We love family time. We love those little family traditions that make up our family's identity. These special days that are woven throughout the year help us to remember important events, but also teach us about the nature of God and the need for one another.
(For a great article on the importance of family traditions read Family Life Today's article entitled, "Why Traditions Matter?")
We have daily rituals (morning worship, family dinner and bedtime prayers). We have weekly rituals (Friday night family slumber party, Saturday morning cereal and cartoons, Sunday "Good Breakfast"). We observe birthdays, Mongolian holidays, American holidays and Christian holidays. Makes for lots of observances! It also gives our life a beautiful rhythm that keeps us grounded.
We have always celebrated Christmas in a big way. We begin with Advent four weeks before Christmas and end with Epiphany on January 6th. It's a six week long celebration of God-made-flesh around here! In recent years we've been increasingly impressed that we need to give at least equal, if not more, emphasis to Easter! After all, we are commanded to remember His death until He comes! (I Corinthians 11:26)
Because Easter is much less celebrated than Christmas, I thought I'd share some of the ways we add meaning to this time of year, have fun, and at the same time instill timeless truths to our children.
1. We've started to observe Lent. Neither of us are from particularly liturgical backgrounds, so we didn't know anything about Lent when we started. But, we felt the need to prepare our hearts for receiving the revelation about His resurrection. So, beginning on Ash Wednesday we begin to purposefully look forward to Easter.
I got an idea from this website about creating a road map to Easter. The little car stops each Sunday during Lent at a different spot on the homemade map. And we plan activities or crafts for the children to instill in them the virtues of giving thanks, forgiveness, abstaining, charity, prayer and faith.
Also during the Lenten season the children gather money (by asking obliging friends and relatives or doing extra chores) for the charity or ministry of their choice. They collect the money in "Thankfulness Jars."
2. On Good Friday we all dress in black to help us to be mindful of His passion and death. I also drape a black cloth on the pictures of Jesus and crosses throughout the house. Here we are worshipping this morning:
(For a great article on the importance of family traditions read Family Life Today's article entitled, "Why Traditions Matter?")
We have daily rituals (morning worship, family dinner and bedtime prayers). We have weekly rituals (Friday night family slumber party, Saturday morning cereal and cartoons, Sunday "Good Breakfast"). We observe birthdays, Mongolian holidays, American holidays and Christian holidays. Makes for lots of observances! It also gives our life a beautiful rhythm that keeps us grounded.
We have always celebrated Christmas in a big way. We begin with Advent four weeks before Christmas and end with Epiphany on January 6th. It's a six week long celebration of God-made-flesh around here! In recent years we've been increasingly impressed that we need to give at least equal, if not more, emphasis to Easter! After all, we are commanded to remember His death until He comes! (I Corinthians 11:26)
Because Easter is much less celebrated than Christmas, I thought I'd share some of the ways we add meaning to this time of year, have fun, and at the same time instill timeless truths to our children.
1. We've started to observe Lent. Neither of us are from particularly liturgical backgrounds, so we didn't know anything about Lent when we started. But, we felt the need to prepare our hearts for receiving the revelation about His resurrection. So, beginning on Ash Wednesday we begin to purposefully look forward to Easter.
I got an idea from this website about creating a road map to Easter. The little car stops each Sunday during Lent at a different spot on the homemade map. And we plan activities or crafts for the children to instill in them the virtues of giving thanks, forgiveness, abstaining, charity, prayer and faith.
Also during the Lenten season the children gather money (by asking obliging friends and relatives or doing extra chores) for the charity or ministry of their choice. They collect the money in "Thankfulness Jars."
2. On Good Friday we all dress in black to help us to be mindful of His passion and death. I also drape a black cloth on the pictures of Jesus and crosses throughout the house. Here we are worshipping this morning:
3. On Easter morning before the kids wake up, we replace the black cloths with white! We spread a fresh white tablecloth on the table, set out fresh flowers, and all kinds of sweet treats for breakfast! Our first words to each other are, "He is Risen!"
4. On Easter we all wear something new. When money has been tight, this has sometimes just been a new handkerchief that I've embroidered with an Easter theme. In more abundant years, we get new outfits. And the children know that this isn't just to look pretty when going to church. They know that we do this to help us to remember that Jesus makes all things new! And we must choose to put on a new man, too!
5. Every year on either Good Friday or Saturday we watch The Passion of the Christ.
Here are some other things we have done in the past:
Resurrection Eggs by Family Life Today.
An amazing little resource that opens children's eyes to the true meaning and symbols of Easter! Really fun, too!
Resurrection Cookies, recipe here.
This is a great activity that incorporates Scripture into cookie baking! Your kids will remember this message!
Maybe it's too late to do everything you're inspired to do this Easter. But, look ahead to next Easter and to the next holiday your family observes. Be purposeful in planning it. As our children grow they will question these traditions. And the answers will take deep root in their hearts.
"Then your children will ask,
`What does all this mean?
What is this ceremony about?'
And you will reply,
`It is the celebration of the LORD's Passover,
for he passed over
the homes of the Israelites in Egypt.
And though he killed the Egyptians,
he spared our families and did not destroy us.'
" Then all the people bowed their heads and worshiped."
Exodus 12:26
Blessings on your family this Easter!
Gana and Daja
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