Today our sweet contributor, Rebekah, is sharing with us:
This past Christmas was far more meaningful for us as a family than it ever has been before, and I believe that was because we intentionally took advantage of some of the wonderful Advent resources that are available today. That really helped us to keep our focus firmly on Christ and the true meaning of Christmas, rather than on all the hustle and bustle, the lights and festivities, the parties and presents. My hope is to, for the first time, truly commemorate the Easter season with my family this year in much the same way. What follows is a list of resources I have compiled which I look forward to implementing with my little ones this Easter. I hope you find something here that your own family would enjoy, as well!
5 Great Ways to Celebrate Easter with Your Family
- Go on a resurrection egg hunt.
We are all familiar with the fun of dying Easter eggs or going on Easter egg hunts, excitedly finding the money, toys, or candy hidden inside. I love the Christ-based take on the Easter egg tradition that is known as Resurrection Eggs. This will be our first year using them, and I’m looking forward to it! ThisResurrection Egg set contains a carton of 12 eggs, an Easter storybook, stickers, and little surprises to put into the eggs which each point to some aspect of the Easter story and what Christ accomplished for us on the cross. This is definitely a great resource for helping us to keep Christ in Easter!
- Read Benjamin’s Box: The Story of the Resurrection Eggs by Melody Carlson
I will be pairing a reading of this story with the fun we will have with our Resurrection eggs. I have not yet read this book, but am a fan of Melody Carlson and loved the description I read of it:
What are the treasures in Benjamin’s Box? Come along with Benjamin and see. Like all boys and girls, Benjamin is very, very curious. When Jesus comes to Jerusalem, Benjamin decides to follow him and find out who he really is. At first, Benjamin thinks Jesus is a teacher, then a king. At last, he learns the good news―news that every child (and grown-up!) will want to share. Can be used in conjunction with Resurrection Eggs® from Family Life!
- Enjoy The Parable of the Lily by Liz Curtis Higgs as a family read-aloud.
We actually came across The Parable of the Lily a couple years ago at our local used bookstore and have really enjoyed this sweet story. Though it is a parable for Easter, we have actually never read it during that time of year, so I’m looking forward to doing so this spring! Here is the description of the book:
Maggie, the farmer’s youngest daughter, loves getting gifts, especially mysterious ones. One wintry day, she receives a package in the mail. She excitedly opens the package to find a bulb buried in a crate of dirt. This was not what Maggie expected. She had hoped for a doll or a game, not a bulb that would one day become a plant. When spring comes, she finds the bulb in the cellar and tosses the lifeless thing into the garden, never to think of it again. . . . Until she walks outside on Easter morning and finds the most beautiful lily she has ever seen. Through the unique gift of a bulb, Maggie discovers the power of grace and forgiveness and the true meaning of Easter.
My favorite thing about this darling book is the fact that Liz included a Bible verse on each and every page that shows the analogy between what is going on in that part of the story and how it clearly correlates to an aspect of the story of Christ’s life. It’s a gem of a book for sure!
- Read and discuss The Donkey Who Carried a King by R.C. Sproul
My favorite kind of resources for my children are those which are deeply theological but in a profoundly beautiful, practical, and easy-to-understand way. For that reason, I’m really excited about this book I just came across, The Donkey Who Carried a King:
The biblical teaching that Jesus was the Suffering Servant who carried the sins of His people when He went to the cross is vividly brought home to children in The Donkey Who Carried a King, a children’s book from respected theologian, author, and educator Dr. R.C. Sproul.
Davey was a young donkey who was bored and unhappy because he was never given anything to do. Then one day, some strangers came to the gate and Davey’s master picked him for a very special task. Davey carried the King, Jesus, into Jerusalem. A few days later, Davey saw some angry people making the King carry a heavy beam of wood. Davey could not understand it until another donkey helped him see that the King was being a Servant on behalf of His people.
The Donkey Who Carried a King offers a unique perspective on the events of Jesus’ Passion Week and calls all believers, both young and old, to follow in the footsteps of the Suffering Servant for the glory of God. Jesus was willing to leave the glories of heaven to suffer and die in this world on our behalf, so we should serve Him with all our hearts.
- Enjoy a meaningful and fun baking day together!
One of my favorite hobbies is baking, so I was excited to come across recipes recently for treats known as Easter Story Cookies and Empty Tomb Resurrection Rolls.
Easter Story Cookies not only provide you with a fun baking experience and a yummy treat in the end, but as you are adding each ingredient and going through each step of making the cookies, you read a different passage of the Word and end up literally going through the whole story of Easter and its implications as you are baking! How neat is that?
Empty Tomb Resurrection Rolls are a decadent treat of dough rolled in cinnamon sugar. What makes them special, however, is that, prior to baking them, you wrap each roll around a marshmallow which then melts and “disappears” while the rolls are baking, leaving you with an empty “tomb”. Children oftentimes learn best through visual, tangible examples, making these rolls a wonderful (and tasty!) tool for you as you seek to teach your children about Jesus’ resurrection.
Well, there you have it! Five (or six if you count both recipes!) great resources for celebrating Easter, making fun and sweet memories with your little ones, and pointing them to Christ all along the way. God bless you and your sweet families, and may you have a truly lovely and meaningful Easter!
REBEKAH HARGRAVES IS A WIFE, MAMA OF TWO LITTLES, HOME BUSINESS OWNER, PODCASTER, AND BLOGGER RESIDING IN TN. HER PASSION IS TO BLESS FELLOW CHRISTIAN WOMEN THROUGH HER WRITINGS ON HER WEBSITE, HARGRAVES HOME AND HEARTH, WHICH EXISTS TO EDIFY, EQUIP, AND ENCOURAGE WOMEN IN THEIR JOURNEY OF BIBLICAL WOMANHOOD.
Website – Hargraves Home and Hearth
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Instagram – @rebekahhargraves
Twitter – @hhomeandhearth
