Hello, friend! It's been so fun sharing all these Easter/Resurrection Day activities and traditions with you. I pray they've sparked your imagination

       
easter banner newsletter edited-1

Hello, friend!

It's been so fun sharing all these Easter/Resurrection Day activities and traditions with you. I pray they've sparked your imagination and given you some fun plans for your holiday celebration. Today, I've got one of my favorite (I know, I say that all the time, but I really mean it!) ideas for you!

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lamb not a bunny

I saw a t-shirt once that said, "Easter. It's about a Lamb. Not a bunny." (I'm a sucker for a Christian t-shirt. I can't help it. It comes from being a Christian teen in the early 90's.)

Anywhoo, I thought the shirt was funny but it also gave me a clear mission for our Easter celebration--simply focus on the Lamb. It's easy. You can do the traditional Easter-y stuff. But just make it focus on The Lamb.

The last few years I’ve tried to celebrate all the egg-bunny-basket stuff of Easter on the first day of Spring.

We've also transformed our Easter baskets with a little twist. Here's how it works...

Screen shot 2013-02-28 at 6.16.38 PM

First, I sent the kids outside to collect rocks in their Easter Baskets. They definitely thought this was weird. When we came inside we laid out all our rocks and I read Ezekiel 36:26 and talked about how when we sin, it’s like big rocks in our heart! The kids came up with sins they struggle with (whining, complaining, being selfish, etc.) and I wrote them with a Sharpie on the rocks.

We brought out a piece of red cloth (it was really Lydia’s Snow White cape) and talked about how Jesus died on the cross and shed his red blood for all our stony rocky sins. Then we laid the cape over the baskets.

We joined hands and I prayed that God would remind us of His sacrifice and of His blood can take away all of our sins. And then it was naptime. They went to bed thinking that was another crazy object lesson from Mommy.

Screen shot 2013-02-28 at 6.16.45 PM

But when we got downstairs after naps, a new basket greeted them! A basket with Jesus’ name on it—and full of THEIR ROCKS. Their baskets were still covered with the red cloth and when they pulled it off they were greeted with gifts to help them grow in the Lord and to remind them of His great gift to them.

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Here's some of my favorite "easter basket" gifts:
1. Cross Jewelry {so kids can have a constant reminder of Jesus' gift}
2. God-centered, Word-filled Music {Yancy and Seeds are our faves}
3. Easter books {I think I mentioned a few already.}
4. A plant to symbolize new life and growth in the Lord.
5. A lamb {either a stuffed toy or chocolate to remember the Lamb of God}

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The Lamb of God

I love the symbolism of the Lamb of God. One of my favorite Christmas books (yes, Christmas) is, Why a Manger? by Bodie Thoene. She explains that Jesus was born in Bethlehem because this is where the sacrificial lambs were born and raised. The shepherds who saw the angels and then found Jesus in the manger, were the shepherds who raised lambs to be sacrificed in the temple. So, “where else would ‘the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29) have to be born if not Bethlehem, among the sacred Temple flocks?”

What beautiful symbolism! The baby Jesus born with one goal in mind--to be our sacrificial lamb! Don't get sidetracked this Easter season by the bunny. Keep the Lamb in the forefront of your heart and your home.

mad mimi profile picture silly at church

~Amanda
ohAmanda.com

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