he'll make an observation that is quite on track with what is happening. He thinks it's silly that the boys name is Digory, and he knows that it's a "pretend" world but that we can learn more about who God is through it. We are excited to go on this adventure with him! 4 year olds are fun!

Three Six 2010

It's hard to believe in some ways, and not at all in other ways that our boys are now 4 and 2! Yikes! We had a really special day celebrating our boys and the joy that they are. It's been so fun that they have the same birthday. This year we had a little party for them at church - it was great to have the space to run around and play. Here are some pictures capturing the day. Thank You God for two precious boys!