Lent
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moreA Family Christian Activity for Easter ……. Make a Grace Garden {A Visual Parable}
On Friday, March 23 rd, 2012Back there in the beginning, we all fell in a garden. And Christ, He falls to the ground in the garden of Gethsemane. And He begins to right our fall. So the kids and I, we put our hands into dirt, and we remember our garden fall and His garden grace, and we make a Grace Garden for Easter. ...
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moreWhen You’re Feeling Unseen & Unappreciated {Words for Lent}
On Wednesday, March 21 st, 2012It’s hard to know what that is — when it’s a spotlight that heats up a prophet’s fervor. When ardency kindles with a microphone and holiness is this blazing performance for audience and applause. But what is that, that zealous ember in the dark, when a...
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moreWhat to Do When You feel like a Loser…
On Wednesday, March 14 th, 2012It’s half way through Lent and forget that sign of of dust they brush on the center of your forehead. I’m bowed over the sink after a teenage daughter’s slammed out the backdoor. Slammed out of my ugly diatribe. And I’m thinking I need something more direct, right there on the middle of brow. Like the “L” sign. The one the Farmer frowns deep ...
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moreWhen Your Lent Sort of Stinks…
On Wednesday, March 07 th, 2012It’s sort of like the year of the rooster or year of the dog – This Lent, it’s just just up and named itself. Up and named itself the Lent of the Whale. I tear up lettuce for a salad and all I can see is the spouting of that whale. Light the Lenten candle, and there’s the shiny fin. Carry a heap of sheets to...
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moreHow to Make Your March Amazing
On Thursday, March 01 st, 2012March, it could come in like a romping lamb and we could go to the woods and take winter for it’s last turn. One last spin on ice, one final round up the trail. “Isn’t it beautiful?” The Farmer calls over his shoulder, calls back to me. His little lamb skips beside him, trying to keep up. “Honk! Honk!” His happiness rings through the woods ...
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moreThe Secret to Fasting in a Lent that is Failing
On Wednesday, February 29 th, 2012Dust cloth in hand, that is what I’m thinking Lent’s all about. Don’t I desperately want to be changed when Easter morning dawns? For something different to have dawned in me. I wash things down. I m...
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moreFree Easter Devotional Book to Make a Jesus Easter Tree
On Wednesday, February 22 nd, 2012I can’t seem to follow through in giving up for Lent. Which makes me want to just give up Lent. Which makes me question Who I am following. Which may precisely be the point of Lent. Last week, I’m standing on a table, snapping the shutter on a bouquet of roses, when by brother calls. Levi picks it up, his eyes twinkling, stars risen early. I can only h...
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moreLiving A One-Piece Life: A Good Friday Reflection {His Mother before the Cross}
On Monday, April 04 th, 2011Son…. Son of God… Son of mine… God. Why? From the beginning I have watched and I have listened and I have pondered all these things quiet in my heart — but now I have to ask: why? Why didn’t You come down from that Cross in all Your power and Glory? Why didn’t You blind the chief priests with Your divine radiance? Why didn’t You s...
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moreHow to Make & Take a Peace Retreat
On Friday, April 01 st, 2011{Two posts today— our other family activity posted below} This house rocks with the noise and the thunder, of the many and the living close. I light a candle. We call it a Peace Retreat. When tears rain and voices crash, domestic sky splitting with sibling storm, this Mama who sometimes wearies Mama needs arms to wrap up the gusting child or the wind-lashed child to tuck...
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moreFamily Activity for Lent: A Repentance Box
On Friday, April 01 st, 2011It’s our Family Sorry Box. Set right there near our our Family Peace Retreat . Because what peace is there without making peace with God? It was an idea that that migrated here from a friend. So we found a wooden box with a lid, a pen and a stack of paper — just recycled business cards. It could be any ...
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moreFree Easter Devotional with Easter Passion Tree {Because Easter’s More Important than Christmas}
On Thursday, March 31 st, 2011We begin “The Trail to the Tree”… that set us free. Will you join us in these Easter Devotionals? Each of the 17 day journey towards Easter includes: The full te...
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moreWhen You Want Easter to be as Meaningful as Christmas
On Wednesday, March 23 rd, 2011‘I’ll need a match.” Levi says this looking for light, to ignite a wick and singe us with prayer. How many flames to burn off dross and liquefy the steeled cold into the mold of Christ? I hand Levi the matchbox. He snaps one red match head into a singular furnace. The ringing candles flicker over wood. “It is like Christmas…” Levi bends over a waxed torch. ...
