Today is Ash Wednesday and the first day of the season of Lent. As Christians, we believe that the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is the most important thing to ever happen to us (or to the world for that matter)! God loved us so much that he sent his only son to die for us, to redeem us from our sins, and to restore us back to a life with God. Just as Advent is a time of preparation for the miraculous birth of Christ, so Lent is a time of preparation for Easter. In Lent, we are on a pilgrimage with Christ. We are walking through His forty days in the wilderness and we end with His crucifixion, burial and finally, we gloriously celebrate His resurrection. We start Lent with a very special service - Ash Wednesday. On Ash Wednesday, the Body of Christ gathers to enter this time of devotion corporately. During the service, we look at our own mortality and the consequences of our sins. Traditionally, in the Bible, times of penitence were marked by the wearing of sackcloth and ashes. At the Ash Wednesday service, the forehead of each believer is marked with ashes in the sign of the cross and we are reminded through these ashes that we are “but dust and to dust we shall return” (Genesis 3:19). These are the very words God spoke to Adam and Eve after they committed the first sin +Lent is marked by prayer, fasting, and the giving of alms to those in need. We use the time for introspection, self-examination, and repentance. It is a time to prepare our hearts for the amazing work of God’s redemption on Easter. +Throughout Lent, you see the color purple everywhere. Purple symbolizes Christ’s suffering and his royalty. You might notice that all crosses and icons are covered or veiled by purple cloth, that flowers are removed from the church, and that no more Alleluias are said until Easter day. This is all done to remind us of the suffering of Jesus and the consequences of our sins. +During Lent, Christians try to fast from anything “of the flesh” which means that meat, cheese, eggs, butter, and milk are eliminated from the diet. Christians also abstain from consuming alcohol. And then, in addition to this corporate fast, the individual chooses an additional thing to give up such as sugar, sweets, coffee, or tv. +All of these things we do because we believe, as Paul said in Philippians 3:10, that “we want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death." .

Lent is here! During the season of Lent, we walk with Jesus in the wilderness. We pray, examine ourselves, fast and collect alms for those in need. This simple DIY Lenten Wreath is an inexpensive and easy craft to make with your kids. It’s a wonderful visual to remind ourselves as we walk into our home that we are walking through the season of Lent. Easy DIY Lenten Door Branches from your yard Command hooks Purple Napkin Gather branches from your yard. Tie a purple napkin or purple fabric in a simple knot around the base of the sticks. Hang a command hook on your front door. Hang gathered sticks on the command hook. It's that easy! I hope that this craft is a blessing to you and your family!

The season of Lent is such a beautiful season! It is the time when we prepare our hearts for the most important events in a Christian's life, the death, and resurrection of Jesus. During Lent, we spend a lot of time reflecting on our sins and our need for a savior. We also spend time learning about what Easter is all about. Books were one of the best ways to help my children to prepare their hearts for the coming of Easter. We kept our favorite Lenten books in a box in the attic. On Ash Wednesday, I would bring in the box of books and place them in a basket in the living room. The kids were always so excited to see these books that had been stored away! Each child would grab their favorite and for the next couple of hours, there would be complete silence as they looked through the books. The books were a powerful teaching tool to help my children understand what Easter is really about. Today I am sharing some of my favorite books that your family can use during the season of Lent. I hope they are a blessing! The Easter Story by Brian Wildsmith $21.00 Brian Wildsmith's books are some of my favorites. His illustrations are absolutely gorgeous! The Easter Story tells the story of the last days of Jesus' life, the crucifixion, and the resurrection, as seen through the eyes of a small donkey. It is such a sweet story! The Donkey That No One Could Ride by Anthony DeStefano $11.99 Anthony DeStefano begins his telling of Christ’s triumphant entry by introducing a young donkey who has yet to realize his important mission. The lowly creature believes he can do nothing noble, but that’s before he meets the Master... Make Room: A Child's Guide to Lent and Easter by Laura Alary. $15.29 Make Room presents Lent as a special time for creating a welcoming space for God. This unique book integrates themes of hospitality and self-giving that echo Jesus’ life. Make Room invites children to wonder about the story, to encounter Lent with all their senses, and to experience activities in Lent as part of a life of discipleship. The Story of Easter by Alexa Tewkesbury $11.32 Alexa Tewkesbury offers a timeless retelling of the Easter story. The story moves from Palm Sunday to the last supper, crucifixion, and resurrection. Your children will learn about the Easter story in a memorable, engaging way, and gain a new understanding of why we celebrate Easter. Humphrey's First Palm Sunday by Carol Heyer $6.65 Humphrey the Camel is part of a traveling caravan, thinking up ways to become the leader of the pack. As the caravan makes its way to Jerusalem, they witness Jesus entering the city. Humphrey is delighted to see Jesus. Beautiful and engaging, this book is a wonderful way to introduce the events of Palm Sunday. The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story by Mike Berenstain $4.99 My children loved the Berenstain Bears! The book teaches that Easter is more than candy and egg hunts as you read about the Bear cubs at Sunday school learning about Jesus’ resurrection and salvation. The Very First Easter by Paul L. Maier $8.99 Follow along with Christopher, a ten-year old boy who only wants the real stories of Christian holidays. His family sits him down and reads him the story of Easter straight from the Gospel of Luke.

During the season of Lent, we are on a spiritual journey into the wilderness. We pray, examine ourselves, fast, and collect alms for those in need. This simple DIY Lent Centerpiece is a beautiful reminder of the season we are in. The sticks arranged in jars represent the wilderness and the purple candles represent penitence and introspection. This is an easy craft to make with your children plus you get to make use of your leftover purple Advent candles! As you make it, it’s a great teaching opportunity to go over what everything represents and to talk about what it means to walk through Lent. It will also serve as a visual reminder every time you sit down to meals of Lent. Supplies: Sticks Jars Candle holders Leftover purple candles from Advent

I know it's only Monday but I thought it would be helpful to give you a tried and true meatless recipe before Friday. That way you are able to shop and prepare ahead of time and you won't have a panic attack as I do when I realize it's Friday and I haven't thought through what I am going to cook! French Onion Soup during Lent is a family tradition of ours. We don't make it every Friday but we do make it at least once during the season. I was always intimidated by French Onion Soup. I thought it must be complicated to make but it is the easiest soup! The only thing that might be difficult is having stale bread on hand! The flavor of the soup itself is really deep and rich and when you add the homemade croutons and cheese, it's absolutely incredible! French Onion Soup 4 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 cups yellow or white onions, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 3 tablespoons flour (I use almond flour) 2 quarts water 1 cup red wine 1 bay leaf salt and pepper to taste croutons 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated thin slices of swiss cheese Melt 3 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and stir to coat. Cover the onions and cook on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover the pan, raise the heat, and stir in the teaspoons of salt and sugar. Cook until the onions are golden brown and caramelized. Lower the heat. Stir in the flour and 1 more tablespoon of butter. Cook slowly, stirring for 2 to. 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Slowly add the water and the wine, stirring well. Add bay leaf. Simmer partly covered for 30 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Prepare large croutons. Pour the soup into a large casserole or individual ramekins. Sprinkle parmesan over the top. Add the croutons. Then lay down the thin slices of swiss cheese. Sprinkle again with parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and then broil until lightly brown. Homemade Croutons 1 loaf stale French or Sourdough bread olive oil or butter Slice bread into 1/2" slices. Brush with olive oil or melted butter and broil until golden brown.

Every Friday throughout Lent, Christians around the world abstain from meat. We do this as a special fast to remember Good Friday, the day that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. I love Fridays in Lent because they kick me out of my normal cooking and eating routines. My family usually eats meat at dinnertime so it is a stretch for me to make a meatless meal. As I am stretched and in the midst of my mild discomfort, I am reminded of the incredible sacrifices that Jesus made for all of us his whole life. Sometimes I make homemade soup. Our favorites for Lent are French Onion or Tomato. Sometimes I make homemade cheese pizzas. Whatever I do, I always keep it easy. However, sometimes life is so crazy that I can’t handle making dinner. What do I do in those situations? I cut open a giant bag of frozen fish sticks, pour them onto a pan, place the pan in the oven, and press “bake.” Celebrating the church year is so meaningful but never meant to be a burden that we are crushed under. Remember to go easy on yourself. Make fish sticks like me or order cheese pizzas and have them delivered. There is no “right” way to celebrate the liturgical year. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

This Friday is St. Patrick's Day. St. Patrick was a real person with a beautiful conversion story. He was abducted from his home as a young boy and forced into slavery. God gave him a vision that helped him escape slavery and return to his home. He committed his life to serve the Lord and felt a powerful call to return to the people who enslaved him and share the gospel with them. His story of redemption and forgiveness is so powerful. I loved sharing it with my children. And one of my favorite ways to share his story with them was to read books about him. There are so many books on St. Patrick, but many avoid the powerful story of his how God moved in his life. Here are some of my favorites that do such a good job of telling the real story of St. Patrick. St. Patrick the Forgiver: The History and Legends of Ireland's Bishop by Ned Bustard I love Ned Bustard's books! First of all, his linocut illustrations are so unique and beautiful. Secondly, I love how the book tells all about who St. Patrick really was and emphasizes his remarkable story of love and forgiveness. Your kids will love this book! Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola If you have seen any of my other book recommendations, then you know that I love anything that Tomie dePaola writes. Like Bustard, his illustrations are so unique and whimsical and he always gives a faithful Christian account of the saint. In this book, dePaola recounts the life of St. Patrick from his noble birth in Britain to his captivity in Ireland, to the visions which led him to return and found the first Christian church in Ireland. It's a perfect introduction to St. Patrick and his conversion. Patrick and the Fire: A Legend About Sai by Cornelia Bilinsky This is an unusual telling of St. Patrick in that it is told from the perspective of a young goatherd named Bevan. Bevan is excited about the annual festival bonfire celebrating the god of light. But when a stranger named Patrick appears, Bevan learns about one God in three persons instead. It's a great book emphasizing the work that Patrick did in spreading the gospel to the Irish.

Palm Sunday is coming! Throughout Lent, we have been on a journey with Jesus as he makes his way to Jerusalem and to his eventual death. On Palm Sunday, we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into the holy city of Jerusalem. Like the people in the Bible, we wave palm branches and shout “Hosannas”, proclaiming Jesus to be the “King of Kings”. We remember his ultimate victory over death and pray that we who bear these palm branches will “ever hail him as our King and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life”. (The Book of Common Prayer) Palm Sunday is a significant day in the year of the church. It is the first day of Holy Week, the holiest week of the church year. On Palm Sunday, we also hear the reading of the Passion of Christ (the time from his arrest to his death). The Passion of Christ reading reminds us of Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, his betrayal by one of his best friends, his trial, his beatings, and his crucifixion. Palm Sunday is a somber day because although we begin the day with joy, hailing Jesus as “the One who comes in the name of the Lord”, we are painfully aware that everyone will be shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” by the end of the week. Ways to Celebrate Read Matthew 21:1-11. Questions to ponder: Why would Jesus go to Jerusalem even though he knew it would lead to his death? Why were the people so excited about Jesus? Why do you think Jesus rode on a donkey instead of a horse? How do you think Jesus felt? Make Pax Cakes. These shortbread cookies are absolutely delicious and so easy to make! Pax means "peace" in Latin. Click the link to read about the funny reason why they were handed out by the priests at church + the recipe! Make a Palm Sunday Wreath Celebrate this day in your home with a simple wreath made of palm branches and red ribbon. We switch from purple to red on this day because red symbolizes the passion or suffering of Christ. Don't worry if you don't have palms! Palms are only available in very specific geographic zones and I just happen to live in one! Just use any branches of greenery that you can get from your yard. Make a Palm Sunday Mobile With Your Kids Decorate your home with this sweet Palm Sunday Mobile that you can easily make with your children. All you need are simple supplies that you already have in your home and yard. Download My Palm Sunday Paper Doll Set I created the set to help your children imagine and meditate on the moment when Jesus rode into Jerusalem for the last time. They can move Jesus and the donkey closer to Jerusalem each day and then on Palm Sunday, they can lay the cloaks and palms out for Jesus and the donkey to walk over. May you and your family have a blessed Palm Sunday!

It’s Tuesday of Holy Week! After Jesus cleanses the temple, he moves to the Mount of Olives where he speaks about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday of Holy Week are set aside for spring cleaning so keep cleaning and preparing for Easter. Traditionally, Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week have been used for accomplishing the bulk of the work for Easter day. Easter Sunday is the most important feast day and is a time for joyous celebration so as little work as possible was supposed to be done on that special day. Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week were set aside to get the bulk of the work out of the way. The cleaning, cooking, and ironing were done by Wednesday so that the rest of Holy Week and Easter could be enjoyed with no distractions. Ways to celebrate: Read Matthew Matthew 24-25 as a family. Who is Jesus speaking to? Why do you think he is telling them these things? Like Holy Monday, it's time to spring clean! Assign chores to each family member, put on some good worship music, and clean your house! If you have some things that you can make in advance for Easter, go ahead and make them. I make casseroles during these days and put them in the freezer. I set them out to thaw on Holy Saturday and simply pop them in the oven to make on Easter Day.

Today is Holy Saturday. Jesus, the hope of so many people, had been brutally murdered and buried on Good Friday. The anguish his followers must have felt. The shock. The devastation. The man that had radically changed their lives, that they believed was their Savior was gone. The disbelief and utter horror they must have felt on Holy Saturday. Yet we know now, through holy scripture, that this is the day Jesus descended to the land of the dead where the Gospel message was preached. Jesus’ saving works continued and the world had no idea. This is why on Holy Saturday we are suspended between two worlds - the world of darkness, sin and death and the new world of light and resurrection. We remember the anguish the followers of Jesus felt on this day but it is hard to contain our excitement because we know what tomorrow holds - the most glorious day of all - the day that Our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead and defeated death forever! Ways to celebrate:

Today is Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday marks the beginning of the holiest days in the life of the church - the Triduum. The Triduum begins at sundown on Maundy Thursday and ends at sundown on Easter Sunday. During these last three days, we walk with Jesus to his death and then to his glorious resurrection. Starting with Maundy Thursday, we remember Jesus’ words, “Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”. Because of his great love for us, Jesus laid down his life so that we might live with him forever. Like the old gospel song says: “What a friend we have in Jesus!” Beginning at sundown on Maundy Thursday, the church remembers how Jesus observed the Passover with his disciples. The Passover meal was pivotal in the lives of the Jewish people. It celebrated their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and how God acted mightily on their behalf. At the Passover, God established the Old Covenant with the Jewish people and promised to be their God. After Jesus celebrated the Passover meal, he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the New Covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” In the midst of the celebration of the Old Covenant, Christ announces the beginning of the New Covenant which is sealed by his own blood. Through Christ’s death, ALL people who believe in him are made part of God’s family. Maundy Thursday is actually a solemn feast day because it celebrates the beginning of Holy Communion and the New Covenant. We also remember how, after the institution of the New Covenant, Jesus washed his disciples' feet and told them to follow his example by serving others. Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This new commandment is where Maundy Thursday gets its name. “Maundy” is from the Latin mandatum which means “commandment”. Finally, on Maundy Thursday, we remember Jesus’ agony in the garden of Gethsemane, his betrayal by Judas, his desertion by the disciples, his trial, and how he was mocked and beaten.

Today is Spy Wednesday. It is the day that we remember when Judas agreed to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Read Matthew 26:14-25 What must it have been like for Jesus to be betrayed by one of his closest friends? Lord God, your Son, our Savior, was betrayed by one of his closest friends and gave himself up to be whipped and spit upon: Help us to joyfully accept the hard things in our lives because we are confident of the glory that will be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son. Amen.