Lenten Lessons Part 1.

One of the things I worry most about as a mother, is that I may not be teaching them enough about the things that really matter in life...namely God. I strive day in and day out to take every opportunity I can to teach them, turn situations into learning lessons, let them know of God's love. Obviously being human, I struggle. Luckily for me, there are people out there that have helped pave the way, making the opportunities for lessons a little easier. I take no credit for the activity below. I borrowed it from http://www.catholicmom.com/ a site I frequent often for little tips. It helped we wonderfully this past January on pro-life activities for the kiddos. However this one is under kids, Lenten activities, jelly bean prayer. I came across it two years ago, but at the time I came across it, Lent was half over, so we have technically only done it a year. The kids are not fans of jelly beans. Actually I take that back, they love jelly beans, but I don't like them to have them so we used m&ms instead. The kids loved it and I really felt that it covered a wide range of actions. It did not just focus on sacrifice, but also forgiveness, not just actions, but also prayer. The kids looked forward to getting new colors and striving for the colors they struggled to get. It is kind of funny because one of the kiddos' sitter came over a few weeks ago and asked if we had started that m&m thing yet. I told her no, that it was for lent, and she was like "man, they worked so hard for those black ones, I thought it would be easy tonight." I laughed...apparently she liked the activity too. Luckily the kiddos went to bed just fine for her anyway. When I was getting all the stuff out to do it for this year even, Cohen asked if we could add some more colors. I asked him to elaborate. He suggested adding brown because his Rosary is brown and he thought maybe he could get brown for every time he prays his rosary. I don't know how many 6 year olds think about praying the rosary, but I am happy mine does! We are also in the process of constructing a crown of thorns...I'll keep you posted on this one as we have never done it:) I am always looking for new things to do with them, so if you have any, please share! I am still trying to come up with other stuff besides the usual (weekly Stations, Easter Cookies) so if I think of anything, or if anyone shares anything, I'll pass it on.

Here is our set up from last year....

Red is for the love He gave- Each morning they would choose something to sacrifice for that day. He had to be something they had the opportunity to have or do on that day.

Green is for the palms cool shade- green were earned for good deeds done (providing shade for Jesus with palms was a good deed)

Yellow is for God's light so bright- yellows were earned for kindness shared to others

Blue was for prayers at twilight- (these were supposed to be orange, but the kids thought the sky was more blue so we went with blue)- these were for good behavior with prayer or during special prayer times

Black is for sweet rest at night-these were earned for going to bed good:) Miss Miayla had just a few blacks-this year she swears she will get more

White is for God's grace- THESE COULD NOT BE EARNED

Purple is for His days of sorrow- these were earned after apologizing to someone you hurt through words or actions-asking for forgiveness

Pink is for each new tomorrow-pink were earned when we forgave someone who had apologized to us .

We set the jars up on Ash Wednesday and the kiddos could earn m&ms for the colors they performed whatever deed for. They COULD NOT eat them until Easter. The kids could not earn white m&ms, these represent God's grace, which is a gift not earned ourselves. Essentially though, on Easter morning, the kiddos woke up to find their jars filled up where they were empty (lacking) with white m&ms (God's grace)-All of those pictures are on a different computer that is all apart as we finish a basement...if or when I find them, I'll post the jars with white m&ms:) ---

I hated to spoil it for you if you were excited to see where this was going, but just in case you wanted to do it with your kiddos, I thought I would prepare you:).

God's Peace!