Celebrating Easter with My Children

When my son was little and the only child at home, I wanted to make sure He understood what a wonderful day we celebrated on Easter. I thought and thought and prayed. He was only 2 or 3. Finally, I got an idea. I went to the store and bought a "Ken" doll. I found some scraps of material and other items throughout the house. For about a week or so preceding Easter our home Bible story times were about Jesus and His miracles and the good things He did. We used the "Jesus" doll.

I remember finding a toy horse and we re-enacted Palm Sunday. My child laughed and enjoyed the stories and his new hero. When it came time for the crucifixion, he was not happy. We had found some small pieces of wood. We "beat" Jesus and crucified him on the wood. (I had searched for a tomb and found a toy mountain that went to a train set of his. It was the perfect size. )

Sadly, we buried Jesus in his mountain tomb. Jordan was not happy. He wanted to get Jesus out. But I told him we had to follow the word of God. We would get his toddler Bible out and look at the story. We counted the days. One. Two. and finally it was almost Sunday! That Saturday night, after I put my little prince to bed, I had gone to the moutain tomb to get Jesus. I cleaned up the food coloring blood. I took off his ragged, "blood" stained robe, and dressed Him in the white cloth I had. I combed his hair and "hid" Jesus.

Sunday morning I awakened with a mission. My husband and I went through the house shouting, "He's Alive! He's Alive! Jesus is alive!" Our sleepy eyed toddler woke up and new it was time to finish the story. As he slowly woke up, he went to the tomb looking for Jesus. He was shocked to find Jesus wasn't there. He looked at me and wanted to know where Jesus was! I told him he must find him. So we began searching the house until Jesus was found- all clean and royal looking in his white robe and purple sash. We finished our Easter story with an age level admonition to always seek Jesus- because He was our God who was alive and not dead.

I don't know if you have children or not - or maybe grandchildren, but I hope you someway, somehow, make this story real to your kids. I haven't done this with my girls, because we have always done with Easter dramas since they have been born.

One year when my Kiki was about 2, I whined to God saying, "I did all of this neat stuff when Jordan was little. How is my baby girl going to get that same excitement about your resurrection. We're always so busy at the church. I feel as if I'm cheating my precious princess of some great teaching moments." God was silent. I was slightly offended.

At the end of a very busy Easter Sunday, after people had seen our drama and many came to know Jesus, a very "silent" God spoke through the voice of a 2 year old. We were about to lay down for a much need Sunday afternoon nap, when I heard my 2 year old run through the house, "He's awive! He's awive!!" I jumped up to see what she was doing. I asked her what was wrong. She looked up at me with her big blue eyes and said, "Jesus is awive!!!!"

With tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat, I thanked God because I may not have dressed up a "Ken" doll to be Jesus, but my baby got the message through the Easter drama. Jesus IS alive!

Easter is quickly approaching! It is he Sunday that we celebrate our Savior's resurrection! How awesome it is to know we serve a risen Savior! He's not dead and in a tomb- He is alive and sitting at the right hand of the Father! However, whatever, and whenever, please take time to teach your children the Truth! We serve a risen Savior! He is alive and is powerful= and cares about your every need. And if you go to our church, sign your children and yourself up for the drama! It is an awesome way for your kids to see and "experience" the Easter story!

If you do not know Him, I dare you to ask Him to reveal Himself to you! He loves you and wants to spend eternity with you!

dorinda

Out of my Treasure Chest:

(This is my new resource label. I will try to give you a "treasure" I have found on each of my posts.)

• Here is a website that has a do-it-yourself version of the Resurrection Eggs. Click Here
• Another "treasure" I had when my kids were little - (and there in lies the problem - with the word "HAD") was the animated videos by the Christian company that used Disney animators. I know someone out there knows the name and information on these. I don't hear a lot about these anymore, maybe because my kids are older, but they are great!
• I would love to hear some of your Treasures on this subject!