The Easter Weekend

So, it seems I went AWOL last week. I was at a work training course on Monday/ Tuesday/ Wednesday last week, and had my first day in almost 4 years (well, more half a day) at home alone on Thursday! The course must have exhausted me, because I spent a lot of Thursday afternoon moving between the kitchen and the lounge. I even had an afternoon sleep. Bliss.

All of this busyness last week of course meant that our lead-up to Easter wasn't quite as focused as I probably would have liked, but we were able to reflect on Jesus' death and resurrection through the 'advent' Bible readings, and a few different activities over the weekend. It is lovely to hear our two big kids explaining and reflecting on the real meaning of Easter, and seeing their excitement at celebrating that Jesus is alive.

We enjoyed Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday:

Both our Good Friday and Easter Sunday church services were amazing. I am so impressed at what 'young' people are able to do with technology (we had some great film footage/ lighting effects), and, as always, we were faithfully taught (with the focus on Leviticus 16). 

We were also able to get to know some people from church better this weekend as we were invited to a ritzy post-Good Friday service morning tea. Despite the wealth (and renown) of our host/s they are refreshingly down-to-earth and humble.

We came home for a rest, and then got to work on our Easter Garden: 

 

On Easter Sunday morning, our Easter Garden was transformed (by me):

 

We enjoyed our Jesus is Alive cake:

 

On our Easter egg hunt, we hunted for both our chocolate eggs (apart from the ones our dog ate first!), and our resurrection eggs. Our resurrection eggs helped us retell the story of the last week of Jesus' life:

If you are planning ahead for next year, or for Christmas, or even looking for other ideas for teaching your little ones about Jesus, be sure to check out "Unwrapping the Treasure". This blog is filled with fabulous ideas for teaching Bible truths to little ones... Sorry that I posted the link a little late for Easter, but I'm sure you'll enjoy looking around anyway!

How was your Easter weekend?

Preparing for Easter: some family traditions

So, Easter is only 2 weeks away. Good Friday is two weeks away. Where did those weeks go? Wasn't it Christmas yesterday?

Last Easter, we were between houses (staying with my parents). We didn't get much build-up to Easter. It just sort of happened. This year, I'm a little more prepared. In the same way we don't want our family Christmas to be all about Santa and presents, we don't want Easter to be all about eating chocolate eggs and rabbits. So, we are developing some Easter family traditions...

1) Easter Bible readings

I've chosen 11 Easter readings (including one for Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday). These readings are loosely based on the "resurrection eggs" (see picture - each egg contains a small token to remind us of a part of the Easter story (e.g. a donkey, silver coins, a piece of cloth, a spear...)

Thursday 29/3 - Matthew 21:1-11 - Jesus' entry into Jerusalem

Friday 30/3 - Matthew 26: 1-5  - Judas' betrayal of Jesus

Saturday 31/3 - Matthew 26: 17-30 - The last supper

Sunday 1/4 - Matthew 26: 36-46 - Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane

Monday 2/4 - Matthew 26: 47-56 - Jesus is arrested

Tuesday 3/4 - Matthew 27: 11-26 - Jesus on trial

Wednesday 4/4 - Matthew 27: 27-31 - The crowd mocks Jesus

Thursday 5/4 - Matthew 27: 32-37 - Jesus carries the cross/ casting lots for his clothes

Good Friday - Matthew 27: 45-54 - Jesus' death

Easter Saturday - Matthew 27: 57-66 - Jesus is buried

Easter Sunday - Matthew 28: 1-10 - Jesus is alive!

We do these readings from an adult Bible, but will also follow-up with reading the Easter account from our kids' Bibles and any other Easter books we have.

2) Our Easter "Basket" 

This was an activity for the kids to work on when we were at home sick last week. This box will house our resurrection eggs - and on Easter Sunday, some chocolate eggs too!

We cut out some pretty paper

Miss 15 months used play-dough scissors (no blade)

Later, we just started tearing the paper

And gluing it to our shoe-box

I added the word "Risen" to the top of the box with letter stickers

3) Other Easter fun

I would love to have a special activity to go with each of the Easter readings but (a) I can't think of something unique for each day and (b) I am going to be doing some training for work just before Easter, so probably won't have time to do too much anyway!

Here are a few ideas we probably will do...

Thursday 29/3 - Jesus' entry into Jerusalem - a collage craft with a donkey, and palm leaves (or other leaves as necessary!)

Saturday 31/3 - The last supper - a passover meal. We have done this for the past 2 years - lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs (greens), with red wine for grown-ups

Sunday 1/4  - Gethsemane - Make an Easter garden. See this link for details

Good Friday - Jesus' death - Hot Cross Buns, attend church

Easter Sunday - Jesus is alive - "Jesus is alive" cake with cracked (hollow) Easter egg on top, Easter egg hunt, attend church.

 

What are your Easter traditions? Can you give me any more ideas?

Wordless Wednesday: Snapshots of Easter

The Easter hat parade was HARD work!

Good Friday: Hot Cross Buns and Coffee

Remembering Jesus: Our Passover dinner (lamb, bitter herbs, unleavened bread)

The Sydney Easter Show: Learning about where eggs come from

Close up with farm animals

 

Easter show must see: the wood chopping

 

Our Easter Sunday egg hunt

The Ultimate Celebration: Jesus is Alive!

Join "Wordless Wednesday" over at My Little Drummer Boys