Mustard Seeds

Your Hills of Calvary

 Thanks to everyone who sent in pictures of their Hill of Calvary. Sorry it's taken me so long to post. It's been one of those months that I've been so busy projecting, gardening and mothering that I haven't taken the time to actually document any of it. 

So without further ado, here are you fabulous hills. I love how everyone used their own unique ideas and supplies. Check out the links and pin ideas for next year.

This is Pearl's Hill of Calvary. Check out her paper mache tomb.

Check out Terra's awesome Good Friday activities. I love how she used Woodeez and Little Critters to re-enact the story.

 Yanna's lovely grass hill.

 This is the Van Kooten's hill. It got a little hairy! Love it!

Melissa translated my instructions into German and used them with in women's Bible study (along with Resurrection Eggs in German), as a way to encourage the moms to do something Christ-related with their families. How cool!

And the Langevin's empty tomb on Easter morning.

And now the Haufschild's.

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Tutorial: Hill of Calvary

Buy your supplies

Did you plant your hill?

Your Hill of Calvary

I was thrilled when Amber sent me a link to see her Hill of Calvary. I especially loved reading the sweet confessions. 

I would love to see your hill, too.  Leave a comment with a link to your blog. If you don't have a blog, email me a photo. ([email protected]) I'll do a post with all the pictures. And,remember to share how it's made an impact on your family.

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Don't forget to add your crosses today. Here are some other "teaching ideas" to use over the weekend.

• On Good Friday, wrap up a clothespin in white cloth and lay it in the tomb (Jesus). Then, cover the tomb entrance with the 4-inch dish. On the Eve of Easter, remove the clothespin, leave the cloth and leave the tomb open for your child to discover first thing on Sunday morning.

• Have each member of your family take a rock and write a personal struggle or sin on the stone with a permanent pen. Put the rocks in the tomb on Good Friday--the day Jesus died for our sins. Then, cover the tomb entrance with the 4-inch dish. On the Eve of Easter, remove the stones and throw them away. Leave the tomb open for the family to discover on Sunday morning. Talk about what “grace” and “forgiveness” means.

• "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Romans 4:25

•  The path to the cross was paved by my sins. Cut a path in your grass leading up to the cross. Make a path with your “sin stones.” Then, put these rocks in the tomb...to once again die...with Christ.

• "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21

• On Easter, Jesus not only rose from the grave, conquering death, but he conquered our sin-- FOREVER. Our sin is dead! Remember to emphasize the JOY and excitement of Easter. Especially for younger ones, I think it's important to emphasize the joy and miracle, lest they only focus on the sad part of the crucifixion. 

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Did you plant your hill?

Tutorial: Hill of Calvary

 

Easter Round-Up

Here's a round-up of all my Easter crafts, books, decorations, recipes, music, and  tutorials. Feel free to use the picture above to link and spread the word on your blog or pinterest board. Just click on the pictures below find the associated posts. 

 

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Truth by a child's hand

Good Friday Activity: Jesus Died for Me

On Good Friday, I am reminded that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Who did Jesus die for?

For me.

Because of me.

For my sins.

Because he loved me.

We got this idea a few years ago from my friend, Wendy. Using a permanent red marker, make a red dot on the back of each hand. (If you do it on their palm, it washes off too easily.) Then, write your child's name over the marks. 

Think it's too gruesome to tell your toddler that Jesus had nails driven through his hands for them? It is gruesome. It was painful. It was true sacrifice.

Your kids can handle this detail. They can. And they will be even more in awe of what Jesus did for them on the cross.

One year, Jack  insisted that I mark his feet, too. I love it when my kids remember the details of God's truth. "They put nails in his feet, too, Mama."

 

Throughout the day, ask your child, "Who did Jesus die for?" They can respond, "For me!" Then, rejoice and thank God for his amazing gift of grace.

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Good Friday

He Has Risen! Rolls

My kids love making these HE HAS RISEN! rolls each year. They not only teach about Jesus' resurrection, but they actually taste good. A perfect breakfast activity to do the morning of Easter.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick of butter (melted)
• 1 can of large refrigerated rolls (I prefer Pillsbury Grands)
• Large marshmallows (8 of them, do NOT use stale marshmallows)
• A bowl of cinnamon and sugar mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 1: Take the white marshmallow. Jesus was pure and sinless like this marshmallow. 

Step 2: Roll marshmallow in butter and then in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. The butter represents the anointing oil and the cinnamon-sugar mixture represents the spices--both items were put on Jesus' body before they laid him in the tomb.

Step 3: Wrap the biscuit around the marshmallow and seal the dough around it. This part is very important--make sure the dough is completely sealed around the marshmallow. I wrap the dough around the marshmallow and pinch the dough together.  After they put Jesus in the tomb, they rolled a large stone in front of it to seal it.

Step 4: Roll the ball of dough in butter and then into the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Step 5: Place on the cookie sheet. Make sure that the side that you did the most "pinching" and "sealing" becomes the "bottom" of the tomb/roll. This will help keep the roll sealed. Otherwise, the roll will bake apart, exposing the marshmallow.

Step 6: Place the tray of rolls in oven for about 10-12 minutes or until done.

Step 7: Let the rolls cool and then serve.

Encourage your little sprout to break open the tomb to look for Jesus. Where is he? He has risen!

How do the rolls taste? "Taste and see that the Lord is good..." Psalm 34:8

The center of the roll tastes especially sweet. Easter is a time to celebrate the sweetest gift of all--our salvation through Jesus' resurrection. Although he was blameless, he died on the cross for our sins; was buried in a tomb from three days; then rose from the dead.

Did you plant your hill?

We planted our Hill of Calvary this weekend. Now, it's sitting on a window sill bathing in the sun. 

It's not too late to plant yours! Check out the tutorial here.

And don't forget the printable that includes talking points and teaching ideas.

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Buy your supplies

Free Easter Printable

Here's a free chalkboard Easter printable. Size fits 8 x 10-inch frame.

Click on the print to view and print the hi-res PDF.

Buy your supplies

So I have several friends who have said, "I want to do the Hill of Calvary activity every year, but it always sneaks up on me. THIS will be the year we do it." 

So I'm officially giving everyone a friendly reminder that THIS weekend is the perfect time to plant your hill. Two weeks before Easter is perfect timing. (Although I've done it in 10 days before.) So get the store and buy your supplies and do it this weekend. 

Check out the full tutorial here. 

And for your convenience, I've created a printable PDF with the supply list and steps for the activity. But refer to the blog tutorial for full, step-by-step pictures. 

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Tutorial: Hill of Calvary

The Month of April

Scrapbook Paper Crosses

 

Have your little sprout help you decorate a wooden cross with scrapbook paper.

MATERIALS:

• a wooden cross
• piece of scrapbook paper
• Mod Podge
• sandpaper or nail file
• hot glue gun
• misc. ribbons and trip (optional)
• nail (optional)
• letter stamps (optional)

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1. Trace the shape of the cross using a pencil.

2. Cut around the lines you have just drawn. Important! Do not cut ON the line. You want a little extra all the way around the cross outline.

3. Brush a very thin and every layer of Mod Podge onto the cross. Make sure to cover the entire surface.

4. Smooth on the paper cross.

5. Let it dry completely and then fold/crease the extra paper over the edges of the cross.

6. Take a piece of sand paper or a nail file and sand off the extra paper.

This will leave a perfectly flush edge on the cross. If a little bit tears off...no worries. Make it look intentional and rustic. Also you may need to touch up some of the edges with a bit of Mod Podge if the paper comes a little loose.

7. Now embellish your cross. Enter glue gun (for adults use only, of course). We used some vintage lace and ribbon from my stash. And a rusty old nail. And then I stamped Anne's name on it. A reminder that Jesus died for her.

One for each of my sprouts.

 

Chocolate Robin's Nest

Materials:

• 1 cup shredded coconut (I prefer unsweetened.)
• shredded wheat (six large "loaves")
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips (also a great opportunity to melt down leftover chocolate Easter bunnies)
• wax paper or cooking spray
• cookie sheet or muffin tin
• Cadbury mini eggs or jelly beans (for eggs)
• Recipe yields 12-15 mini nests

Step 1: Put six "loaves" of shredded wheat into a large bowl and have your child crunch them up into little tiny pieces.

Step 2: Add 1 cup of coconut to the shredded wheat, toss until mixed well.

Step 3: Okay, here is where you get a couple of options. We tried two different methods of how to form the nests: 1.) Using a cookie sheet/metal tray covered with wax paper or 2.) Using a muffin tin sprayed with cooking spray. Both worked great. However, I think the muffin tin method worked best for little hands to shape the nests. You choose. So for step 3, prep your pan of choice.

Step 4: Use a double boiler (or a heat-safe bowl set over pot of bowling water) to melt 2 cups of chocolate chips.

Step 5: Pour melted chocolate over wheat mixture and mix up until the chocolate evenly coats.

Step 6: Form the nests, either in the muffin tins or on the tray. Make sure to make a little center for your eggs.

OR.....

Step 7: Put in your eggs and put in the fridge to harden. If you used a muffin tin, use a knife to "pop" out the nest after it's hardened.

The muffin tray-method yields a more-shaped looking nest:

The tray method is a little more free form.

Once you made some nest, you need to get your hands on this wonderful book.

The book tells the legend of why the robin's breast is red...

I love this part... "I know this man, thought the robin. All earth's creatures, except humans, recognized Jesus--the Creator-God come to earth."

"The thorn gave way. And as it came out a drop of Jesus' blood fell onto the robin's breast, staining it red from that day to this."