Easter again has come and gone. This past Christmas I realized that in my friends' eyes we Jesus Followers are quite poor in the way of festivals. One Day a Year. "Big Day" is what they call our Christmas Day Celebration which is all we get. Sad that. So we made Christmas into a month, complete with lights rented to festoon the outside of our small apartment, special food, new clothes, lots of visiting.
Easter too we have faithfully celebrated for a month. A Seder Meal. Joining the Stations of the Cross with others. Searching for yeast in our home with a flashlight. Buying a chick (currently sleeping nearby). An Easter Calendar and singing songs at night as a family where neighbors can hear (they can hear everything in our lives, this is not an exaggeration, so our change in routine is very evident to all in our building). All these things were part of what we did to make this Easter special.
My favorite part of this Easter month was the hideous wrap around "Walk to the Cross" that I made out of salty dough. (far left corner decorated in ash by busy bee toddler number one)
What makes devotions better for a toddler?
1. Laps to sit on.
2. Prayers that are song.
3. Instruments to Bang while singing lustily.
4. Fire.
5. Smoke.
6. Dark. Pictures. Tape.
7. Laughter.
8. The Jesus Storybook Bible
9. Big Picture Bible.
10. Dad Leading and Mom helping him stay short.
Well this wrap around "Walk to the Cross" had 27 little holes for the candle to move forward towards the cross that I never made. Ooops. However we would light the candle, move it forward and say "Jesus you walked to the cross." "Help me to follow you." Then we would read from the Word something about Jesus and who He is and put a tape on a picture and stick it up on our poster. Then we would joyously sing "Up From the Grave He Arose" complete with trumpet sounds. Glorious.
Here are a few pictures of our "Walk to the Cross." I got the idea from Mrs. Voskamp, whose book I have never read, but whose great fridge pin up called "Grace Prayers for Joyful Parenting" daily helps me be a better me in Christ.
Easter too we have faithfully celebrated for a month. A Seder Meal. Joining the Stations of the Cross with others. Searching for yeast in our home with a flashlight. Buying a chick (currently sleeping nearby). An Easter Calendar and singing songs at night as a family where neighbors can hear (they can hear everything in our lives, this is not an exaggeration, so our change in routine is very evident to all in our building). All these things were part of what we did to make this Easter special.
My favorite part of this Easter month was the hideous wrap around "Walk to the Cross" that I made out of salty dough. (far left corner decorated in ash by busy bee toddler number one)
What makes devotions better for a toddler?
1. Laps to sit on.
2. Prayers that are song.
3. Instruments to Bang while singing lustily.
4. Fire.
5. Smoke.
6. Dark. Pictures. Tape.
7. Laughter.
8. The Jesus Storybook Bible
9. Big Picture Bible.
10. Dad Leading and Mom helping him stay short.
Well this wrap around "Walk to the Cross" had 27 little holes for the candle to move forward towards the cross that I never made. Ooops. However we would light the candle, move it forward and say "Jesus you walked to the cross." "Help me to follow you." Then we would read from the Word something about Jesus and who He is and put a tape on a picture and stick it up on our poster. Then we would joyously sing "Up From the Grave He Arose" complete with trumpet sounds. Glorious.
Here are a few pictures of our "Walk to the Cross." I got the idea from Mrs. Voskamp, whose book I have never read, but whose great fridge pin up called "Grace Prayers for Joyful Parenting" daily helps me be a better me in Christ.
Walk to the Cross
He set His Face like Flint to Jerusalem.
Finished Easter Celebration Calender
Fire!
Smile.
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