Create a Jesus Loves Me Cross With Your Kids

Easter is such a fun time of the year. We are all so ready to put those heavy dark wraps in the back of the closet and bust out our spring colors. And who doesn't like dying eggs with vibrant transparent plaids, polka dots and swirls! Once the eggs are completed and sprinkled across a brunch table filled with fresh tulips, egg strata and pastel coconut macaroons, it is swoon worthy. Ah, I can't wait!

But, the joy of Easter can not be truly felt until we process the sacrifice and suffering that God's only Son, Jesus, endured as he died on the cross for us. He was perfect, blameless, and without sin. And yet, he took on our sins and the sins of the world. Jesus's power over death with his resurrection three days later provides us the joy, hope and assurance in his promise that whoever believes in him will have eternal life.

In keeping with my quest to create things that are Simple, Fun & Meaningful, I decided to design a 3D Easter Cross project that incorporates all three. It is my hope that you are able to use it to teach your kids to celebrate all the fresh, happy, hopeful feelings of Easter but more importantly, teach them why we are celebrating.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Click here for the link to print out the 3D cross project. I printed mine on card stock. I'll keep the link in place until Easter. Here are a few process photos to help you and your kiddos.

P.S. I think they would make nice place holders for each of your guest at your pretty Easter table!

Jesus Loves You. This I know!

Smiles and Happy Easter,

Wendy

Easter Picture Books for Children

I wanted to share this blog post with you today as I’m sure many of you will be out this weekend doing some eggs-tra-special shopping.

Creating Easter baskets filled with cute lambs, jelly beans, coloring books, crayons, stickers, garden seeds and beautiful hand dyed eggs is so much fun. The designer in me is always ready to try something new. One year, I even made hand painted bunny dolls. I will have to share that with you on a future blog post.

When we create Easter baskets, we have an amazing opportunity to share the gift of the Easter story with our children and grandchildren. For example, as the gift giver, the items in your kid’s baskets cost you something. You paid a price. A price was paid and something was redeemed. 

In a much greater sense, God did the same thing for you by having his son, Jesus, die on the cross for you. Jesus paid the price for your sins. God redeemed you and it cost you nothing because your heavenly Father knew you could not pay the price. It was too great for you to bear. Easter is the celebration of Jesus’s resurrection and his power over death. The joy we experience at Easter represents our new eternal life with Christ….and it costs us nothing….because Christ has already bought us with his blood.  All we have to do is believe.

Here are 6 of my favorite Easter picture books to help you share the Easter message with your little ones. Make a trip to the library this week and look them up. I’ve also included the Amazon link if you want to place an order today. 

1. My Easter Basket and the True Story of Easter by Mary Manz Simon

2. The Parable of the Lily by Liz Curtis Higgs illustrated by Nancy Munger

3. The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story written by Jan and Mike Berenstain

4. God Gave Us Easter by Lisa Tawn Bergren illustrated by Laura J. Bryant

5. The Beginner's Bible The Very First Easter 

6. The Donkey Who Carried a King by R.C. Sprout illustrated by Chuck Groenink

Smiles and Happy Easter,

Wendy

"You're going to get it. I'm telling!"

Look at the title of this post again-"You're going to get it. I'm telling!"

When I was in third grade you heard that kind of stuff on the playground all the time, or was that just me?

My third grade teacher, Eldo Schnackenberg, (I know what a great German name, right!) took these "playground opportunities" as teachable moments. He explained to our class (me) that the word grace, which seemed so abstract and intangible to an eight year old, simply meant undeserved loved. I have a feeling Mr. Schnackenberg handed out a lot of grace. He taught third, fourth and fifth grade at the same time in the same classroom. Amazing Grace!

As we are in the midst of Holy week we see the true meaning of grace played out through Christ’s death on the cross. Jesus was true God and true man. He followed all the playground rules and yet it was him on the cross. He could have removed himself from the cross and told the rest of us, “You’re going to get it and I’m telling!" but that was not God’s plan of salvation. His plan was full of grace, his undeserved love. Because Christ took on our sins and died on the cross for us, we have new life, new hope, new joy, new energy to be his Easter People. I hope some of that comes across in this illustration.

Because of Jesus’s death on the cross, "You're going to get it, his undeserved love…. and I’m telling!"

Happy Easter!

Smiles,

Wendy