A Fun Way to Teach Children the Easter Story

I'm planning to cook at least one evening this week, maybe even two, so I've been surfing recipe sites off and on all morning. There must be millions!  I found one, though, that I really like and so I've added it to my blog list - A Flavorful Life.  It's cute, has a lot of variety, and the recipes seem simple enough for a simple cook like me.  I'm thinking about trying the Mexican Stuffed Peppers tonight!

I found another recipe though that I want to share here on my blog since Sunday was Easter - the one for Resurrection Cookies, also called Easter cookies.  You can find the recipe all over the internet, but this particular recipe has a new fun twist in that it uses Crescent rolls and marshmallows. It's a fun way to teach children the Easter Story.

I want to credit the Earle family for its posting and encourage you to visit their blog - A Flavorful Life.

Resurrection Cookies:

You can see the empty tomb in the middle cookie

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:
Crescent rolls
Melted butter
Large marshmallows
Cinnamon
Sugar

Give each child a triangle of crescent rolls. The crescent roll represents the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in.

Read Matthew 27:57-61

1. Give each child a marshmallow. This represents Jesus.
2. Have him/her dip the marshmallow in melted butter. This represents the oils of embalming.
3. Now dip the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon and sugar which represents the spices used to anoint the body.
4. Then wrap up the coated marshmallow tightly in the crescent roll (not like a typical crescent roll up, but bring the sides up and seal the marshmallow inside.) This represents the wrapping of Jesus' body after death.
5. Place in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. (The oven represents the tomb - pretend like it was three days!)
6. Let the rolls cool slightly. The children can open their rolls (cloth) and discover that Jesus is no longer there, HE IS RISEN!!!! (The marshmallow melts and the crescent roll is puffed up, but empty.)

Now read Matthew 28:5-8

Explain: At the tomb, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary saw an angel, who told them not to be afraid. No one had taken Jesus' body, but He Had risen from the dead! The angel told the women to go and tell the disciples what they had seen, that Jesus had risen from the dead. They were so excited, they ran all the way home to tell the disciples the good news! He is risen from the dead! Alleluia!

After that Jesus appeared in person to Peter, then to the 12 disciples and after that, to more than 500 people. Jesus' appearance to eyewitnesses, those who saw Him with their own eyes, would give support and prove that Jesus rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).

By rising from the dead, Jesus proved once and for all that He was the Messiah, the Savior of the World, the Chosen One, and the Lamb of God. By dying on the cross and rising from the dead, Jesus did what no other had ever done before. As both God and man, He overcame sin, death, and hell. And now because of what Jesus has done, these things no longer have any power over those who believe in Jesus and allow His Spirit to lead and direct them. Rather than being slaves to sin and death, Christians ( those who love and believe in Jesus) are free to obey God and do good ( Romans 6:17-18). The Bible says in John 8:36, "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."

However, we will only obey God if we listen to the Holy Spirit our helper. He enables believers in Jesus to do the right thing. It is important that we read the Bible (God's Word) because one of the ways the Holy Spirit helps us obey God is by reminding us of what He says to us in His Word. God's Spirit will never go against his Word. In fact, when we read God's Word, we are listening to the Holy Spirit. Of course, you won't always do the right thing; the Bible says this ) 1 John 1:5-10). But that is why we need to continue to confess our sins knowing that God forgives us, based on what Jesus did on the cross. This is also a reason we need to spend time with other believers in Christ so they can encourage us in our faith.

- Author Unknown -

Hope you all had a wonderful and blessed Easter!

Crazy Us

I love pictures, and often times to the dismay of my friends, show up with my camera. Why not? How else am I going to take hold of the moment and keep it forever.

I can't tell you the number of times I've pulled out my camera only to hear "Oh no! Not again!  Should've known Judy would have her camera!" 

That puzzles me.  I'm always thrilled when someone pulls out their camera.  Being the one with the camera most of the time means I'm often not in the picture - and I love having my picture taken. Not that I'm especially photogenic, but I'm often surprised how good I looked five years ago as compared to today - no matter how bad I thought the picture was at the time.  Ha!  So it's all relative, and we're all friends, and we all love each other.

I do try to be respectful of my friends and discard pictures I don't think they would find particularly flattering. I can't decide though, if it's the posed shots they dislike the most, or the impromptu shots.

One thing I have learned though, that after several "serious" shots, it's always fun to end the session with a relaxed, "crazy" pose. Everyone seems to enjoy it and then can't wait to see the pictures.

Here are a couple of my favorites:

Bob's birthday 2011

Bob's birthday 2010

My "Friday Night" group at the Pannabecker's 2010

Crazy runs in the family - My nephew's family at Christmas 2010 

They say a picture's worth a thousand words.  I love what these pictures say!

Happy Anniversary, Music Man

Bob and I just recently celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary and so I've been thinking a lot about how blessed I am that this New Yorker, after graduating from Syracuse University, found his way to little ol' Salisbury, NC to eventually become my husband.

Not that we were each other's first love...

I think I've mentioned before that Bob has a first love that is still very much a part of his life - his saxophone. He loved her long before he ever loved me. She was with him all through high school and college, but then spent the next fifty years in a storage room downstairs. I often chided him, since I couldn't imagine how anyone with a musical talent (I have none) could just - not play!   So a couple of years ago, I dug her out of storage, set her on the den floor next to the sofa, and hoped he would at least be curious to see how well she had fared all those years.

The case sat there for months, collecting dust. I was just about ready to pack her back up when our friend Victor came over to watch a ballgame. Thank goodness Victor is the curious sort!  Being a musician himself, he recognized the music case almost immediately. It wasn't even half-time before both he and Bob were down in the floor, oohing and ahhing over how beautiful she was and what a sweet sound she still made! I knew at that moment, she would never see storage again.

Bob immediately began practicing daily, trying to get his "lip" back. He wasn't satisfied until he was playing in three bands and out almost every night of the week. A similar regimen continues. He never seems to tire of it and speaks often of his regret at having missed out on all those years she sat in storage.

And I love it too!  Few days go by that music doesn't fill our home.  I never tire listening to Bob play.  I figure God intended for some of us to be listeners.  After all, had He made us all to sing, dance or play a musical instrument, who'd be sitting in the audience?

God knew what He was doing when He made me a listener. Why else would He pair me with a musician!

Happy Anniversary, Music Man!

Bob plays with the Salisbury Swing Band. The video below is from a show they recently put on at the downtown Maroney Theatre.  Bob is just behind Lonnie's left elbow.