Resurrection Advent: Days 2, 3 & 4

Today is Wednesday of our Advent to Resurrection Day (Easter). My oldest is not feeling his best so we have taken a break from our studies today to craft for Passover and review these stories. I'm excited by so many awesome ideas on the internet of what other creative families have done! So far we've made a toilet paper roll Moses, there is a mound of paper scraps covering my hearth from cut-out paper crosses my 5yo offered to make to decorate our windows, stamped Passover placecards are started, and we've planned out a few others ideas for which we are short one ingredient each. But can't make it out to the craft store today. Phooey.

From the couch with his knee propped up, I enjoyed overhearing my 9yo read through the pile of Passover and Easter books I had laid out (no set-up there!) to his brother.

We have been reading the Resurrection week stories during breakfast every morning so far this week, again, trying to make this Advent distinct from Christmas. So far we have read about 1) The Triumphal entry into Jerusalem (leaf), 2) Jesus Clearing the Temple (pigeon), 3) Jesus' Last Lessons to the Disciples- Love the Lord and your Neighbor (heart), and 4) The Last Supper (bread). This is what our felt map looks like so far:

We let them choose a few songs they knew, some from Christmas, to sing. We asked them also to close their eyes and picture what God on His throne might look like. Then to picture this and ourselves before Him as we sing these songs of praise. We want to encourage them to be thoughtful about this and not just copying us. It's interesting to hear their imagination or visualization. It is a good reminder for me too to slow down and think of our praise actually being received by God and our hearts offering it to Him; not worrying about teaching harmony or if little feet are being still. I think I can make an endless list of crafts and lessons to do but our display of loving God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength will leave the greatest impression.

Painting my son did this weekend.We are decorating the dining room with their art for the Passover Seder. I wish you see how sparkly his skyline is.