April

April 4  – Happy Easter…it is the day we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus.  During our time together this morning at the 10 am Worship Service – we talked about how our gardens.  Last week they didn’t look like there was much life there.  In fact – they looked dead.  But this week with the sunshine on them, they have come to life.  In the Bible, the writers of the gospels tell us that Jesus was buried in a garden, and on Sunday morning, the women who were friends of Jesus came.  They had expected to find things as they had left it – with Jesus dead.  But the Son had risen, and the sun was shining…Jesus was Alive!!

We can be just like our gardens,  our life can look quite dead, until Jesus – God’s Son – shines on and in us.  Then we come alive, and bring a brightness to those around us.

This weekend, go for a discovery walk together – make notes, or take pictures of all the new life that is coming because of the sunshine…then, draw a picture, or write a letter of Thanks – for the new life that the Son shine gives to us.

April 11 -  Today, I attended a Worship Servie that honoured the 60th Wedding anniversary of my parents.  During that time, they have been a true example of what God intended marriage to look like.  The sermon, preached by my husband, focused on the instructions given to families in Deut. 6.  Parents are told to talk about God’s story all the time, and to teach their children, and their children’s children these truths.  My parents have done this, and their parents before them, and so on, and so on.  And in the generations since, my niece is raising her children to know who Jesus is, and how much he loves them.

This week, talk as a family how your parents taught you the promises of God’s love, and then figure out together how you can learn as a family.  What do you want your children to know about the faith you have, and the God who loves them.

April 18 – Today we heard about 4 really good friends.  In fact they had a “roof busting” kind of friendship.  Jesus was teaching in Caepernum and there was a man who was completely paralized.  His friends knew he needed to meet Jesus, but there was no way to carry him through the crowd – so they went up!  They broke through the roof, and lowered their friend down, right in front of Jesus.  And because of their faith, Jesus forgave his sins, and healed him.

We talked about the importance of sharing Jesus with our friends.  We need to be willing to “break through” the thinks that would keep them from meeting Jesus.  For a treat, make a graham cracker house.  You’ll need softened cream cheese (or peanut butter), graham crackers, raisins, and other “decorating”.  Build the walls out of the crackers, and glue them together with the cheese or peanut butter.  Use the raisins as the friends and the man.  “Paint” the opening in the roof with jam.  As you enjoy the taste of your creation – talk about who you know that needs to meet Jesus , and how can you  help them do that.