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Category Archives: Family musings

5 Ways to Impact Your Children with Easter’s Message

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My brother, my father, & me, Easter 1969

Rich memories of childhood Easters keep popping up in my mind. I can still feel the cold metal of the folding chair as I sat with my family in the church parking lot waiting for the first rays of the sun to make their appearance. And with the sun, the somber notes of “low in the grave He lay…” became the joyous thunder of “up from the grave He arose (He arose), with a mighty triumph o’er His foes.” After prayer and singing, everyone escaped the chilly air and enjoyed pancakes and sausage in the church fellowship hall.

Recently, I’ve been thinking about the impact Easter had on me as a child. I also have wonderful memories of Christmas, but Easter took root in my soul from an early age. Even then, I must have sensed the eternal significance of Christ’s death and resurrection. As parents and grandparents, we have a great opportunity – and God-given responsibility – to make sure our children understand the great truth and power of Easter.

Below are five easy, but memorable, ways to help your children understand the Easter story. Make sure you check out the links for details and more information:

1. Make a set of Resurrection Eggs – This is a fun way to “concretely” share the Easter story with your kids. You can purchase a ready-made set, but putting them together with your kids is part of the fun. Here are the instructions for making your own Resurrection Eggs.

2. Watch a movie together – One great way to start a conversation with your children about the Easter is by watching a movie that portrays the Easter story or illustrates its truths. Several great ones are available. Just choose one that is age-appropriate for the kids in your life. Here are a few suggestions:

3. Attend a Good Friday service or event – Many churches have services on Good Friday to help us remember Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. This is a great opportunity to talk about Jesus’ death and what it accomplished for us. Cochrane, the small town where we lived in Canada, had a “Cross Walk.” Members from all areas of the community met downtown and prayerfully followed the cross as a volunteer carried it through the streets.

4. Make Resurrection Cookies – Use this tasty object lesson to teach your kids about the empty tomb. Make them on Saturday night and enjoy them first thing Sunday. Here’s the recipe and how-to’s for Resurrection Cookies.

5. Experience the Easter Sunrise – Like the women who went to the tomb, be up and ready to greet the first light of Sunday morning. You can do this at an official sunrise service or in your own backyard. Friday was somber. Sunday is a celebration! (And don’t forget the pancake breakfast!)

I’d love to hear about your childhood Easter memories! Also, please share ways you celebrate Easter with your kids and grandkids.

My Top Ten Chocolate Favorites

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Chocolate is my love language and I speak it fluently. That’s why I’m so excited that the chocolate holiday (aka “Valentine’s Day) is almost here.

Chocolate fountain at my parent's 50th!

 

Unfortunately, a cruel irony has beset me. I have a dentist’s appointment on February 14th. However, I plan to soldier on. There will be plenty of time to celebrate chocolate’s rich, creamy sweetness before and after my time in the chair.

 

In honor of the big day, I’m sharing my ten chocolate favorites! (In no particular order)

  1. Dairy Milk chocolate bar
  2. Hershey’s Best Brownies (recipe below!)
  3. Starbuck’s Peppermint Mocha
  4. Cadbury Mini-Eggs – only available around Easter
  5. Lindt Milk Chocolate Lindor Balls
  6. Mocha Truffles (I shared the recipe in December!)
  7. Warm Chocolate Melting Cake – ate it every night on our last Carnival Cruise
  8. Chocolate Fountain – my favorite thing to dip are small squares of Rice Krispy Treat
  9. Fudge Richey – from “Susie’s South Forty” in Midland, Texas (Ladies, it’s chocolate-covered fudge!)
  10. Nestle’s Semi-Sweet chocolate chips – they’re great by the handful and you can add them to anything!

I want to know your chocolate favorites! Share names, recipes, or links! Let’s really indulge ourselves between now and Valentine’s Day!

Here’s that recipe I promised:

Hershey’s Best Brownies

I got this recipe off the back of a canister of Hershey’s cocoa many years ago. However, the chocolate chips are my addition!

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 4 eggs
  • ¾ cup cocoa
  • 1 cup flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (Nestle’s Semi-Sweet of course!)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a large bowl. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add cocoa, beat. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat well. Mix half the chocolate chips into the batter and spread into a greased 9×13 pan. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake 30 minutes only!

Where Thieves Break in and Steal

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Yesterday, two men tried to break into our house while I was home. I had worked at my desk in the morning, so I didn’t shower until after lunch. I came out of the bathroom about 2:15. When I walked by the front door I noticed a four door pick-up truck parked on the circle drive right near the front door.

Thinking it was someone who had done some work around the house I stepped outside and walked toward the truck. A woman opened the back door of the vehicle. “Can I help you?” She stammered but didn’t answer me. About that time two young men hurried across the front yard from the back of the house. “Can I help you?” I directed toward the men. No answer. They kept heading toward the truck. So I repeated, “Can I help you?”

The driver paused by the door. “I was looking at your trees. I do tree work. Do you need any tree work?”  I told him we lost a pine tree to beetles over the summer and had to have it cut down. In the process we also had deadwood trimmed from an oak tree. We didn’t need any “tree work,” but “thank you.” He climbed in the driver’s seat and backed out of my circle drive.

The whole encounter was odd. I momentarily wondered if I should call the police or try to get the license plate number, but I hurried inside and locked the door. When my husband came home about 5:30, he walked in asking “What happened to the glass in the door into the garage?” Immediately I knew that the “odd encounter” was really a burglary attempt.

We called the sheriff’s office to file a report. The deputy that came to the house was nice but impressed on me the seriousness of what happened. They had probably rung the doorbell while I was drying my hair and thought no one was home. The woman was the lookout and notified the two men when I came outside. The deputy believed they had no intention of hurting me, but he also gave me some tips for practicing safety.

I felt a bit scared, angry, and indignant all at the same time. But mostly I felt grateful. I’ve been thanking God all day for my safety. And in the midst of it all, God has reminded me that even if they had taken everything in our house, none of that is really important. It’s all just “earthly treasure.” It has no lasting, eternal value. I should hold those things loosely anyway. The things of God are what matters most.

 19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.  Matthew 6:19-21, NLT

What earthly things are you holding too tightly? How can you instead “store up treasures” in heaven?

The Birds and the Beast

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Four baby barn swallows peered over the edge of the mud nest their mother had built on a wall in a corner of our patio. They were eagerly waiting for their mother to return with breakfast. I had a really good view of the feathered family from my bedroom window. From there I could watch all the activity without disturbing them. “This is going to be great,” I thought. “I can watch them grow, learn to fly, and then leave the nest.” It reminded me a little of my eighteen-year-old daughter who was preparing to move out on her own.

Then I remembered the beast. Our ninety pound, yellow lab dominates the back yard. Did the baby birds have a chance against a dog that pulls trees up by the roots? Maybe it would be better for the babies to never leave the nest. The mama bird could continue to feed them. Of course the daddy bird would have to build an addition to the nest…

Two days later I stood at the bedroom window again. One baby clung to the edge of the nest and one was perched beside it on a brick that jutted out from the wall. It was time for flying lessons! Mother Swallow called to them from atop a blade of the patio ceiling fan about five feet away. The beast lay on his side by the back door seemingly unaware of the unfolding drama. The baby on the brick hopped off into space, untested wings flapping. He dipped low, coming within eighteen inches of the ground. I held my breath. The beast slept on. Then the baby’s wings caught air and he awkwardly joined his mother on the fan blade. Whew! One down, three to go.

Within a few days, all four baby birds had successfully learned to fly. At first they only flew to the ceiling fan, then back to the nest. As the days went by they became a little more adventurous and visited the roof and the large tree beyond the patio. Then one day they were gone. The nest stayed empty. Their mother had done her job and they were on their own.

Soon my son Mark – our youngest – will try his wings. I worry about what could happen to him outside the nest. Will he watch out for those “big, yellow labs?” Yet, today God brought one of His many promises to mind. Nothing happens to a single sparrow that isn’t within God’s will. If He cares that much for a sparrow, how much more does He care for Mark? He is worth more than many sparrows (Matthew 10:29-31).

So I’ll pray – and watch from the fan blade with squawks of encouragement.

Who in your life do you need to entrust to the care of the One Who watches over the sparrows?

Packing Up!

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Right now I’m sitting at my kitchen counter in front of my laptop while the movers pack all our earthly belongings. (Let me just say, I admire all you hardy folks who do all the packing, loading, and moving on your own. But since this is a corporate transfer for my husband, I will take advantage of all the benefits. It’s hard enough this way, I can’t imagine doing it all ourselves!)

Last night, our church family had a little send-off party for us complete with cake and kind words. And yes, there were some tears – mine and a few others too. The five years here in Midland were filled with ministry, friendship, and fellowship. Leaving is not easy. Goodbyes are hard. But there is email, Facebook, Skype, and airplanes. We can stay in touch!

Wayne has worked for Conoco-Phillips for more than thirty years. This will be our seventh location. Looking back we see God’s hand in all those moves. In every new place He has had work for us to do, friends to meet, and a purpose in being there. So we trust He does this time too.

I have been a little stressed about the work of moving, the goodbyes, and the new beginnings. But then God reminded me of a few of His people in the Bible He moved and how much tougher it was for them:

  • Abraham – he didn’t even know where he was going.
  • Joseph – he had to be sold into slavery to get where God wanted him.
  • Naomi – she moved to a foreign land only to lose everything dear.

And we can’t forget Jesus. He left heaven and moved to earth to provide salvation for all mankind. I guess I can move to Houston.

I would love to hear about a time God moved you. Did you discover His purpose? What work did He have for you there?