Preparing for Easter in our Home

Whoa....Easter snuck up on me this year! How about you?!

I've had every intention of being very deliberate in our home in preparing all of our hearts for this Easter season. But like so many things... time got the best of me. I hate that! Especially when it comes to such an important season.

I love what Darcy Kimmel says on the Family Matters blog...

"As Easter approaches, we are coming to a most holy time of year. If Christmas is the bow and wrappings of our faith then Easter is what’s inside the package.

Somehow though, Easter doesn’t get the same billing as Christmas. Yes, Easter has its own super character, its own candy line and retailers depend upon it for a boost to their monthly sales total. But the celebration of Christmas has become its own season, demanding our attention from Black Friday to New Years Day. And if bottom lines are really the bottom line, Christmas wins as far as the number one holiday celebrated here in the western world."

Read the rest of her post here.

Despite Easter flying in at a rapid speed, we have done a couple things that we're praying will impact Nora's heart for eternity.

1) Resurrection Eggs.

Here's the deal... I really love everything about this kid-friendly teaching tool. I was so excited this year b/c I thought surely Nora is old enough to start to comprehend some of this. I mean - I'd read on a number of blogs about other 2-ish year olds being very interested in the Resurrection Egg process.

Hehe...boy was I wrong! Nora really doesn't fit in with the "norm" anyway. So why would I expect her to do something "normal" this time around?

Now I'm not doubting that other 2-ish year olds could sit through the 12 day egg story...but this daughter of mine did not!

This is how it went...my type-A personality self insisted on taking one egg at a time and telling the story of Easter (because that's what the instructions say, right?). I had this beautiful picture in mind of us sitting down together and having the "Jesus Died on the Cross for you" conversation. But Nora-bora was much more interested in opening up every egg at a rapid speed in no order of any kind and paying little or no attention to what I was saying.

I love it how God teaches us lessons when we least expect it. Does He do that to you?

After God and I had a little heart to heart in the middle of Nora thoroughly enjoying herself I was reminded that "She's just 21 months Steph!" God will prepare her heart to understand this story in HIS timing. Not mine.

Phew - what a relief! God's timing is always better anyway so I'll surrender to that truth!

We'll try Resurrection Eggs again next year :) Until then we'll just play with all of the eggs and special surprises inside each egg.

(If you like DIY projects you can also make your own Resurrection Egg kit using my friend, Nealy's instructions here)

2) What is Easter? book.

Thankfully I have an awesome MIL who came to the rescue! She brought us a wonderful book called "What is Easter?" when she came to visit a couple of weeks ago and I really do believe it's been preparing all of our hearts for this coming weekend.

We've been reading it daily before naps and bedtime. It's been such a great reminder of the truth of Easter.

AND Nora does sit through this... yipee!!

Here's to YOUR family celebrating the resurrection this upcoming Easter!