Celebrating Forgiveness! Happy Easter!

Today, I need to talk about God's story. He tells it to me everyday. I am overwhelmed at the the lengths He goes to tell me His story over and over, longing for my attention, mine! He tells me in the light of daybreak that His love is new every morning. He tells me in the song of the Robins as they search for their breakfast... look at the birds of the air! He tells me in the moments between my children needing fed and clothed and scooted and scurried. They are His, I am His, and He loves his children more than I could ever imagine! He tells me in the changing of the season from Winter to Spring as I watch the flowers break through the earth. New life comes from death. Beauty from emptiness, and the miracle of his beautiful story is wrapped around me like a never ending circle of love and hope.
With Easter coming, more people will be open to hearing His story. For that I am so grateful, but for me, His story is always with me! I can't help but see the significance of His design everywhere I go.

One of the things I love about our daily commute home from school, is all the sweet farms we pass.  And more than that, in this season, Spring, there are new baby animals being born everywhere! Cows, horses, and little lambs! I am always pointing them out to the kids... "Look, a pure white little lamb in the grass!" They squeal and point, I slow down a bit so they can get a good look. And all of this makes me think about the excitement of Easter and our Lamb!

There is such opportunity in moments like this to show my kids what the true meaning of Easter is all about. I'm not sure how the Easter bunny and bringing candy got all mixed in with the brilliant story of the resurrected Lamb, and our family has never really went along with this idea. We have our traditions of an Easter hunt, and eating a great feast, but my boys know that Papa hides the eggs. I'm not against the Easter bunny or anything, but this year, since my little ones are getting older I want to talk more about the real meaning behind why we take time out to Celebrate this special time of year.

I came up with some practical ways to talk about our Easter story, and some activities to make it fun and special.

The Resurrection Walk

When Jesus died, he took all of our sins with him, and when he rose, that meant new life for all of us!
                                       Luke 24
Take a walk and look for things that have new life.

Flowers.

Plants.

Animals.

Trees just beginning to bud.

Bugs.

All of these things are God's little reminders that he has given us the greatest gift of all: forgiveness and New Life!

Scavenger Hunt

Read Luke 24.
Go on a scavenger hunt looking for items that symbolize the main parts of the story.
You might find a stone to symbolize the tomb.
Look for some sticks and form a cross.
Find something white (maybe a flower) to symbolize forgiveness


Light three candles.

One represents God sending Jesus as a baby.
One represents Jesus dying for our sins.
One represents Jesus resurrection from the dead.

Talk about the importance of each as you watch the flames with your kids. Say a prayer, thanking God for each part of the story, and blow the candles out.


Ask  a local farmer who has lambs if you can bring your kids for a visit.
Let them pet the lamb.
Talk about how pure and innocent it is.
Talk about Jesus being our pure and perfect Lamb!

This is my sweet son Elijah. He actually memorized the poem, but was too shy to do it without the words. Enjoy!

Happy Easter everyone! I hope Easter will continue to remind you of God's story, His grace, and overwhelming love!  That is worth celebrating!