Looking Back - Easter 2020

 Easter looked different in 2020 than any other year.  We didn't have multiple, long rehearsals and a million creative elements. Instead, we headed to the Gainer's backyard, set up the band under an old tree in the COLD wind. The preaching was in a field. And the creativity was at a maximum high, even though it was all simplified. Zeke was able to help Jeremy and Matt out with the tech and filming and Josh put together a spoken word.  The final product was awesome, but you can't beat meeting together to celebrate Easter together.

 

Without the typical hectic Easter schedule we were able to participating in Holy Week in a way we haven't been able to in years. 

Josh even got up and livestreamed a Sunrise Service. It was so simple and sweet.

Easter 2018

Well, better late than never, ha!

I don't remember the last time we had an actual family Easter photo because we get up WAY before the sun comes up and by the time we are done we are all D.O.N.E.  So this is as close as we got this year...but what a sweet one it is.

This is the first year ever that we have lived close enough to my parents to have Easter dinner with them.  And it just so happened that Easter fell on April 1st, April Fools Day, and it ALSO just so happens that my parents are secret pranksters, so it made for an eventful afternoon!

After a full morning worshipping at Journey we headed over to Wendell.

Upon arrival my parents began quickly setting the feast out on the table.  A lovely dinner of... OCTOPUS!

My kids looked at each other.
Then they looked at us.
Then they looked at Nonnie and G-daddy.
Not quite sure how to respond.

They didn't want to hurt my parents feelings,
but they DEFINITELY didn't want to eat that octopus.

Then my mom's "April Fools" rang through the air and they all sighed in relief, lol.

You can tell by Cai's reaction he wasn't too excited about the menu options, and Jude's face is priceless, ha!

After we got a good laugh my parents brought out the REAL dinner and a couple of the kids actually volunteered to at least try the Octopus.

For dessert my mom began by passing a bowl around of little chocolate eggs.  You know, the kind that are wrapped in foil decorative paper.

Zeke opened his and began eating his yummy chocolate.
Then Jude began opening his and upon closer examination realized that his was not chocolate.  It was a grape!  He curiously looked around while my mom tried not to catch his eye.  They Jude grabbed another one hoping for better luck.  Again, when he opened the piece it was a grape.  And then AGAIN.  We were ALL laughing at this point until he finally found the chocolate wrapped egg he was looking for.

My mom had spent the evening before unwrapping some of the eggs, which my dad gladly helped get rid of;), and wrapped purple grapes in the foil to trick the kids.

It was a fun Easter afternoon we will not soon forget.

Holy Week 2018 ~ When Our Plan B Is God's Plan A

We have been celebrating Holy Week as a family since 2009.  Each year looks different.  Some years we have the time to do activities every day but then there are other years where we hardly get anything extra in.  But this year was surprisingly fun as we snuck in our family time in the midst of the Easter prep planning and rehearsals to really keep focused on what the season is all about.

We had our traditional Seder meal

We planted seeds, dyed eggs and had some special devotion times

And made Easter baskets for our neighbors.

What we were MOST excited about, though, was a big block party our MC was hosting on Good Friday in a neighborhood across the street.  We were teaming up with Exchange church again and were going to have lots of live music, bounce house, soccer playing (of course!) and pop corn.  Then the plan was to have a projector and screen set up in the field to show The Jesus Film in Spanish to the entire neighborhood!  We were STOKED!  We had several friends who could translate who were going to come and join us for the evening and be prepared to help us talk with people afterwards. We also ordered a Jesus Film DVD for each family to take home and keep as well.

But there was ONE thing standing in our way of this event actually taking place.

RAIN

We'd been watching the forecast for weeks and rain was consistent on that day.  I began praying and praying that the Lord would hold the rain off, but every day when I checked the forecast the rain was imminent throughout the entire day. So Josh was already working out a plan B.

On Wednesday night I felt like the Lord was asking me to fast and pray the rain away for the next 24 hours.  I had been reading about the power of God over the weather in my quiet time and believed with all my heart that the Lord could move that storm away from our area that day if that was His will.  So that is what I did.  And wouldn't you know, every hour when I looked at the hourly forecast throughout Thursday (I know, I'm such a weather nerd!) the time that the rain would end kept moving up in the day until the final ending time was 10am.  To me that seemed completely doable!  I was SO excited!  That would give us plenty of time to set everything up and still have our awesome night.

God TOTALLY heard my prayer and MOVED THAT RAIN!
What a faith builder that was for me.  What may seem like such a simple thing for some was HUGE for my heart.

What I didn't take into consideration (although my smart hubby was already on top of it) was that the runoff for the rain in that neighborhood is sent directly to the main park/meeting area where we do all of our gatherings.  And it had already been wet and muddy from previous rains, so when Josh went to go assess the field after the rain on Friday morning it was a huge mess.  There was no way we could set up the sound and activities, much less expect those families to sit in puddles and mud to watch that movie.

So plan B was immediately put into effect.

We gathered our MC together at our home and assembled gift bags for every home in the neighborhood with the Jesus Film, popcorn, candy, an Easter service invite and a $5 Food Lion gift card.  Then we met Exchange Church and the translators at the park, divided up into teams and passed the bags out house by house.  There were so many connections made. Many prayers prayed. And gospel conversations were countless.  Afterwards everyone came back to our house for dinner and hung out into the night.

Yes, our plan had to change, but God's plan was way better!
AND what a cool thing He did for my faith.  I fasted in obedience, He answered in love.  Our plan still had to change, but the rain stayed away.

Holy Week 2017

Can you believe we have been celebrating Holy Week with this growing Colony since 2009!

Each year has looked a little different.

This year we did quite a bit of journaling.

Actually, journaling has become a regular part of our family devotions over the past couple of years.

Josh will read a scripture and then give them something to journal, 

draw or create to depict what we discuss.

I don't remember exactly what Jude said this was, but I think it is the Lord's supper

Alethia found some "Palm branches" in the backyard for our triumphal entry reenactment

Rainy volunteered to be the donkey for Zeke who was Jesus.
Sometimes it seems silly the older and older they get, but hey, they are still into it, and we always have fun memories,
and it is a visual they don't soon forget, ha!

We read about the Lord's supper and its significance

We dyed Easter eggs while talking about the burial, resurrection, new life and baptism.

Tonight we packaged up the eggs into little baskets with candy
and invite cards to pass out to a neighborhood across the street to invite them to our church Easter service.
This also enabled us to put faces and names together with some new people.
I LOVE to see how excited the kids get to knock on the doors and talk to people.

Foot washing has always been a Holy Week favorite for us.

This photo is one of my favorites because,
I mean, just look at Jude's face,
but also Zeke, our germaphobe, washing the most disgusting pair of feet in the house.
It was a humble sacrifice he volunteered for all on his own.

We had some other things planned but sometimes the best way to remember Holy Week is to carve out time to just Be Still.  And that is exactly what we did this weekend.

"And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilot to have him executed,

and when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree,

and laid him in the tomb, but God raised him from the dead, and he appeared to those who had gone up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people, 

and we bring you the good news, that what God promised to the fathers, 

this he has fulfilled in us, their children, by raising Jesus..."

Acts 13:28-33

Happy Resurrection Day!

A Fickel People

It has been absolutely NUTS around here over the past week (more on that tomorrow) that I didn't even realize, until going to church today, that it was Palm Sunday.

The beginning of Holy Week!

(you know, that little week that inspired a book that was written by a certain Colony mom:)

When Pastor Jimmy made reference to the fact that today was Palm Sunday my brain completely froze. For some reason those words reminded me of how fickle we as humans are.

One day we are praising God and telling him how wonderful and powerful He is.  Throwing our Palm branches down at His feet and giving our lives to Him.

The next we are doubting Him to actually move in the huge way we need Him to and questioning His ability to do a miraculous work in the giant in front of us.  And for some of us, even blaming Him for the season that we are in, which in essence, is like picking up a hammer in our own hands to dig those nails into his wrists ourselves.

We are a fickle people.

A fickle people that He sent His only Son to earth for.

A fickle people whom He loved so much that He gave His Son up for US!

A fickle people that He loved too much to allow us to pay our own price for our sinful, fickle nature.

Today I was reminded of how truly blessed I am to have a God that loves me, regardless of what I've done and how many times I turn my back on Him.

Today is the beginning of Holy Week.

Let's try to use this week to focus on just how Big our God is and all that He has done for us.

Our fickle, human selves.

A Borrowed Easter

OK, so I completely blew it this Easter in the photo department.

I didn't even buy new outfits for my kids this year.  We went shopping in their closets and they "helped" me pick out an outfit that was kid-tested and mom-approved and we just went with it.

I had too many other things to think about, including a huge family get together/cookout/Easter egg hunt/goodbye shindig that had people arriving at the scene before we even got home from church on Sunday afternoon!

It was so, so much fun, but that is my rational for not getting many pictures of the chaos festivities:)

I managed to capture a couple during the Easter egg hunt on my phone and a borrowed group one from a friend.

So here you have it ~ Easter 2013

Alethia and her beautiful purple dress

My super sweet niece, Bella

the masses

on a mission

Thanks for this photo, Jenn!  She knows how to capture the impossible:)

Friday Free-For-All

The kids tracked back in yesterday.
Rainy was so ready.
Zeke, not so much:)

Spring is in full swing, even if the weather doesn't reflect it.  One day we have all the windows open, running around without shoes on and the next we are cranking up the heat, trying to figure out how to get all our energy out indoors.

Well, I feel like it's safe to share some pretty big news.  No, we are NOT adding another colony member to the family, ha!  But we are about to be homeowners again!  As in THIS COMING MONDAY AFTERNOON!!!

I know what you are thinking, "But isn't that a photo of your current house?"  To which I would answer, "Why yes, yes it is!"  We are buying our current home that we have been renting for 3 1/2 years!  We are buying a house and we don't even have to move a thing!  Praise Jesus!

Jude is teething...boo:(

Jude is almost walking...yay:)
Which means that he is getting older...boo:(

Jude is tough...yay:)  A side table fell on him yesterday. He cried for a second, patted his head, then crawled off to play.  Pretty amazing how resilient those little ankle biters can be.

Cai is in a new stage.  He "wants a wot" of everything.

He wants "wots of wunch". -the full plate in front of him isn't enough?

He wants "wots of small shirts". -the 10 that he already has to choose from aren't enough?

He wants "wots of cookies".  -OK, maybe I can understand this one.
But it is oh-so-frustrating and comical all at the same time.  I don't know whether to pull my hair out or laugh hysterically, after trying to explain gratefulness and contentment for the 4th time before even getting to the breakfast table!

Holy Week begins next week.  I'm excited about the new concepts that the kids will pick up on this year!  I still have a couple of books available if you want to drop by and pick one up to do the "Fast Track" with your family! ($15)  Even if you don't do the family devotion you have GOT to incorporate these FREE songs into your daily routine with the kids!

Alright, I gotta go pack.  I've got a girls get-away tonight with my sister-in-laws before one of them heads to Africa for 3 years!

Happy Friday ya'll!

Renderings

Each year I like to give up something for the season of Lent.

A couple of years ago I gave up my computer for Holy Week.  Last year I gave up sleep, as in, I consistently got up at the same time every morning in order to have an extended quiet time in the mornings.

This year, almost a week into the Lent season I still hadn't decided what I wanted/needed to give up...until I was slapped in the face with it was brought to my attention that I MAY have a slight problem with reorganizing and rearranging the things/furniture in my house.

I mean, an honest to goodness problem!
So much so, that Josh has been having to hold me accountable when the "urge" to move something begins to well up within.

Ahem.

Anyway, I decided that day that this was exactly what I was going to give up for Lent.

Some of you may be reading this and wondering what in the world I've been smoking, and others of you are right there with me, right?!

But today, oh today, I've had the urge like none other.
But I was NOT going to give in.

I sat in the office and closed my eyes, mentally moving and rearranging furniture around until I decided that I needed to give my "sponsor" a call.

Josh picked up the phone and I quickly told him that I hadn't given in, but that my creative mind was whirling with new ideas that would make our home more practical and Colony friendly.

(For real though, rearranging has a way of making your home feel brand new, without even having to spend a penny!)

He patiently and quietly sat through my brainstorming process.

As soon as I was all done he said, "Ok. Um, alright. Now, maybe you could draw it all out so I can picture it better."

OK! I can do that!

I may be confined to renderings for now, but just you wait!
Easter is right around the corner:)

Resurrection Cookies

Several of you asked what recipe we used for our Resurrection cookies this year.  I wanted to share it, but wanted to warn you that they weren't a big hit with the taste buds, but fun none-the-less.  The recipe is a lot like the Surprise Meringues that my mom makes, but uses chocolate chips instead of the nuts.  Next year we will probably go with the tastier route:)

Resurrection Cookies

What You'll Need

1 cup pecan halves

1 tsp white vinegar

3 egg whites

pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 300* Make sure you do this first to make the oven warm enough.

2. Place the pecans in a plastic ziplock bag.  Let your child break the pecans into small pieces by beating them with a wooden mallet or rolling pin.  (I divided the amount into 4 baggies...1 for each of the kids so they could each participate).  Explain that after Jesus was arrested, Roman soldiers beat him. Read John 19:1-3

3. Have everyone in the family smell and taste the vinegar.  Add 1 tsp vinegar to the bowl.  Explain that Jesus was offered vinegar to drink while He hung on the cross.  Read John 19: 28-30.

4. Add the 3 egg whites to the vinegar.  Discuss with your child that eggs represent life.  Explain that Jesus gave his life in order to give us life.  Read John 10:10-11.

5. Sprinkle a pinch of salt into your child's hands.  Allow them to taste a tiny bit and shake the remainder into the bowl.  Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus and his followers.  Read Luke 23:27.

6. Gradually add 1 cup of sugar to the bowl while beating ingredients on high with a mixer.  Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us.  He wants us to know we belong to Him.  Read John 3:16.

7. Beat the mixture with a mixer for 12-15 min. until stiff peaks form.  Peak will stand straight when beaters are removed.  Share how the color white represents purity and Jesus can cleanse us of our sins.  Read Isaiah 1:18.

8. Add the nuts and fold in gently.  Drop the mixture by tsp on a cookie sheet with wax paper.  Explain that these mounds represent the rocky tomb where Jesus was laid.  As evening approached, a rich man came from the town of Arimathea.  His name was Joseph.  He had become a follower of Jesus.  He went to Pilate and asked for his body.  Pilate ordered that it be given to him.  Read Matthew 27:57-60.

9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven.  Then close the door and turn the oven off immediately.

10. Give your child a piece of tape to seal the tomb (oven door).  Explain the fact that the tomb was sealed.  Read Matthew 27:65-66.

11. Go to bed! Explain that your child may feel sad to leave the Resurrection cookies in the oven overnight.  To a much greater extent Jesus' friends were sad when He died and placed in the tomb.  Read John 16:20 & 22.

12. Do not open the oven until the following morning.  Allow your children to examine the Resurrection cookies.  They will form small mounds and have a cracked side.  When the children taste them, they will discover that the cookies are hollow representing that on the first Easter, Jesus' friends were surprised to find the tomb Empty.  Read Matthew 28:1-9.

~Recipe from Remember Me Pockets: APRIL~

Holy Week - 2012

In spite of my unrealistic "Holy Expectations" we did have a great Holy Week!  We did have a few fits and tantrums glitches and it was less than glamorous, but it was awesome to see the light turning on in Areyna and Zeke's minds as they remembered Holy Weeks past and helped teach their younger siblings the true meaning of Easter:)

I had several other fun things planned and even other things we DID do that I forgot to bust the camera out on, but lets face it, I'm lucky to get a shower in these days:)

Cleaning Day
Representing how we need to keep our hearts clean in preparation for Christ.

Resurrection Cookies
This is a fun activity to read out of scripture about the death and resurrection.
Poor Rainy learned first hand how much a beating can hurt when she smashed her fingers.
(I'll post the recipe you've been asking for soon, I promise:)

Planting Seeds
Representing the death and resurrection and NEW LIFE!

Holy Expectations

Sitting at the kitchen table this morning I could feel my blood beginning to boil inside.

I was getting irritable and annoyed at the littlest things that the kids were doing.

I decided that it was time for a mommy time-out and locked myself in my room took off to my room for a minute of solitude (and steady breathing:).

I hate those days when I feel like this and can't pin point exactly what has triggered this onset of emotions and feelings.

As I sat there evaluating the reality of the situation (instead of relying on my inconsistent feelings, which is so often my tendency) I finally realized what the root of my problem was.

I had all these unrealistic expectations for Holy Week, especially today of all days, Good Friday!

I mean, don't these kids of mine understand what today is?  Don't they get what sacrifice God gave?  Don't they realize that this is the day set aside to reflect on Jesus' death?!

I want so badly to just sit in contemplative silence as I reflect on the significance of this day.  For my kids to quietly listen while we share the Easter story.  For them to eagerly do all the "fun" activities we've planned out for this special week.

In my perfect world there would be no arguing with me over doing creative Easter activities and no tears shed because they are "all done", even though I insist on capturing the moments on camera for all my eager blog readers to see (insert sarcasm).  No begging to eat the Resurrection cookies for breakfast or complaining that they don't WANT to clean today.

I just want so badly for my kids to "get it". To understand the gravity of THEIR sin and the sacrifice Christ made for THEM, as if my creativity were the only way to their hearts.

And then I come back down to earth and realized the reality that Christ has given me in this season of life.

The reality that I do, in fact, have 5 young children.  That I daily have to remind myself that God has not given me more than I can handle through Him.  That my kids are sinners, just like their mama.  That life throws us unexpected curve balls that make our neatly planned out schedules crumble apart.  That kid's don't always want to act out stories in the Bible and no matter how "holy" the cookies are, they will whine to eat them before breakfast!

Then I overheard the sweetest thing.  The littles were playing nicely together in the living room (which is a rare thing to come by these days) singing sweet songs about Jesus' sacrifice while Zeke told the others that they just couldn't think only about Easter today because they needed to think about Jesus.  He is more important and He is what Easter is REALLY about.

So maybe I'm not in a season where I can just sit and reflect on God's goodness and sacrifice all day, but I AM in a season where I am constantly reminded (mostly by the children given to me) of who He is and what He has done for ME, a sinful mama saved by His grace.

Story In Pictures - A Savior In This Place

I have this place that I like to go.

I like to think it was created just for me.

It can take a while to get there...

but I don't mind the hike.

When I arrive I feel as though I have willfully stripped

all distractions away...

I am free to be who I was created to be.

Sometimes I am afraid to jump in.

That's when He reaches out and grabs my hand.

He'll make sure I don't fall.

There are times on the journey where I just need to eat the bread He has prepared for me...

and other times when I am to just rest...

because I know that I am just preparing for the valley.

Sometimes I create the valley on my own accord...

being adventurous and foolish

Yet other times the valley is just an obstacle in our way,

meant to grow and stretch us.

But I know that He is with me in the valley and I don't need to be afraid.

But we are not alone!

Not only is He my strength, but He has given us others who

walk with us and help us carry the load.

Yes, you may slip in from time to time...

But you are NEVER alone!

He is always patiently waiting...

...waiting for us to come back to Him...

...waiting to snatch us out of the pit we have slipped into...

And when He does,

Oh the rejoicing that occurs!

And that, my friend, is why He sent His Son!

To save such a soul as me.

~Happy Holy Week~