Resurrection Day

Well Easter is almost upon us...what a day for rejoicing!!! I love Easter!!!
I think it is the best day of the year! Christmas is a great time to celebrate the arrival of Messiah, but Easter shows that we have HOPE...God died for us! But He didn't just DIE...He rose again...
He is risen, He is risen indeed!
Luke 24:5-6a...
"and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen."

And we can be forgiven:
Acts 16:31- "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Believe that everything He did was for you...believe that HIS work and nothing else, on the cross was sufficient to forgive you of your sins....

In my family, my parents made wonderful Easter baskets for us and the Easter Bunny brought wonderful things for us...it was so much fun and my sister and I loved it!
When I became a Christian, got married and then started having children, my husband and I loved the traditions we had grown up with, but we wanted a deeper meaning with Christ at the center, where He belongs. We had made up a set of Resurrection Eggs...I had seen some a friend made and wanted some too...now, Family Life Today makes them and they are nice. We still have the homemade ones...an idea came to mind to make Resurrection Baskets where each item to give to our children has a symbolic meaning to something that happened in the account of the last week in the Life of Christ (I know that it wasn't His LAST week, but I am at a loss for the right words, so there we are...). So from Palm Sunday through His resurrection (and beyond too), we look for tangible things to impress into the children's minds the Amazing Grace of our great God...
I thought I would jot down some things we have done...past and present...we do not do ALL of these things every year...
I would love to hear any ideas you have as well!

Sunglasses-darkness from noon-three
cup-last supper
hat-crown of thorns
Leather and metal jewelry-scourging of Jesus
booklights/flashlight-Jesus is the light of the world, brought light into a dark world, light of revelation (thief who repented, Centurion who said, "Surely this man was the Son of God) [This year, I found a Rooster Flashlight for David...that also symbolized Peter's Denial of Christ that He foretold]
Soap-Washing Disciples feet, Pilate washing his hands of the decision
Watch-again, the darkness from noon to three
Bandaids-Grave clothes
Stuffed Donkey, Rooster or Lamb-Palm Sunday worship of Christ, Peter's Denial and Jesus is the Lamb of God
Bibles-Jesus' command to make disciples of the world, teaching all that He commanded/also Jesus walking on road to Emmaus revealing Scriptuer to Cleopas and the other man
Praise music-Palm Sunday Worship
Towels-Washing Disciples feet [this year, I found some magic (compressed) towels (washcloths) at a dollar store...the children are going to love those]
A little something sweet to remember that what Christ did for us is sweet for us
Sour Candy-to remember the vinegar offered to His on the cross-also because it seemed so bad to those who were there...He died...Weeping of the women around
Garment of some sort {pjs this year} for the garments they divided/cast lost for
game-the soldiers cast lots for who would get Christ's garments
Something with a cross-Crucifixion
30 dimes-thirty pieces of silver-Judas' betrayal money
Prayer journal- Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane
Always an empty egg to represent the EMPTY TOMB...if I can find a different container that is useful, I will get that instead of an egg...the eggs though are so cheap...
Special polished rocks-rock rolled in front of the tomb
Swedish Fish or other fish shaped items-eating fish with Peter after Resurrected/eating fish with the two men on the Road to Emmaus

How does your family celebrate?
Happy Resurrection Day!
May the Lord God bless you!

C~