Faith — We are THAT Family

Ten Fun Ways to Keep Easter About Jesus

10:08 pm Bykristen

Easter is about Jesus.

eas·ter/ˈēstər/ meaning “the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Christ.”

It is a day to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord.

I’m not against fun or chocolate covered eggs, I just like meaningful things to remain, well, meaningful. I want my family to celebrate Him. Sure, we can add in the fun, but I don’t want the fun to be all there is.

Call me a radical zealot.

Thank you.

Here are ten ways to keep Easter About Jesus and have fun:

Read The Parable of the Lily and plant (or force) a lily bulb

Create this easy, beautiful watercolor Cross Art

Plant an Easter Garden

Dye/hunt eggs. Share the reasons behind the traditions

Make Resurrection Eggs. Read Benjamin’s Box: The Story of the Resurrection Eggs
along with it.

Bake Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday

Fill Easter baskets with something meaningful (a new Bible, a cross necklace, eggs with Scripture)

Make Resurrection Rolls for Easter morning breakfast

Share your Easter meal with someone who might spend it alone or take a basket to a child in a hospital

Have a family devotion together and talk about the meaning of Easter (this is a good one)

I think Easter is fun when it’s celebrated for all the right reasons!

What would you add?

Amazon affiliate links in this post

Filed UnderFaith, Holidays 28 Comments

DIY Mini Resurrection Garden

10:11 pm Bykristen

I stopped in my tracks on Pinterest when I saw this photo the other day:

(I researched it and I believe it originated on the creator’s Facebook page and ended up on Pinterest. Thank you, Melissa Holt for the beautiful idea!)

I knew it would be on our list for Spring Break this week. Easter is still three weeks away, but as Christians we celebrate it every day, right?

Since I have three do-it-yourselfers at home and I’m a very wise mom, I knew that one Resurrection Garden would lead to sin (also known as sibling rivalry). So we created three mini Resurrection Gardens.

It was easy to make, everyone got to add their own touches and it cost pretty much the same as making one large one like the picture above.

Supplies Needed: We found all of ours at WalMart and averaged about $7.50 per mini garden.

Terra cotta mini pot (tomb)

Terra cotta small tray

Small pebbles from Floral dept(one bag was plenty for three)

Grass seed (we have enough left over for the bare patch in our yard)

One small bag of potting soil

Small twigs and Large rock (smaller than a child’s fist) from the yard

Glue gun

Spray water bottle

1. Place mini pot on the tray and add potting soil around it.

2. Pack soil in and on top of the mini pot, forming a small hill.

3. Add pebbles coming from the opening of the “tomb”

4. Place larger rock half covering the tomb

5. Sprinkle grass seed on the soil

6. Glue small twigs to form three crosses (hot glue works best)

7. Stick each cross into the “hill” behind the tomb

8. Spray soil lightly every day with water bottle

9. Watch and wait for new life (grass) to spring forth!

It’s a beautiful reminder that He is Risen!

Indeed.

Filed UnderDIYP, Faith, Holidays, My Life 69 Comments

You’re Worth More {Free Printable}

10:24 pm Bykristen

Two girls, ages 9 and 10, trapped in slavery, trafficked by evil men. Unfortunately, their story is common. There are 1.2 million children trafficked each year.

If you follow Mercy House on Facebook, you’ve watched this amazing event unfold. Six months ago Mercy House was referred a 10 year old child, being abused in unspeakable ways. Although we exist to help pregnant girls, we wanted justice for this child. We couldn’t turn away and we tried to rescue her, but were stopped at every turn.

Maureen and I have grieved for this child. I’m a momma to a girl nearly her age and I just cannot fathom her pain, her life.

Last week, we had another opportunity with the help of two Christian groups we work with to rescue this child. We were able to get her and another child trapped in this ring and are financially supporting these children as they begin a new life! It was a day God ordained and all the right pieces fell into place. Please pray for justice in this situation.

There are so many details that can’t be shared, but only one matters: God cares about the least of these. His eye is on the sparrow.

And while our problems pale in comparison, I think our enemy wants to convince us that we aren’t worth being pursued by God. There are bigger problems, people in worse situations, and even though that’s probably true, it doesn’t change our worth.

I was reading in Matthew about birds. I love how God makes it plain enough for people like me to understand:

“What’s the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.

You’re worth more than this:

He not only knows every detail of your life, He cares about them. He cares about that crazy dream, that trial with your kiddo, the big fear that keeps you up at night, the lonely marriage you’re in…every detail.

You’re worth more than a million canaries.

He knows. He cares. He is there, in the details of your life.

I don’t know about you, but I need this Word from my Father:

[Enjoy this free 8x10 printable as a reminder]

Your Worth

photo source

Filed UnderFaith, Printable 13 Comments

What I’m Learning About Faith

10:13 pm Bykristen

I don’t have much of it.

The end.

———

Oh, you knew I’m way to wordy to stop there.

As a self-professed control freak, I admit that I need more faith. I like to have a plan, goals, a to-do list a mile long.

The start of 2012 hasn’t been what I thought it would be: we’re still trying to figure out how to juggle all that’s on our plate and not much has changed. I’ve had some discouraging days. I’ve questioned God and wondered why me more than once.

In a moment of frustration, I nonchalantly said to a friend who was volunteering for Mercy House, “I don’t know why God chose us. Some days I just don’t know how to do this.”

The next morning, I woke up to this email from my friend:

He chose you because even on hard days he knew you would never give up
He chose you because those precious women and their babies needed parents and role models like the Welch’s
He chose you because He knew that you would be real and that you would show others how much we need Him in the everyday daily things we go through
He chose you because in a world where we don’t see the power of Christ often and the way Jesus moves us you guys live that out…our pastor used to say when was the last time the power of Jesus moved you? I see that in you all the time
He chose you because he knew you would step out in faith. He chose you because even when people question your decisions or why you do what you do…you continue to follow Him and choose His ways
He chose you because He knew you could change the world.
He chose you because He knew that family was special and He believes in you more than you believe in yourself.
He chose you and Terrell because at the end of the day He knew you would realize you could never do this on your own and that you two would rely on Him to make HIs power perfect in our weakness. That He is your completer. and that this is what this life is all about.
He chose you because He knew you would never stop dreaming to do more for His kingdom

It was just what I needed. God is never late. He is working in ways we cannot see. His purpose will be accomplished if we yield to Him.

My hubby and I snuck away for breakfast the other morning. We held hands.

We hold onto Him.

He has chosen us and we need to believe in Him to accomplish what He has begun.

I still don’t feel any closer to having the answers.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not.

*My beautiful silver faith ring is from The Vintage Pearl. It inspires me throughout the day!

Filed UnderFaith, My Life 16 Comments

30 Ways to Make Christmas Meaningful

9:57 pm Bykristen

Our world makes it challenging to keep Christ in Christmas.

Anyone else notice that?

Don’t get me wrong: I love this season. The lights and festivities. I’m a Christmas baby and I find this time of year magical. I love experiencing it with my kids…the excuse to wear Christmas pajamas days on end, reading holiday books, sipping hot chocolate and eating cookies for lunch…

But more than anything, I want to make it meaningful. I want Jesus to be the focus. I want my kids to know what the day and all the celebrating is really about. They won’t hear it at school or see it in the sales advertisements. They will know because we will show them.

Here are some ways we make Christmas meaningful (and a few ideas we plan to implement):

Set up a Nativity and make it a focus in your home. [We put ours front and center on the entry table in our home].

Hide baby Jesus and “seek” Him Christmas morning before opening gifts. [I did this first thing this year. Here's how I found it half an hour later. Turns out Mary had a little Snowman. I love little kids].

(or) Gift wrap baby Jesus in your nativity and let this be your first unwrapped gift Christmas morning.

Take a cue from the Magi and limit the gifts and reminding kids it’s not their birthday, it’s His.

Have a daily family devotion that unwraps Christmas, here’s ours for this year. [This is perfect for families. It offers a verse for each day and a question or two that will hopefully lead to a meaningful discussion. You can get it for 30% off now with code SUPER30].

Participate in Advent. Last year, we did the Jesse Tree Advent. And I love this Advent ebook for little hands.

Light an Advent wreath each day leading up to Christmas.

Have a birthday cake for Jesus or go all out and make it a birthday party! I love this Happy Birthday, Jesus! Celebration Kit. (Also 30% off with code: SUPER30)

Watch DVDS like Why Do We Call It Christmas? that help you tell the real story of Christmas.

Give your kids the gift of giving: Have them shop with purpose. This year we are giving our kids money to shop from the Compassion gift catalog.

Or buy something that blesses twice and changes lives (Mercy Shop). Ahem.

Don’t stress about things that really don’t matter this Season. I have been a Christmas hoarder in the past. Last year, I had two newlywed couples come and dig thru my decorations. I saved two boxes of things I value most and gave the rest away. It’s simple this year and I like it.

Make the Nativity interactive with tools like What God Wants for Christmas. I’m really excited to try this out! It’s from the creators of Resurrection Eggs.

Do something for someone else on Christmas Day. This will be our fifth year to visit the NICU (with treats) that saved our daughter’s life five Christmas’ ago.

Talk with your kids about giving God a gift. What does He want from us?

Hang a stocking for Christ. Fill it with notes just for Him.

Invite someone to share Christmas dinner with your family. This is a goal for us this year.

Shop for an impoverished child (Angel Tree). Our community group from church has adopted a family with five kids. We are so excited to shop for the kids and DELIVER a the gifts and a Christmas meal on Christmas Eve this year with our close friends!

Don’t participate in the excessive commercialism. Enough said.

Watch The Nativity Story together as a family. We started this tradition two years ago. I think this PG movie tells the greatest story ever told very well.

Help your kids shop for their siblings.

Talk about the symbols of Christmas.

Be generous as a family at Christmas-baking, giving, doing.

Hold a Yule log party: it’s an old European custom to bring in an enormous log on Christmas Eve and it in the fireplace (or fire pit) and say prayers. Today, Yule log cakes and eggnog are served. You can sing carols, read Scripture, tell stories, pray for the new year, and have good fellowship.

Bake, make or buy a special gift for your Pastor. We did Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls year before last. What a gift!

Cherish traditions with your family. Start a new one! Like the next one:

When preparing your Christmas meal, set a literal place for Jesus, your honored guest.

Attend church on Christmas Eve. This is a highlight for our family!

Read Luke 2 together on Christmas Eve or morning. We’ve been doing this since before we had kids.

Leave a Nativity out all year long. I did this last year and it was really special.