Ingredients:
You need: 1c. whole pecans, 1 tsp. vinegar, 3 egg whites,
pinch salt, 1c. sugar, zipper baggie, wooden spoon, tape, Bible.
Preheat oven to 300 BEFORE BEGINNING
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 the ingredients are not very appetizing.
Add 1 c. sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know this and how to belong to Him. Read Psalm 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 Matt. 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. If you have any army men, put them by the oven to act like the Roman soldier.
Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt.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.
The next 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 Matt. 28:1-9
Ingredients:
1 pkg. crescent rolls
Large marshmallows (1 per child)
Melted butter
Cinnamon sugar
Give each child one marshmallow. The marshmallow represents Jesus.
Dip the marshmallow in butter and then in the cinnamon sugar mixture. This represents the anointing oils and burial spices.
Wrap the marshmallow up in one triangle of dough. This represents the tomb.
Cook according to package.
When you take a bite, you'll notice that the marshmallow is gone. Jesus is risen!
Supplies needed:
1 Gallon empty plastic milk container (1 container per child)
Large cotton balls
White glue
Googly eyes
Black construction paper for lamb ears and a lamb nose
Take an empty plastic milk jug and cut the top of. Keep the handle attached because that is how your child will hold their Lamb of God basket.
Cover the plastic container with white glue (painting on watered-down glue is best for little ones!)
Place cotton balls all around the container. This is the lamb's wool so you'll want to cover the container real well.
Cut out lamb ears and a nose and glue on to cotton.
Add eyes.
Now you should have an adorable little lamb basket!
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Matthew 5:44
Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song will I praise him. Psalm 28:7
Christmastime has not always been an easy time for me. 5 years ago, my father died on Christmas Eve and the following year the economy took a downward spiral. As a result of this decline, our Christmas traditions, preparations and presents became less and less with each passing year.
Traditions.
Memories.
So much of what I was used to was being stripped away from me.
The financial downturn even made an impact on my Christmas tree!
How is that possible, you might ask?
Here’s my story.
Many, many years ago we bought a 9ft. tall Christmas tree for our first home. At the time, our house was a 2 story and the living room had a vaulted ceiling that reached all the way up to the second story. 7 years later we moved to a single story home and in that house the ceilings reached 14ft. Seeing how I just loved my Christmas tree, I was excited about the height of the ceilings because I knew our 9 ft. tree would fit in our new home.
My Christmas tree was one of my favorite decorations with its coordinating tree skirt, ribbons, angel topper and ornaments. It was gorgeous and I used to love to look at it.
One of my preferred things to do was to sit in my chair and turn down the house lights and sit just staring at my lit tree. I would take in the silence and beauty while looking at all the different ornaments. Some were pictures of my children when they were babes, or crafts they had made for me, others were given to me by friends, some I purchased while on vacation to remind me of our time, and the latest ones were the ones that focused on Christ to help remind us of what Christmas was really about.
Those were fond memories I had of just staring at my tree either in the peace and quiet or with Christmas music playing in the background. It was a relaxing time. A soul searching time. A time to ponder all that God had done and was doing in my life. A time to enjoy the memories that we were making as a family.
For some strange reason, the tree was important to me and I just loved it!
Then we lost our home and moved to a rental home.
When the Christmas season rolled around, we sold my tree because the ceilings were not high enough for the tree to fit AND we needed the money for food.
I was sad to see it go but I reminded myself that it was a material possession, one that the Lord blessed me with.
The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD! Job 1:21
A year later….
We are not in the same rental home, but a different one. A small home where there is no room for an average size tree, but rather a very tiny one. One that it not even 2 ft. tall (this tree was once used in my son's bedroom during the season.)
My 18 inch tree. Christmas 2011.
For many years my children were blessed beyond measure with some of their favorite things at Christmas. Yet, that is not a part of God’s plan these past few years. Sometimes we think we are missing out if we don’t have a lot of money to spend on our children or bless our friends and family with gifts.
And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 1 Timothy 6:8
I love Paul’s words…they soothe my soul.
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Philippians 4:11,12
When I take my eyes off of my situation and put them on Christ, then I realize my children get to see God’s hand of faithfulness first hand. Nothing under the tree is distracting them from seeing the miracles of their Savior. This is a hard, spiritual exercise even for us adults!
But it is within these formative years that their faith is growing and getting stronger. He is preparing them for something greater than what I could ever imagine.
They will remember these years when the only presents they received came from others. They will remember Christ came and blessed them at Christmas.
They will remember that their Daddy and Mommy loved each other in spite of their hardships. They will remember us holding fast to the scriptures in spite of our difficult reality.
Perhaps you find yourself in a similar situation? If so, here are some things for you to ponder:
If you had more money this Christmas…..
You’d have more gifts to buy.
More stores to shop at.
More crowds to deal with.
More lines to stand in.
More presents to wrap.
More cookies to bake.
More crafts to decorate.
More things to clean up.
More things to take back.
More things that will eventually get lost, broken or forgotten a few months from now.
More.
More.
More.
No…more is not necessarily better.
There is a blessing in simplicity. Pure. Organic. CHRISTmas.
Cling to Him.
May you seek to have more of Jesus this Christmas.
Live a poured out life for the Master,
I am linked up with:
Although the year of 2011 proved to be very difficult and draining for me, you know, with 3 painful moves and all that comes with it! Good grief, I'm surprised I still have enough strength from all the packing and moving to even type this post!
But because of all our moves, I don't have too many pictures of my family to share with you this Christmas, but what I do have, I hope you'll enjoy them and get a little glimpse into my heart and world.
May we be as the wise men of long ago and seek the Savior not just during this Christmas season, but in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Blessings to you and your family. |
When I was a young mother I was very ill for many, many years. Just getting out of bed and tending to the basic needs of my husband and children was overwhelming and exhausting. Merge the day to day life with all that needs to be done for Christmas...you know what I'm talking about: shopping for gifts, wrapping presents, preparing food, baking holiday treats, spending time with family and friends,etc., all great things but in doing them, it sent my body into shut down.
Year in and year out, as Christmas drew closer, my immune system would get lower and lower and eventually I would find myself sicker than a dog waiting anxiously to go back to bed the day I crossed the finish line; Christmas morning. My gentle and quiet spirit was no where to be found.
Not only did I feel like a failure as a wife and mother throughout the year but even more so during the Christmas season, which ultimately resulted in me loathing the Christmas holiday. Yet, as a Believer, I knew there was something wrong with my perspective!
Something needed to change. Seeing how I couldn't fix my body, I had no other choice but to live with my limitations which forced me to become very intentional about what we embraced as a family.
So I made the decision to be like Mary as she sat at Jesus' feet, rather than being distracted like Martha.
You can read the rest of my post over at Stringer Mama's Birthday Gifts for Jesus series. Just click the button below.
