By Jobi Harrell
Since the beginning of Lent, I have sporadically posted on this Blog a variety of ways for families with young children to incorporate this season into their daily lives.
Well, I’ll come clean: through this year’s Lenten journey I personally have not done any of these “little ideas” that I have cut and pasted on this Blog. By virtue of my position I have made Lenten crafts, I have worn lots of purple, and spent time feeling all sorts of up and down. But, at home –well, that’s another story.
Our family prays, we read Bible stories, we are trying our best to raise our child with a solid foundation; and we could do more. Our family did read Gail Gibbon's Easter one time. The book yields twenty-some pages about Jesus and one page about the Easter Bunny. Anyone could guess: my two-year-old daughter is madly in love with the Easter Bunny. Her initial response: “No Jesus, Mommy. Just the Easter Bunny.” Several conversations these past few weeks have yielded to some progress. We’ve at the very least determined that Jesus and the Easter Bunny are friends. (I suspect that our tacky spill-proof vinyl tablecloth with Bunnies might have something to do with this fascination…but I’m not so sure that I want to go on a hunt for a spill-proof Jesus tablecloth.)
We do pray as a family. We do read books about Easter, but since February 25th I have no by means become the Poster Mom of Lent. Most of that has to do with the realities of life. This year, my own Lenten journey has yielded so much –as it does every year. Each year I set out with specific goals –areas that I want to work on. For me, the beauty in Lent is that each year I ultimately wind up working on what it is God wants me to work on.
So, I thought I’d put it out there...
Let’s open this Blog up for comments.
What is it that you are working on? What is it that God is working on with you?
Planting Seeds
Seeds are a sign of hope, a sign of spring, a sign that something can come from what appears to be nothing with a little love and care.
With your family, plant some seeds in small cups together and talk about how with the appropriate care, these seeds will grow and become beautiful plants just like we grow in God’s love. (Make sure that everyone plants a couple of cups of seeds so that everyone will be successful at this!) Once they have sprouted and taken root, you can then plant them in your garden or give them to others as Easter gifts.
With your family, plant some seeds in small cups together and talk about how with the appropriate care, these seeds will grow and become beautiful plants just like we grow in God’s love. (Make sure that everyone plants a couple of cups of seeds so that everyone will be successful at this!) Once they have sprouted and taken root, you can then plant them in your garden or give them to others as Easter gifts.
AMARYLLIS
Plant an amaryllis bulb during Lent and compare what happens to the bulb with what happens to each one of us as we increase our good deeds, sacrifices and reception of the sacraments. Point out there is much going on under the dirt that the children can’t see. In our souls much is going on during Lent that we cannot see. In about six weeks’ time the bulb is marvelously transformed into a beautiful flower; so too, in each child’s soul the sacrifices, etc., that he has performed during Lent are used by Jesus to transform his soul in holiness.
Simple Meals
Prepare a simple meal of soup and bread once a week with your family and figure out what you have saved in expenses. Then, put that money into a jar and at Easter, give it to a feeding ministry, to a local food bank, or to a homeless shelter. You can also encourage your kids to eat simple lunches and to do the same.
PRETZELS
Pretzels
Pretzels are made from a simple mixture of flour, salt and water and are thus an ideal “Lenten” food because they do not contain fat. They are said to have first been made by monks who twisted them into the shape that we know today, because they thought that they looked like “praying arms”.
You can do a few things with pretzels and your family:
-At each meal, you can place a pretzel on each person’s plate and before they eat, they have to name the things they want to pray for and at the end of all the prayers, you can eat the pretzels.
-You can make homemade pretzels with your family and as you are rolling dough and waiting for them to bake, you can talk about and then write down all the things that you think need our prayers. If you write each persons prayer on construction paper, you can use that paper as a place mat on your table or as a centerpiece to remind you of the prayers that you offer.
-If you pack a lunch for your child, put a pretzel in the lunch with a prayer inserted into the bag as well.
Pretzel recipe:
1½ cups warm water
1 package active dry yeast
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 ½ to 5 cups flour
1 egg beaten for glazing (optional)
coarse salt
Place warm water into a bowl. Sprinkle yeast, sugar and salt into the water to dissolve. Mix flour into the water mixture to form a soft ball. Take dough, place it on floured board and knead it for a few minutes. Let dough rest for one hour.
Roll dough into rectangle about ½ inch thick and about 6 inches long. Cut dough into ¼ inch strips. Twist them into a pretzel shape. Place on cookie sheet, brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Pretzels are made from a simple mixture of flour, salt and water and are thus an ideal “Lenten” food because they do not contain fat. They are said to have first been made by monks who twisted them into the shape that we know today, because they thought that they looked like “praying arms”.
You can do a few things with pretzels and your family:
-At each meal, you can place a pretzel on each person’s plate and before they eat, they have to name the things they want to pray for and at the end of all the prayers, you can eat the pretzels.
-You can make homemade pretzels with your family and as you are rolling dough and waiting for them to bake, you can talk about and then write down all the things that you think need our prayers. If you write each persons prayer on construction paper, you can use that paper as a place mat on your table or as a centerpiece to remind you of the prayers that you offer.
-If you pack a lunch for your child, put a pretzel in the lunch with a prayer inserted into the bag as well.
Pretzel recipe:
1½ cups warm water
1 package active dry yeast
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 ½ to 5 cups flour
1 egg beaten for glazing (optional)
coarse salt
Place warm water into a bowl. Sprinkle yeast, sugar and salt into the water to dissolve. Mix flour into the water mixture to form a soft ball. Take dough, place it on floured board and knead it for a few minutes. Let dough rest for one hour.
Roll dough into rectangle about ½ inch thick and about 6 inches long. Cut dough into ¼ inch strips. Twist them into a pretzel shape. Place on cookie sheet, brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
Grace Before Meals
Here is a small sampling of mealtime prayers:
May the Lord bless us with Sabbath joy.
May the Lord bless us with Sabbath holiness.
May the Lord bless us with Sabbath peace.
- Traditional Jewish Sabbath Blessing
Let us in peace eat the food that God has provided for us.
Praise be to God for all our gifts. Amen.
- Ancient Armenian Grace
God, Bless this food we are about to receive.
Give bread to those who hunger, and hunger for charity and justice to us who have bread. Amen.
Dear God, bless those who bear the hardship of famine and those who share their plenty with others.
Wrap your love around those who come to use in trust and take care of those who wander far from us in anger. Amen.
- Early Hawaiian food prayer
To the tune of the Addams Family:
Do-do-do-do (snap fingers twice),
do-do-do-do (snap, snap)
Do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do (snap, snap)
We thank You for our food, Lord,
And all the things You do, Lord.
We thank You for our food, Lord, and all our family.
Do-do-do-do (snap, snap),
do do do do (snap, snap)
Do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do -- A-MEN!
May the Lord bless us with Sabbath joy.
May the Lord bless us with Sabbath holiness.
May the Lord bless us with Sabbath peace.
- Traditional Jewish Sabbath Blessing
Let us in peace eat the food that God has provided for us.
Praise be to God for all our gifts. Amen.
- Ancient Armenian Grace
God, Bless this food we are about to receive.
Give bread to those who hunger, and hunger for charity and justice to us who have bread. Amen.
Dear God, bless those who bear the hardship of famine and those who share their plenty with others.
Wrap your love around those who come to use in trust and take care of those who wander far from us in anger. Amen.
- Early Hawaiian food prayer
To the tune of the Addams Family:
Do-do-do-do (snap fingers twice),
do-do-do-do (snap, snap)
Do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do (snap, snap)
We thank You for our food, Lord,
And all the things You do, Lord.
We thank You for our food, Lord, and all our family.
Do-do-do-do (snap, snap),
do do do do (snap, snap)
Do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do -- A-MEN!
This Little Light
Candles
Each week in Children's Chapel we begin with this Candle Lighting prayer :
We light this Candle to reminds us,
That Christ is the Light of the World,
And we are Christ's light in the world.
Bringing light into darkness is a major theme for Lent,
so a candle is a natural symbol for that.
Candles also help your family create a wonderful family ritual.
Find a candle and light it before each meal.
Ask individuals to name something that they pray for and something for which they are thankful.
-Get a glass candleholder and have each person decorate part of the candleholder with sharpie markers. Then place your family candle inside that holder.
-Get plain candles at the craft store along with some flattened wax sheets. The flattened sheets will stick to the plain candles, so you can cut out shapes, decorations, etc. and then decorate your candle that way.
-Unleash your creativity and have fun!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
