This year we decided to participate in Lent, the whole family, after being challenged by our pastor to do so. Humm..... give up something that will be a daily reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made for us. What would make an impact on each of our lives? I chose to give up sweets, soda and snacking after dinner. Three things I have a habit of doing every day. Today was hard and I was reminded to pray many times today. I did a little research to find something practical to do with the kids to help them understand and relate to what we are doing. I found one I think will have a big impact on them. We made jars with a copy of the Jelly Bean Prayer on the outside. We determined a behavior to go along with each jelly bean color (corresponding with the prayer). Each day the kids can earn jelly beans to go along with any color they follow through on to put in their jar but they will not be able to eat them until Easter. The kids will not be able to earn white jelly beans, these represent the Grace of Christ, which is a gift that can not be earned ourselves. This is how we chose to represent each color.
Red is for the blood Christ gave (each morning we will choose something to sacrifice that day to earn the red jellybean. It has to be something they would have the opportunity to have or do on that day)
Green is for the palm's cool shade (green jellybeans will be earned for good deeds. It was a good dead to provide shade for Jesus with the palm)
Yellow is for God's light so bright (yellow jellybeans will be earned for sharing God's light through kindness to others)
Orange is for prayers at twilight (orange jellybeans will be earned for attentive behavior during bedtime prayer time and night time Bible story)
Black is for sweet rest at night (these will be earned for going to bed good.)
White is for the Grace of Christ (these can not be earned as mentioned above)
Purple is for His days of sorrow (they will earn these through apologizing to anyone they hurt with their words or deeds that day)
Pink is for each new tomorrow (pink jellybeans will be earned when they forgive those who apologized to them for hurtful behavior)
Easter morning the kids will wake up to their jars filled up where they were still empty (lacking) with white jelly beans (Christ's Grace).
2 comments:
You're practicing Lent!!!
Whooo hooo!!!! Now the whole family's in on it.
I don't suppose you got the ashes did you?
No ashes. Just the ritual.
No seriously, we both decided that it would be a wonderful way to focus on the Easter season and the sacrifice Jesus mad for all of us.
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