We really press the Christmas Traditions. We decorate the day after thanksgiving, we read stories of the birth of Jesus Christ for an entire month, we color pictures, we pray, we learn and we remember the Miraculous conception of our Lord Jesus Christ. We just seem to overlook Easter, or Just celebrate it on Sunday and then never talk about it again. That needed to change. It is almost the most important holiday for the Christian religion (obviously without Jesus' birth we would no have Easter, so Christmas is very important and will always be)
It started on Palm Sunday when we read Jesus' walk into Jerusalem and the feelings that the people, His followers, had on that day. Throughout the week we read the places He went, we read about the things He preached, it was truly a week filled with messages from Jesus, for my kids ears to hear, soak in and ask questions about. It was a wonderful week filled with wonderful words of wisdom from The Redeemer.
Isabelle and I making Matzo balls
Gefilte Fish cooking
Finished Gefilte fish appetizer
On Thursday, we remembered Jesus' Last Supper. It also happened to be the day that Jesus and the twelve disciples celebrated Passover, something that had been celebrated by the Jewish people since God brought them out of slavery in Egypt to let them be free. Adam read scripture and I cooked a "passover" (not totally traditional, but we did have gefilte fish and matzo ball soup) meal in remembrance of that Last Supper that Jesus ate with his disciples. We took communion and really went into great depth as to why this tradition that they will take part in for many years to come is so important, why we remember the bread Jesus broke and the wine Jesus shared. The kids actually enjoyed the food, and really learned something new.
Trying out the new foods and finding they really like it. (mostly)
Friday is a somber day. As my Pastor pointed out at our Good Friday Service that evening, people we devastated. We celebrate the day today, b/c we know what happens in a few days. We know the outcome. At that time, people were unsure of what was going to happen, people were unsure of their fate. People were sad. Really sad. Adam read scripture that day of Jesus' arrest and Crucifixion. We put crosses out in our yard to remind us of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice. God's Ultimate sacrifice. It's a day we can rejoice in now, but a day that was completely sad to watch many years ago. The only thing that I can picture (it makes it easier(or harder really) to picture after having seen The Passion of the Christ) is Mary, Jesus' very young mother watching her son; knowing His heart, knowing His purpose, knowing His love for His people, being murdered that day. As a mother of sinners, I know how much it would break my heart to see one of my innocent young children being accused of being someone we KNOW they are not and not being able to do a thing about it. I cannot imagine knowing it is not only my son, but the world's Savior, being put to death. What a sight, what a horrible sight for her to have to watch.
Of course Saturday was not much going on, I'm sure the death was the talk of the town. They even put guards up at the tomb to make sure no one stole His body to "pretend" Jesus raised from the dead. Little did they know....Sunday.....OH EASTER! Glorious Sunday morning. The kids heard what the angel had to say, they heard about the stone being rolled away to an empty tomb, We read who Jesus talked to when he rose, when he came to life, when he lived again. We read what he said and whom he said it too. We were overjoyed together was we remembered that morning that will live in our hearts forever, we were not there, but I can just imagine the excitement all of Jesus' followers, his disciples, his mother oh Mary, I can just imagine the quick pace of people hurrying to tell the "Good News" to everyone.
JESUS LIVES!
thank you Lord Jesus for opening my eyes to this glorious holiday and helping us to make new and great traditions together as a family. Please help us continue to add to our traditions each year until Easter is the biggest Holiday of the year!!! Jesus, you Live forever!! Amen
I hope everyone else had a glorious Easter as well.
1 comment:
OH, Megan!! This is just precious to me. What a blessing. What memories. What faith building you are encouraging in your children.
I know our Lord is pleased.
He is risen!!
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