LIVE A LIFE OF NO REGRETS!!: March 2013

Quote from "Stepping Heavenward" by Mrs. E. Prentiss

"She says I shall now have one mouth more to fill and two feet the more to shoe, more disturbed nights, more laborious days, and less leisure or visiting, reading, music and drawing.

Well! This is one side of the story, to be sure, but I look at the other.

Here is a sweet, fragrant mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery. Here is a soul to train for God; and the body in which dwells is worthy of all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant. I may see less of friends, but I have gained one dearer than them all, to whom, while I minister in Christ's name, I make a willing sacrifice of what little leisure for my own recreation my other dear darlings had left me. Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to her time, her strength, her health, her tenderest cares, to her lifelong prayers! Oh, how rich I am, how truly, wondrously blest!"

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Preparing our Hearts for Resurrection Day

For us as believers, this is a glorious, victorious day!! For years, we’ve used a book “Family Celebrations at Easter” that has daily devotions from Ash Wednesday to Resurrection Day. It’s a great resource!

Also, Anne Voskamp offers Trail to the Tree from her website that you can get here.

Desiring God Ministries offers a free book for the Holy Week here.

A few of many hymn studies that would be appropriate for this month:

Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed

All Glory, Laud, and Honor

Beneath the Cross of Jesus

Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Alleluia!

Crown Him with Many Crowns

I lay my Sins on Jesus

Jesus Christ is Risen Today

Just as I am, without One Plea

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

A great resource is here.

Free Copywork go here.

A Resurrection Day Lapbook go here.

Every year except my cancer year, we try to make these cookies and the following rolls. Be sure to start these the night before if you are going to do them.

Resurrection Day Cookies:

1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
zipper baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. (read John 19:1-3)
Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. (read John 19:28-30)
Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. (read John 10:10-11)
Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. (read Luke 23:27)
So far these ingredients are not very appetizing and that’s a good thing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. (read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16)
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. (read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3)
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. (read Matthew 27:57-60)
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. (read Matthew 27:65-66)
GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. (read John 16:20 and 22)
On Resurrection morning open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. (read Matthew 28:1-9)
Now GO TO CHURCH! CELEBRATE! HE IS ALIVE!!

Resurrection Rolls

These are fun to make on Easter in the evening.

Ingredients:

1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough
8 large marshmallows
Melted butter
Cinnamon
Sugar

Instructions:

Give each child one triangle shaped section of crescent roll. This represents the tomb.
Each child takes one marshmallow which represents the body of Christ.
Dip the marshmallow in the butter and roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture. This represents the oils and spices the body was anointed with upon burial.
Lay the marshmallow on the dough and carefully wrap it around the marshmallow.
Make sure all seams are pinched together well. (Otherwise the marshmallow will "ooze" out of the seams)
Bake according to package directions.
Cool.
Break open the tomb and the body of Christ is no longer there!!
Celebrate God's love!

We also like to celebrate Passover each year. We use a book called “A Family Guide to Biblical Holidays”. This year the Passover begins on 3/26. There are also resources available at Anne Voskamp’s site at this location.

Crafts

An Easter garden can be found here.

Church

If you can attend a Maundy Thursday service, a Good Friday service, and a Resurrection Day service, that would be great.

Resurrection Day Celebration
We are preparing for our Resurrection Day celebration even now. We send out an invite to our family of when and where dinner will be. Lately, we have been doing outside picnic table decorated style dinners. Each family decorates their own table and we all volunteer to bring different food items so it’s never too much on any one person. Then we make sure we clean up afterwards, so everyone has a restful evening to reflect on the goodness of our Lord.