He Is Risen

For the Passion Week this year my goal was to help us all reflect more on the meaning of what happened on those days over 2000 years ago. We make a huge deal of Christmas - love it - and I've been convinced over the past few years that we should make a bigger deal of the week Christ died and rose again. Seriously, if it weren't for that Christmas would have no meaning!
So, this year we read through the passages that told about the different things that happened over the weekend and where Christ was and what He was doing those days. Then I put together this cross on Friday and we each nailed a small list of things we had done and realized were sin to the cross. Then on Saturday we reflected on the sacrifice that was made on our behalf - God gave His own son to die and pay my debt and take the punishment for my sins. What an amazing thing!
Then Sunday morning, early, I took all the papers off and got rid of them - He takes our sins away as far as the east is from the west! - and put out the beautiful flowers, a sign of life, and gifts.
It was a neat thing to do with my kids and am glad we did it. I am so grateful that God loved us so much and that Jesus was obedient, to death, even death on a cross and then even more that He is alive today - He Is Risen!