Happy Easter, everybody! Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

We are now in the season of Eastertide! Jesus’ resurrection is so amazing, so pivotal in the life of the Church that an entire season is devoted to it rather than just a single day. Eastertide begins with the Great Vigil of Easter and concludes 50 days later with Christ's Ascension and the birth of the Church on Pentecost Sunday. We celebrate the 50 days of Easter as one enormous feast or one enormous Sunday. There is absolutely no fasting allowed during this season of rejoicing! For 50 full days we feast together, sing together and rejoice together in the resurrection of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Alleluia! Christ is Risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! The week right after Easter Sunday, we walk through the scriptures that deal with what happened right after the Resurrection. On Easter Monday, we remember the Emmaus walk story. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus has died and two grief stricken followers have left Jerusalem and are walking back to their hometown. A man begins walking with them and asks why they are so sad. The followers explain to the mystery man that a man that they had followed and believed to be the Messiah was killed. The mystery man begins to walk the followers through the scriptures, showing them how Jesus’ death had been foretold and what it had accomplished. The followers pause their journey for a meal, they invite the mystery man to join them, the mystery man takes bread offered to him, offers it up to God, breaks it, blesses it and suddenly, the followers see clearly who the mystery man really is...it is Jesus! But just as they realize who the mystery man really is, Jesus disappears. The followers run all of the way back to Jerusalem, telling everyone that they have seen the Risen Savior! Easter Monday is celebrated by resting and rejoicing. Schools all over the world are out on this day and in many countries, families go on an "Emmaus walk". Take an Emmaus walk today.What must it have been like to have Jesus appear and start walking with you? Why do you think the followers didn’t recognize Jesus? What stories in the bible do you think Jesus pointed out? A blessed Eastertide and a blessed Easter Monday to you!

Strawberry Shortcake is one of my family’s must haves on Easter. It’s light, fresh and so, so good! This is the very best strawberry shortcake I have ever tasted and guess what? It’s actually very easy to make! You simply add sugar to sliced strawberries, make a quick shortcake, whip up some homemade whipped cream and layer. It’s super simple! The Best Strawberry Shortcake Ingredients 6 cups sliced strawberries 1/2 c sugar 2 c flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 c butter (cut into cubes) 1 beaten egg 2/3 c milk 1 pint heavy whipping cream 1/2 c sugar Turn oven on to 450. In a small bowl stir together the berries and 1/4 of the cup of sugar. Set aside. With a pastry cutter, combine the remaining sugar, flour, baking powder and butter. Blend mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.Fold in milk and beaten egg. Spread mixture into a greased 8 inch cake pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Let shortcake fully cool. Meanwhile whip heavy cream in a mixer until peaks form. slowly add 1/2 c sugar. Slice shortcake in half horizontally with a knife. Remove top half and set aside. To the bottom half of the shortcake add half of the strawberries (make sure to include the juice!), next spread on half of the whipped cream, add top layer of shortcake but upside down so that it can absorb the strawberry juice, add the remaining strawberries and top with the remaining whipped cream. Slice and enjoy! I hope that you and your family have a blessed Easter!

Palm Sunday is this Sunday! It is the day where we, as Christians, remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey. When the people heard that Jesus was coming, they spread their cloaks on the road and palm branches that they had cut in the field. They waved their branches and shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! These Palm Sunday figures were created to help your children imagine and meditate on the moment when Jesus rode into Jerusalem for the last time. The play set was designed to be easily downloaded and set up so that you and your family are able to engage with the story! Read Mark 11:1-11 with your children, allow them to cut out the figures, set up the scene and meditate on this powerful moment in the bible. To download, click the “shop” link. Note: This is for individual use only. If you would like to purchase for a group, click the “unlimited print” option.

It’s a work Monday after a week of rest. As soon as we finished homeschooling, I went outside to enjoy the weather and trim our overgrown bushes. When my kids were little they would have grabbed those clippings, stuffed them in every jar that I had and put them all over the house. In remembrance of those little hearts today.

So excited to share this new printable play set I created for kids to interact with the stories of our faith! The Feast of the Annunciation is this Friday! It is the day where we, as Christians, celebrate the amazing moment when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear the savior of the world. It is also the moment where Mary responded to God's plan with her beautiful words, “I am the Lord’s servant... may it be unto me according to your word.” These three individual hand-painted illustrations were created to help your children imagine and meditate on the moment when Mary was chosen by God for a most amazing mission, to be the mother of Jesus. The play set was designed to be easily downloaded and set up so that you and your family are ready to celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation! Read Luke 1:26-38 with your children, allow them to cut out the figures, set up the scene and meditate on the wonder of Jesus’ birth. To download, click the link. Note: This is for individual use only. If you would like to purchase for a group, click the “shop” link on my blog and you’ll see the “unlimited print” option.

I have good news for you today! Yes, we are fasting during the season of Lent but did you know that in the midst of this fasting season, there are also many, many feast days? If you are struggling with this season of fasting like I am, have hope! The season of Lent is filled with feast days and the next two weeks are especially good! :) First of all, EVERY Sunday is a feast day. Early Christians recognized that Sunday, the day that Jesus was resurrected, was the most pivotal day of the Christian life. Sunday is in effect, a weekly mini Easter and so there is never any fasting on Sunday even during a season of fasting. Upcoming feasts this week: March 17th - St. Patrick’s Day March 19th - St. Joseph’s Day March 25th - The Feast of the Annunciation Mark those dates on your calendar and stay tuned for the history, traditional foods and fun activities to help celebrate these momentous days! Also, if you are troubled by what’s going on in the world around you and are having a hard time imagining how you could possibly feast at a time like this, here’s a helpful post on the Christian idea of defiant feasting. https://www.ashleytumlinwallace.com/post/why-i-don-t-want-to-feast-this-shrove-tuesday

In the past two years, I have thought about my own mortality a great deal (I am sure we all have), especially in regards to my children. I think about what would happen to them if I died and it scares me. Who could love them like I do? No one! No one could possibly love them as I do! This morning in our devotions, a verse hit me. We are learning about God’s love for us and the example given was from Deuteronomy where Moses speaks to the people and tells them: “And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power.” (Deuteronomy 4:37) Because he loved your fathers, he brought you out. How touching to think that because of God’s love for me, he is going to watch out for my children. Even after I die, that love for me will move him to guide them with HIS presence and HIS mighty power. And so I ask myself again, “Who could love them like I do?” God can and he will.

Lent is all about slowing down. It’s a time to prepare our hearts for the most important time of our Christian faith, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. During Lent, we make space for quiet, for prayer and for introspection. We think about who we are and all that has been won for us through the saving acts of Jesus. A great way to create this sacred space for a child is through crafts.This Lenten banner is made from inexpensive supplies that you can get at Walmart or any crafts store. It is a foolproof craft! Don’t worry about the shapes your children cut out or if the glue gets everywhere. Let the pieces overlap, let them go out of the lines, it’s ok! Put on some worship music, relax and let go! I love creating a sacred space where a child can just “be” with God. A space where they can still themselves, get lost in the creative process and have an encounter (whether they know it or not!) with God. Lent Craft for Kids Supplies Standard size felt in white, dark brown and light and dark purple Fabric Glue Light colored marker Scissors Instructions Draw a rough cross shape on your white piece of felt. Cut out small pieces of brown felt. Glue brown pieces of felt inside the cross shape until no white is showing. Cut out small pieces of light purple fabric. Glue light purple pieces down around the cross. Add in small pieces of the dark purple felt. Continue filling in until the scene looks full.

For anyone looking for a paperback copy of my book, it is on Amazon now! (Link in bio) A huge “thank you” to everyone who downloaded the free copy of my guidebook on Lent, “Then Sings My Soul”. The launch was such a success and I so appreciate everyone’s support! I can’t wait to continue sharing the beauty of the seasons of the church with y’all! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TN343ZG/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_ZE72M0BTJPVNTVMCWDGC

It’s the first Friday of Lent! And I am making . . . boxed fish sticks! You heard that right. Fish sticks. From a big ole green box. And that is OK! We will mix up some tartar and cocktail sauce and call it good. Following the seasons of the church is beautiful. Sometimes we will make elaborate, homemade things and sometimes we will tear open that box, pour those frozen sticks onto a pan and press “bake”. “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 For those of you who are curious, 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 us out of our normal cooking routines and eating routines. We usually eat 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.

Today is the first day 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, 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. +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 sin. +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”.