Easter Tree

Each year at Christmas, our family decorates a Jesse Tree.  Every ornament on the tree is specially selected to help us trace God’s hand in redemptive history.  The Christmas season culminates with ornaments to remind us of Christ’s birth.

At Easter, we re-purpose this tree.  Some of the ornaments remain the same, but the stories now build toward the events of Passion Week.

This has been a wonderful tool to help our children see the connection between the Old and New Testament.  An Easter tree helps our little ones begin to see how events such as the Passover point toward Christ, our Passover Lamb.

If you’ve never done a tree like this before, this Easter is the perfect time to start!  The Easter season is not as hectic as the Christmas season, so you may find it easier to pull this project together.

For instructions about making your own redemptive history tree, as well as links to paper ornaments, see my original post about the Jesse Tree.  For our tree, we use repurposed Christmas ornaments.  You can take a week for this activity or a month.

At Christmas, we hang one ornament during our family devotions each night in December.  We read the accompanying scripture and talk briefly with the children about it.  At Easter, we condense the initial ornaments and focus more on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, spending about 10 nights talking about the tree.

Here are some ideas to get you started.  These ornaments would work well for either a Jesse Tree (Christmas) or an Easter Tree.

• The Creation, Genesis 1, a globe ornament
• The Fall, Genesis 3, a toy snake
• Noah and the Flood, Genesis 6-9, an ark ornament
• Abraham and Sarah, Genesis 12, a star ornament to illustrate the covenant
• Abraham and Isaac, Genesis 22, a tiny toy knife hung by a ribbon on the handle
• Jacob and Esau, Genesis 27, twins
• Passover, Exodus 12, a lamb
• Ten Commandments, Exodus 20, a cutout paper in the shape of tablets
• Israel desires a king, 1 Samuel 8, a crown
• The Prophets, Jonah, an ornament of Jonah in the whale
• The birth of Jesus, Luke 2, Christmas manger ornament

 

Here are some more ornament and scripture possibilities for Easter week:

• Boyhood of Jesus in Egypt, Matthew 2, palm tree ornament
• Baptism of Jesus, Luke 3, a dove ornament
• Temptation of Jesus, Luke 4, another toy snake
• Palm Sunday, Matthew 21, small branch
• Cleansing the temple, Mark 11, a small piece of leather to resemble a whip
• Jesus anointed, John 12, a small satin box with a sample size perfume spray inside
• Judas plots, Matthew 26, a bag of chocolate foil wrapped coins
• The Last Supper, Luke 22, a Play Mobil toy cup or a little plastic communion cup
• Crucifixion, Luke 23, a cross
• Mystery Saturday, 1 Peter 3: 18-22, no ornament
• Resurrection Day, Easter Sunday, Mark 16, an empty Easter egg (empty tomb).

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Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. I want to encourage you with a bit of history.

Valentine’s Day is not a celebration that started with a little naked boy with wings flying around with arrows shooting passion into the hearts of young people. No, the cupid you see on Valentine’s cards in stores everywhere has nothing to do with the real deal.

Although no one is absolutely certain how the celebration actually started many point to a certain priest living under the rule of Claudius in ancient Rome.
The ruler was having trouble with his army. Men were leaving their families behind to fight but would become homesick and lonely while away from their wives. In order to strengthen his armies, Claudius outlawed all engagements and marriages. This did not go over well with his people, especially the Christians who wanted to reserve their expressions of love for each other to the bonds of marriage.

St. Valentine, a priest, continued to secretly break the law and marry young couples in love. He made a stand for biblical marriage. Eventually he was caught and arrested. He was sentenced to beatings and death.

While he was in prison the jailer’s daughter befriended him. She was healed of her blindness when he prayed for her. They fell in love but knew that with the ban on marriages and Valentine’s impending death there would be no future for their relationship.

On the day of his execution, Valentine left her a note and signed it ‘From Your Valentine’.

From then until today Valentine’s Day has been a celebration of love. But it is more than that. It’s a celebration of marriage itself. St. Valentine risked his life so that men and women could be married and follow God’s prescribed plan for relationships.

Today many of us are turning our backs on marriage because it’s not making us happy, or because it’s too hard. Shame on us! When men and women have died to give us the freedom we have in our country to be married according to God’s beautiful plan, we should celebrate that in our homes. The rings we wear on our fingers are not just another piece of jewelry but a sign to the world that we are celebrating marriage.

This Valentine’s Day, plan to celebrate your marriage, not just the fleeting feeling of romance. Feelings of love and romance waver from day to day, month to month and year to year. But your commitment to marriage should be life-long. No matter what your feelings are this season, celebrate the truth in your marriage, God’s blessing of marriage as a whole and the privilege of being a part of such a magnificent institution.

God bless you as you prepare to celebrate your marriage this Valentine’s Day!

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Valentine Dinner Party

Create drama and coziness for a Valentine dinner party this year. Pull in your wrought iron table from the deck (wooden or plastic will work well too). Position the table in the living room in front of the fireplace and drape with white sheets.

I used three sheets to fully cover the table and cinched the sheets together at the bottom with a ribbon to keep feet from getting tangled.

Place a tablecloth on top as the topper. I used a black 80-inch cloth to cover my 60-inch table.

Next, set the table with china and silverware and make a fire in the fireplace. Light candles around the room when guests first arrive. Then relax and plan on spending the evening by the fire with good company.

For a no-fuss menu, make crunchy tossed salad, soup, stuffed pasta shells or chicken pot pie and Parmesan roasted bread for the main course.  Creamy cheesecake for dessert.

Plate the salad 30 minutes before your guests arrive. Make the soup ahead of time and re-heat in the crock-pot to eliminate the risk of scorching. Assemble the stuffed pasta shells a day or two ahead and start cooking them 30 minutes before guests arrive. If you choose chicken pot pie for the main dish, assemble it the day before and begin cooking 30 minutes before guests arrive. Parmesan bread can be cut and buttered the morning of your party, then popped in the oven 15 minutes before you are ready to eat.

Following dinner, throw another log on the fire and serve Creamy Cheesecake and coffee. You may even want to have a cheese cake topping bar set up. Toppings can include whipping cream, cherries, chocolate syrup, lemon curd, and chopped nuts (almond slivers, pecans).

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Family Valentine Dinner

Before we were married, I didn’t like Valentine’s Day all that much.  It seemed like such a romantic thing, but if I didn’t have a date, I felt like I missed out.  But then as a waitress I would watch couples come in, sit quietly, then look at anything except the person they came with.  They wouldn’t talk to each other.  They’d just sit there eating an expensive meal so they could say they’d been out for Valentine’s.  What was the point?

When we got married, I was excited to go on our first Valentine’s date as a couple.  I have to admit now, 15 years later, that I can’t remember what we did.  I do remember, though, a feeling of that’s it? when we got home.  Why was going out to dinner supposed to be such a big deal on Valentine’s Day?  Isn’t there more to it than that?

Time went on and our children became avid fans of Focus on the Family’s Adventures in Odyssey series.  I heard a story of a Roman priest named Valentine from a cassette tape in our van.  He married young men and women, uniting them in holy matrimony even though the ruler of the country had forbidden marriage.  He was jailed for disobeying and was sentenced to death.  While he was in prison he became friends with the jailer’s blind daughter.  After he prayed for her, she received her sight.  They fell in love, but it was not to be.  On the day of his execution, he left her a note and signed it Your Valentine.  Isn’t that beautiful?

Valentine’s Day is not a holiday set out by God in Scripture.  However, it can be a meaningful way to give value to things God has established and called into being.  Things like marriage, parent-child relationships, friendships, and even the relationship Jesus has with the church, His bride.

A few years ago we decided as a family that we wanted to establish a family tradition for Valentine’s Day.  As our girls grow up, we never want them to feel that just because some boy didn’t ask them on a date that they are somehow second rate.  Neither do we want our boys to feel pressured into taking out a girl just because it’s the thing to do.  We also want to have a home where anyone can feel comfortable coming on Valentine’s Day if they don’t have a date.

We talked it up and planned it well.  After deciding that a fondue night would be our tradition, we set to making the shopping list.  Lots of chocolate, fresh fruit (strawberries, bananas, apples and mandarins), sponge cake, almonds, and cheese (yes, it’s delicious dipped in warm chocolate!) were on the menu.  We were not going to have supper, this was the meal deal of the day.

The kids wrote notes to each other and made coupons for chores and favors for each other.  We wanted them to know that we can express our love to each other, but it doesn’t have to cost anything.

The day finally came.  We all got dressed nicely (the boys put on deodorant and the girls put on skirts… nicely means different things to different people).  We sat around for hours dipping food items into chocolate and talking.  We told each other what we love about each other.  My husband and I retold both versions of how we met and he proposed (his version and my version).  We laughed.  We connected.  We had the best Valentine’s Day ever.

Just before this last Christmas we were sitting at the table eating dinner when one of the kids asked, “When are we going to do that ‘fundoo thingy’ again?  Isn’t that soon?”  Disappointment set in when he realized it would still be a wait.

Every year we wait for Valentine’s Day.  It’s become a time for us to love each other with our time, our words and our service.

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Sugar Cookies for Valentine’s Day

Cake and cookie designer Ally Plummer shares her recipe for sugar cookies today that’s perfect for a Valentine treat.

To add elegance to sugar cookies, frost and monogram with your Valentine’s initial. This is a wonderful gift idea for neighbors.  Attach a note that says, “We are blessed to have you as neighbors.”

2/3 cup shortening, 3/4 cup sugar, 6 ounces butter at room temperature (1 1/2 sticks), 1 egg, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 3 1/2 cups flour

Mix dough and chill in fridge for at least two hours. Roll dough to a 1/4″ thickness with a floured rolling pin. Use cookie cutters of choice. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes.

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Fiesta Cheesecake

It may say cheesecake, but don’t let the name fool you–this is not a dessert, it’s actually a dip. Lovely to look at and marvelous to eat, Fiesta Cheesecake is perfect for a tailgate party or a nice buffet table. My mom made Fiesta Cheesecake for the first time years ago for my brother’s wedding reception. It was such a hit that by the time I got to it, it was all gone!

Mom makes Fiesta Cheesecake in a heart-shaped springform pan, but you can certainly use a round a one if you prefer. The heart-shape pan would make it perfect for a valentine get-together this month. By the way, this recipe easily feeds a crowd. Serve with tortilla chips and salsa on the side.

Fiesta Cheesecake
Wilma Kitchens

1 1/2 cups finely crushed tortilla chips
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cup (10 ounce) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese with peppers
1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream
1/2 cup of each: chopped green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 medium tomato, diced
1 small can of sliced or chopped black olives, drained

Press tortilla chips and butter into a greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool.

Beat cream cheese, eggs (one at a time), cheese, chilies, and ground pepper. Pour into pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool.

To save for later: wrap in Saran wrap followed by aluminum foil and freeze for up to three months. When you are ready to serve, let it thaw in the fridge.

To serve: Spread sour cream on top and top with green, yellow, and red chopped bell peppers and chopped green onions. Sprinkle chopped or sliced black olives on top. Serves 25.

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Romance, Passion, and Deep Love

So often we think about Valentine’s Day being a romantic celebration.  And it is.  However, you can bring so much more depth to that romance in your marriage then just dinner and a dozen red roses.

Valentine’s Day is the celebration of marriage.  God created the idea of marriage, at least in part, to represent His intimate relationship with us.  Marriage is a covenant between three, not just two, but we often leave out the main One when we celebrate our marital love.  You can only truly be in love with your husband as much as you are in love with Jesus and allow His love to overflow through you.  And that’s what we all want, right?  A marriage full of romance, passion and deep love.

To make your Valentine’s Day especially full, meaningful and romantic change your focus this season.  You will need to work ahead, so start now.  You have two weeks to prepare for your marriage celebration.  Here are some ideas to have a Holy Heart this Valentine’s Day:

Spend time in prayer specifically for your marriage.

Confess to God and your husband any sin you’ve committed against him, grudge you’ve been holding onto and fears you have.

If he confesses to you, be prepared to forgive.  It may not be easy, so go into this ‘prayed up’.

Ask the Lord to give you a clean heart before each other so that your intimacy can be pure and complete.

Pray Scripture for your husband and your marriage.

Consider fasting for your marriage for a day or week before Valentine’s day, breaking your fast in time to celebrate.

When you celebrate your physical love remember the freedom God has given you through Jesus.  Your private moments are God’s special gift to you both.  Plan for it, prepare for it, and choose to engage with your husband in this way as worship to God, thanking Him that He knows you even more intimately than that.

If your husband is a believer, suggest that you pray together before or even during your intimate bedroom moments to actively include God in every part of your marriage.  If he is not in agreement with that, pray quietly all the while, giving thanks to God for what He has gifted to you.

A holy heart before God is the best way to be prepared to experience the fullness of romance, love and passion this Valentine’s Day.  And the best part?  It’s not reserved just for February 14^th!

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Valentine Project Links

Gum Stick Cards..too sweet!

Chocolate Dipped Cupid Hearts…marshmallows plus chocolate, what’s not to love?

The Days After Christmas

Last week, my parents left to go back home after spending the holidays with us. I have been busy back at work and getting the house in order after having a house full of people. Funny, when the house is full it is noisy and so full of life and excitement. When everyone leaves, I am left feeling relieved to get back to normal and yet sad, feeling the emptiness left by silenced hallways and empty beds.

As I cleaned and re-organized things in the house today I realized just how much I love being surrounded by people. I enjoy having a full house and cooking for an army, so to speak. I enjoy serving and making special preparations for their stay. Most of all, I enjoy making new memories for the journeys we each are traveling. I don’t know that I have a gift for hospitality, but I certainly do enjoy it.

I remember right before we purchased our home, I prayed and asked God to help us find a good one where we could host missionaries, family, or friends in need. I wanted our home to be a safe haven for those we would encounter in the future. It dawned on me just recently that God answered that prayer. Our home has hosted many missionaries, homeless people, families in transition, friends visiting or in need of a get away, and it has even served as a host home for foreign exchange students.

Our home is not big, extravagant, or at all like a hotel. As a matter of fact, it is simple but comfortable. Just enough for my family of four and our wonderful dog Sam, plus a guest room that’s always available for visitors. Not much to it, but plenty of love in the way of prayers, talks, games, work, and that warm cozy feeling you get when something fits just right.

Cultural Traditions during the Holidays

It was the week before Christmas when I received a call from my parents who were in Florida visiting family. My mother said she was on her way back to Georgia and was bringing a pig for Christmas Eve. Knowing that it is customary in our country to have a roasted pig for Christmas, I didn’t really give it much thought. However, it occurred to me that they were driving from Florida, nine hours to our home, and so I asked how in the world they were planning to bring this pig home. My parents calmly responded that they had asked the butcher to prepare and freeze the pig to preserve it for the long journey. Already I was beginning to feel as though I was about to experience a blast from the past that my nuclear family was not prepared for.

I thought it was funny that we were actually going to roast a pig ourselves but, to be honest, I didn’t know how we would pull it off. Although this was part of my family’s Christmas tradition while I was growing up in Puerto Rico, it was not a tradition I brought into my marriage. We are the typical family that cooks meat already packaged. And pork is seldom on our menu. I knew this would be quite the experience for my husband and children, and I felt a little bit apprehensive and somewhat uncomfortable with the whole thing. I kept thinking my children would think their mother’s family was strange and would somehow feel awkward around their grandparents.

To my surprise, this turned out to be the highlight of our Christmas that year. Who would have thought a family could bond over a roasted pig! What I thought would be seen as an embarrassing and ridiculous custom became an opportunity to teach about my upbringing and my people. My boys loved every part of the experience. They took pictures of the pig on arrival, while being seasoned, after being roasted and even while being eaten. We had so much fun!

I know that pork is despised by many cultures as an unclean meat; however, in my culture it is perfectly normal to eat pork, especially at Christmas time. Though my immediate family does not typically eat pork, I saw this as an opportunity. It allowed my parents to enjoy a tradition from our country while sharing a tangible cultural experience with their grandchildren. I know my boys will remember this for a long time to come.
We had an exchange student from Germany living with us that Christmas. When asked what he thought of our Christmas Eve dinner, he told me that he loved the fact that our celebration was so different from what he was accustomed to. The highlight of the meal for him was….you guessed it. The pig!

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