Ava made most of these pretty beads from her playdough. She mixed the pink and purple playdoughs and then formed them into balls. We pushed a toothpick through the centers to create the hole, and then we set them aside for two days to make sure they were dry. Then Ava strung her pretty beads onto some jewelry cord I happened to have (but you could use any string or yarn). She added some other beads we already owned into her pretty design, and it turned out really cute. If you have a boy, he could make a keychain with his beads instead of a necklace. You can find the keychain gizmos (I don’t know what they are technically called) at a craft store.
What kid doesn’t like a place on their bicycle (or tricycle) where they can stash treasures and make pretend or real deliveries? We made this “basket” for Landon’s little bike from the bottom of an empty food box. After cutting off the top, I wrapped the outside in comics from the newspaper and then covered the box with clear shipping tape to give it a little durability. Hole punches and yarn were all that was needed to attach the box to the handlebars. This box won’t last forever, but it sure is fun while it lasts!
Find our other ideas for repurposed cardboard boxes here.
These cookies are intended to be made the evening before celebrating Jesus’ resurrection, and are baked in a warm oven overnight so they will be ready on Easter morning. My friend Kelly Hall introduced me to this recipe, and I have to share it with you! We haven’t made these cookies yet, but we will!
RESURRECTION STORY COOKIES
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Gather Ingredients & Supplies Needed: 3 egg whites 1 c. whole pecans 1 tsp. vinegar 1/4 tsp. salt 1 c. sugar Zip plastic bag Wooden spoon Tape The Bible
Place pecans in the plastic bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Discuss how after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3
Put the vinegar into a mixing bowl and let each child smell the strong aroma. Talk about how when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.
Read John 19:28-30
Add egg whites to the vinegar (eggs represent life). Discuss how Jesus gave His life to give us life.
Read John 10:10-11
Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke 23:27
So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.
Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16
Beat the ingredients together with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3
Fold in the broken pecans. Drop cookies by a rounded teaspoon onto cookie sheet covered with waxed paper. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.
Read Matthew 27:57-60
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door.
TURN THE OVEN OFF.
Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door together. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed.
Read Matthew 27:65-66
Now it’s time to go to sleep.
Explain to the children that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
Read John 16:20 and 22
On Resurrection (Easter) morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice that the surface of the cookie is cracked. Take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Resurrection, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
I love Easter! At the age of 5, I made the decision to give my life to Jesus, following an Easter play at my grandparents’ church. I still remember the scene of the crucifixion and realizing what Jesus did for me. After the play, an altar call was given, and I remember telling my mom that I wanted to ask Jesus into my heart. Twenty-five years later, Jesus is more dear to me than ever, and following Him is the most wonderful and meaningful part of my life!
As I ponder Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, I love to consider just how He did it. An angel didn’t come to John in a dream and tell him to get up and pray for Jesus to be raised from the dead. God didn’t speak to Peter and command him to strike the stone at the door of the tomb three times. God didn’t tell the disciples to rally together and march in front of the tomb until God gave the victory. And no one stood before the tomb and shouted, “Jesus, come forth!” The simple, beautiful, powerful, completely unique fact is… Jesus rose from the grave by His own power. The display was all God. Jesus is all-sufficient, all-powerful, and just talking about how marvelous He is, makes me want to shout!
No one had, has, or ever will have power over death, hell, and the grave, but Jesus Christ! He is alive! He is alive! He is alive! And, thank God, I am a partaker in the precious gift of salvation, which He freely offers all of man. Because of Jesus’ blood spilt on the cross and His resurrection from death, I have been made alive, too! Forever.
Following Jesus’ ascension into heaven and the Holy Spirit coming at Pentecost, Peter stood up with the other disciples, raised his voice, and spoke to the “God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven” who were present. Here is a part of the powerful sermon… (Acts 2:22-33, 36):
Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and fore-knowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
David said about him: “I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fell me with joy i your presence.”
Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried,a nd his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendents on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to the grave, nor did His body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear [refering to the believers being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in other languages by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4)]. ….
Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
This past week, my children have spent a record number of hours outdoors. It has been so fun watching Ava playing by herself, using her imagination, “building” birdhouses out of sticks and flowers, and practicing stick throwing like it is an olympic sport. Almost every day, she has asked to go on a nature hunt, or as she calls it, “make a collection”. There are all sorts of containers, bags, even tape bracelets, which your child can use to collect their flowers, leaves, sticks, nuts, grass, whatever. We chose to use plastic storage bags this time, simply because it was handy. The kids liked it, because they could easily see what’s inside and the wind never blew away any treasures.
After a while, Landon lost interest in collecting nature treasures and decided to explore the sandbox instead.
Ava decided that the lid made a perfect boat and the shovel made a great oar. Aren’t kids wonderful?
There is SO MUCH study material in the verses of Scripture I have typed below, that I cannot even begin to do them justice in this post. So I won’t try. Instead, I invite you to read these powerful verses for yourself and allow God’s words to penetrate your own heart. At the end, is a video of a song by Paul Wilbur I would like to share with you.
Check out the words Moses spoke to all of Israel and directly to Joshua… from Deuteronomy 31:1-8
1 Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: 2 “I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’ 3 The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the Lord said. 4 And the Lord will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land. 5 The Lord will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you. 6Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Now check out these words the Lord spoke directly to Joshua following Moses’ death… from Joshua 1:1-11
2 Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.
5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”
You can read another account with many similarities in 1 Chronicles 28 about David and Solomon.
This is a video of the song “The Shout of El-Shaddai”
by Messianic praise and worship musician Paul Wilbur.
(I have owned two of his CDs, and I love his music.) “El-Shaddai” is one of the Hebrew names of God, and it means “God Almighty”
Spring is coming! I want Ava to have the opportunity this year (she’s 3) to plant her own flower seeds and watch them grow as she cares for them. I asked my mother-in-law for some tips for planting some marigold seeds we kept from a marigold plant we had before. I also asked a blogging friend of mine, Karen, from The Sower’s Corner, if she had a recommendation for a quick growing flower for little ones to plant. Fortunately, she responded, “Marigolds!”
So, I rounded up my pretty little pot, some dirt from a gardening project last summer, a small shovel from the kids’ sandbox, and our marigold seeds. It was dark outside when I got the urge for us to plant the seeds, so instead of doing it outdoors, we spread out some newspaper and did it indoors without any mess.
We planted the seeds three days ago, and tonight when we went to water it again (we’ve been spraying it with a spray bottle) we saw a little sprout coming up! A little sooner than expected, but I’m pretty sure it isn’t a weed. 🙂
Marigold Update: June 12, 2011
Thankfully, our marigolds are still alive! Here is a picture of our little marigold successes… When the blooms are dead, we will pinch them off and save them in our Seed Packet Envelopes until next spring when we can plant them again!
As a side note, we bought the red petunias (barely pictured here) for 50 cents from the garden center’s cart of discounted plants, and they are doing just fine. Yay for us. Pretty flowers.
Many times we pour our energy, time, or heart into things that don’t leave us feeling very appreciated or thanked for our hard work, much less rewarded. Your supervisor may not recognize all the ways your work is benefiting the company; your spouse may not thank you for doing the seemingly minute, but important, tasks that keep your home running smoothly; your teachers may not understand the effort you are putting into your studies; your friends may not realize the sacrifice it took for you to do that something special for them. But God sees. He knows. And He honors your hard work.
So, what is it that you do? Whatever it is, go ahead and give it all you’ve got, because your work is service rendered to the Lord! Somehow, knowing that makes everything more important, more worth the doing.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward; it is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23,24
Here’s a fun way to spend some time on a weekend. Throw your kids some clothes pins, magazines or scrapbook paper, paint & brush, scissors, and glue, and task them with making attractive clothes pins. You’ll be using them for years to come, and you’ll smile each time you use one.
The idea of an older woman mentoring and admonishing a younger woman paints a wholesome and pretty picture in my mind. The older woman, full of love and nurturing, pain and wisdom, victories and joys, is bent over slightly from age, but not lack of strength. She is smiling and cupping in her experienced hands the worried but hopeful face of the younger woman who is looking up into the older face with anticipation and trust.
It sounds more like a lovely painting in an art museum than a scene that we see in our daily lives, right? Why is that? Perhaps
There is no need to spend money on garland for a birthday or any other holiday. If you have paper, marker, yarn/string, and a hole puncher, you are ready to make your own.
1) Make sure your triangles (or any other shape you choose for your letters – circles and rectangles look nice, too) are the same size by making the first one and then using it as a template to cut the rest. You will also want to make sure your holes are punched the same distance from the top of your shape, so begin by punching the first one and then lay it on top of the next one as you use it as a guide to punch the rest.
2) Write your letters on each cut out paper shape using a thick marker or stickers.
3) String your garland. If you like, you can use a little tape or glue to anchor the tops to one another. Now attach it wherever you like. I chose to hang ours like a swagging valance above the window between the curtain panels, using the curtain rod to tie each end.
Encouragement. We love to get it. But how frequently are we giving it? We often wait for a holiday or a crisis or even death before we bring encouragement and thoughtfulness to others’ lives. We also overlook the people who seem to be “doing good” and assume that they don’t need encouragement. Let’s throw those mentalities out the window and focus on being an encouragement right now to people who won’t be expecting it.
Ava made most of these pretty beads from her playdough. She mixed the pink and purple playdoughs and then formed them into balls. We pushed a toothpick through the centers to create the hole, and then we set them aside for two days to make sure they were dry. Then Ava strung her pretty beads onto some jewelry cord I happened to have (but you could use any string or yarn). She added some other beads we already owned into her pretty design, and it turned out really cute. If you have a boy, he could make a keychain with his beads instead of a necklace. You can find the keychain gizmos (I don’t know what they are technically called) at a craft store.
