We started our celebration the Sunday before Easter. The choir and drama team at our church presented an Easter Pageant in four acts. The first act was on Palm Sunday and depicted Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We returned to church on Thursday for the Maundy Thursday service where we saw the Last Supper and Garden of Gethsemane presented and also partook of the Lord's Supper. Friday night was a difficult, but very meaningful service. Christ's crucifixion was depicted. It was humbling to watch and think about all that Christ suffered on our behalf.
Saturday was filled with fun activities. We attended and helped out at our church's Easter Eggstravaganza. Here are the kids with their winnings from the "cupcake walk":
Next we went to our apartment church to have an Easter Celebration for the residents there. (This is one of the churches in the Mission Denton ministry that we are a part of.) We cooked out, played games, had a bounce house, told the Easter story, and had an egg hunt. Robert came and took family portraits for the residents. It was a great afternoon!
The Bunny Hop Sack Race:
We gave Bibles to the kids as an Easter gift. This little girl was so excited about receiving hers:
Eggs just waiting to be found:
The rush to find the most eggs:
After we came home and rested for awhile, we headed out on the back patio to color eggs:
Before going to bed Saturday night, we made Resurrection Cookies. Each ingredient relates to a part of the Easter story and the recipe includes Bible verses to go along with each step. The cookies are put in the oven and left overnight.
We woke up Sunday morning to find full Easter baskets and hollow cookies. The Resurrection Cookies are hollow to represent the empty tomb.
We headed of to church to celebrate our Risen Savior!
The worship service at church was amazing. The choir presented the final act of the Easter pageant, the resurrection of Christ and His appearances to His followers. The music was wonderful. After the presentation our pastor preached an inspiring sermon. During the commitment time at the end of the service, both of our boys went forward to make a profession of faith in Christ! Cullen had prayed to receive Christ last summer, but just hadn't gotten up the courage to make his decision public; it's a little ironic that he chose to do it on the most crowded Sunday of the year! Camden told the pastor that he had prayed and asked Jesus into his heart at the end of the service (he later told me it was while we were singing).
Kenna was such a good big sister. During the invitation time, she leaned over and asked me if I thought Cullen wanted to go forward. I told her to ask him and she did. I'm not sure if he would have done it if it wasn't for her encouragement.
After church, we went to Nana and Papa's house to spend the afternoon with family. We enjoyed a wonderful meal, took some family pictures, and hunted for eggs.
The worship service at church was amazing. The choir presented the final act of the Easter pageant, the resurrection of Christ and His appearances to His followers. The music was wonderful. After the presentation our pastor preached an inspiring sermon. During the commitment time at the end of the service, both of our boys went forward to make a profession of faith in Christ! Cullen had prayed to receive Christ last summer, but just hadn't gotten up the courage to make his decision public; it's a little ironic that he chose to do it on the most crowded Sunday of the year! Camden told the pastor that he had prayed and asked Jesus into his heart at the end of the service (he later told me it was while we were singing).
I had the chance to talk with each of the boys last night. Cullen and I talked about the day last summer that he prayed to receive Christ. It was at our apartment church and he remembers praying with me, the craft we did that day, and even what color shirt one of his friends was wearing. I remember being concerned at the time that he was too young and maybe didn't understand the decision he was making; but, the fact that he remembers the day in so much detail confirms to me that it really did mean something to him.
When I talked to Camden I asked him to tell me why he went forward at the end of the service. He said, "Because I love God and want to follow Him the rest of my life and change my life into a Christian life and accept Him into my heart." We talked some about Jesus and why He had to die on the cross, and I think that even at his young age, Camden gets it.
Kenna was such a good big sister. During the invitation time, she leaned over and asked me if I thought Cullen wanted to go forward. I told her to ask him and she did. I'm not sure if he would have done it if it wasn't for her encouragement.
After church, we went to Nana and Papa's house to spend the afternoon with family. We enjoyed a wonderful meal, took some family pictures, and hunted for eggs.
It was still wet outside from the heavy rains earlier in the day, so we hid and hunted eggs indoors:
I hope you all had a blessed Easter!
1 comment:
What amazing and sweet children you have. Actually...what an amazing family you are! Praise God for the boys and their decisions. It makes me so proud!!
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