Family Lent Field Report

Our Lenten-Easter Tree

We seem to have found our groove in the family lent department. We are enjoying the resources that we have discovered and are doing an activity that fits nicely into life while reinforcing the story of Jesus.

Every day during Morning Meeting we read the days’ selection in Family Celebrations at Easter by Ann Hibbard. The author shares an anecdote from her life that relates to what Jesus or the disciples experienced. Next comes the Scripture passage. She gives the reference, but also re-tells the story in her own words. We enjoy reading her description of what happened. Several straight-forward discussion/comprehension questions follow. There is a little prayer that we read.

Then we place a corresponding ornament on our Lenten Tree! The book depicts a symbol for each day during lent. The simple picture symbolizes the part of Jesus’ story that we read that day. The clever author (definitely a smart mom!) includes all the symbols in the back of the book in reproducible form. They are clear drawings, uniform in size and shape, which makes them easy to work with.

I photocopied the symbols and had the children color them in with colored pencils. Then we cut them out and traced cardboard backings for them. We glued the colored symbols to the cardboard, punched a hole in the top and inserted wire Christmas ornament hooks. Ta da! An Easter ornament. It went quickly and the children enjoyed it.

Now, what to hang the ornaments on? I have read a couple of different explanations of “Easter Trees” using dead branches. In the past, I have cut some Forsythia branches and brought them inside just to see them bloom. I figured, why not use Forsythia branches for the Easter Tree; then our tree will blossom!

I cut four or five branches from the Forsythia in our yard (which needed to be trimmed anyway). I put them in a quart mason jar and filled it halfway with water. If need be, you can put marbles in the jar for ballast. I put a plate under the jar and placed our “tree” in the living room.

Not only do we see our tree filling up with Easter symbols, but we see the branches coming back to life! I really had my doubts that anything would bloom out of those dead branches. But sure enough, green bumps grew into yellow spikes that burst into yellow trumpets! It happens every year, but it is still unbelievable. It is a great picture of how Jesus was dead, but now he is alive.