Holy Week Part II

In addition to focusing more on Holy Week myself, I wanted  to create some traditions for our family as well.

One of the things we did was this series of candle lightings. Every day for a week you read a passage from the Bible about sin or our need for a Saviour and then snuff out a candle. The idea is that on Good Friday and Saturday all the candles are out and it is dark and then on Easter you re-light them all.

I wasn't completely satisfied with the passages. I adapted it from a couple different sources. I hope PD and I can rework it a little for next year, but the candles and discussions have still helped us focus this week. The passages also helped PK1 to understand more at the Maundy Thursday service we went to.

I also bought the book The Easter Story by Brian Wildsmith.

It has the most beautiful illustrations.  (You can click on the pictures to see them bigger if you want to.) 

 

Here is Palm Sunday:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Last Supper:

The Crucifixion:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Ascension:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Overall I feel as though my prayers were answered and I have been in the right frame of mind this week.  The girls too, know what the week is about. 
 
Our Maundy Thursday service was incredible.  The music, the readings, the cross, the communion and foot washing were very emotional and powerful.  It did not seem like we were just going through the motions.  But we were exhausted.  And we aren't sure if it was too much for PK1. 
 
We didn't want to overwhelm her...but maybe that is exactly what we should be..overwhelmed.

Holy Week

It is so much more difficult for me to focus emotionally and mentally on Easter than on Christmas for some reason.  I have been thinking for awhile about how to remedy this and I decided that I would tackle this problem in the same way I should face all problems:

1. Pray and ask God to help me focus on the true meaning of Easter, that by the power of the Holy Spirit he would transform my heart and mind in this area.

2. Obey...do the things that I know to do.  Go to church, read God's Word, pray, continue to rid my life of things that are not Holy.

Two books have helped me in my endeavor:

and a series of commentaries written by Luther, Augustine, Schaeffer and of course my favorite, John Piper.

The other thing I decided to do was rid our home of bunnies and pagan Easter decorations.  Our good friends from small group who host a Messianic Seder every year, did a presentation on what all the pagan symbols of Easter mean, so some of us have been in search of more godly Easter decorations.  This is a little difficult to do without adorning your house with a bunch of crucifixes, but I have a few ideas.

PD's mom got me this beautiful angel:

I want to collect a few more of those and maybe also something with lambs.  We have been doing some Easter devotions as a family and it is amazing how much symbolism there is with lambs.

Tonight we are going to Maundy Thursday.  It will be the first time for PK1.  She will not be able to take communion, but she understands the symbolism of the Lord's Supper. 

For an explanation and some interesting thought on Maundy Thursday go here:  Maundy Thursday

Safety First

PK2 fell off her bike today.  It wasn't that bad, but she wasn't wearing her helmet and she cried a little and PD had to carry her home.  It scared her a little though.

Luckily PK1 was able to ride her bike home for her, because she wasn't riding her bike.  PK1 does not like riding bikes.  She hates it and goes so slow that you can hardly tell she is moving, kind of like those giant turtles.  We do make her ride once in awhile.  But that is a different post.

Anyway, after they got home, PK2 ran to the garage and got her helmet.  She wore it the rest of the evening, even to ride her cozy coup.

I guess she wasn't taking any more chances.

The Circus

Well, I have been putting off blogging about the circus, because while it was an overall  success, the stress that ended up occurring, makes me throw up in my mouth a little.

The night before we were going, I asked PD if it started at 3 or 3:30.  So he got out the tickets to check.  WELL the tickets very clearly read 7:30 Friday Night.  It was now 9:30 Friday Night. They had sent us Friday night instead of Saturday matinée.

PD just kept saying "NO NO NO."

We took turns freaking out and comforting each other.  He made some phone calls, but no one was at the box office.  Just to make himself feel better he started leaving messages for everyone from the guy that drives the clown car all the way up to the Secretary of State.

I finally calmed down and said, "Look the worst that can happen is we have to buy the tickets again."  We looked online and there weren't really any good seats left but resigned ourselves to the worst case scenario.

Well the next day, PD still couldn't get anyone on the phone, so he drove down to the fairgrounds to see what they could do.  (Insert fake smiles displayed for daughters who were talking about the circus)

It did work out that they exchanged the tickets..the seats were not as good, but it was fine.

PK1 (our animal lover) rode an elephant.

PK2 stuck to something a bit more tame.

We ate cotton candy.

The best acts were trained elephants

and a clown wedding.

The smells did not end up being too bad, or maybe I just didn't notice them because I was so glad it all worked out and we actually got to go!

A Blog Award

My friend Kelli, who is the most encouraging person I have ever met, has given me a blog award!

Thanks Kelli!

I would like to pass it on to my actual sister Susan.

I know I owe the blog a follow up post on the circus (I am still recovering) and I am eager to write about PK1's performance in a talent show. But I have been distracted and unmotivated blogwise lately.   Thankfully it isn't because of anything bad happening, just lots of good actual, non-virtual events and people right now!

The greatest show on earth

We are headed to the circus on Saturday!  In true homeschool form, I ordered a few books about it to prepare the kids.  They have very little base of knowledge on this. 

We got this beautiful book:

And PK2's favorite:

And did you know that even Mr Roger's went to the circus:

I have to admit, I am not crazy about the circus.  It combines my least favorite things..clowns, weirdos and animal smells.  Plus I get to drop fifty bucks plus incidentals for the privilege of smelling the elephant droppings.  But who am I to deprive my kids of this classic childhood experience?

Water Babies

We started up with swimming lessons last week. 

PK1 has had a lot of lessons, but this was PK2's first time.

She was so excited and she did a great job. 

Her teacher is fantastic.  How can you not love anyone who will splash around in the pool with someone else's kids for $3 an hour?

 But she is particularly good.

I feel like PK1 is not being pushed enough to work on her technique and I almost feel like I could teach her better myself, but since I already teach them the 3R's, I just decided that I would farm out the swimming for now.  It is so fun to just sit on the bleachers and watch.  I never get to just watch someone else do the work.  And PK1 is going off the board with gusto now!