Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Share Some Joy and Egg Your Neighbors!

 This is such a fun idea!
 I used the Inspirational Eggs I found at Walmart.
 And simply hid 11 Inspirational Eggs
plus one plain white empty egg
at various houses where I knew there
were children and taped the cardstock
egg printable on the door.
I also got to peek out and watch a 
couple of my neighbors 
be surprised!
It was fun! The eggs sent a 
subtle but simple message
and kept the meaning of
Easter in focus!
To get a free Egg Printable
follow this link:
 http://www.fabnfree.com/2013/02/17/youve-been-egged-a-free-printable/

Monday, March 30, 2015

FREE Easter Coloring Pages

For Free Easter Coloring Printables
follow this link:
http://thecraftyclassroom.com/2015/03/21/christian-easter-coloring-pages/

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Free Easter Printable

This is an adorable printable
that you can use to make
your own Easter Decoration!
Just print and frame.
How easy is that?
To download yours, go to
http://www.1dogwoof.com/2012/03/he-has-risen-printable.html

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Leave A Little Extra!

Leave a little extra any time
you go out to dinner or anywhere
else you would normally
leave a tip!
 
Add a Scripture!
The effect will be much better
with a nice hefty tip!
And I'm sure you could probably
find little scripture pre-written
onto little pieces of paper
for daily encouragement if you
went to Mardel's - but since I
live in a town with no Mardel's,
I made my own. 
If you'd like to download FREEprintables
follow this link:
 http://aip.shootproof.com/event/1299242

Idea submitted by Bambi Rogers.
Thank you, Bambi!

Friday, March 27, 2015

Look at These!

Look at these!
Aren't they adorable?
And in this modern age
when we like to keep
things simple,
it's nice to have a
Christ Centered Option!
 There are Dinner Plates,
Desert Plates and Napkins.
Here is a close up view!
And - I found them at
Hobby Lobby!
 

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Attend A Passion Play

I live in the Lawton, Oklahoma
area, so it's easy for me
to take a Passion Play for granted.
 
The Holy City of the Wichitas
has had one running for
90 years! 
It's pretty amazing and everyone
should attend at least once
in their lifetime. 
 You spread a blanket on the ground
and snuggle up with your 
children and family and watch and wait.
Then the play begins and you 
are taken through the various
scenes in the Bible. 
It is beautifully narrated and makes
the Bible come alive.
And - it keeps the focus of Easter 
on the REASON that we celebrate.
For more information on this
particular passion play, go to:
 http://theholycitylawton.com/

Play dates are March 28th and April 4th.

And if you're too far away to enjoy
this one - search the web for something
in your area. 

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Jelly Bean Prayer Jars

These little Jelly Bean Jars
are fun to make and can
be used to teach children 
the gospel. And - they're 
super cute!
Just layer the jelly beans in
the jar, decorate a lid and
tie on a little tag!
Kids LOVE making them!
And - it's a great conversation
starter. Every child should be
taught about God's
wonderful plan of salvation!
 
 Black is for our sin
All the wrong things that we've done!
Red is for the blood of Jesus,
He shed for everyone!
White is for a heart so clean,
Washed as white as snow.
Gold is for the streets of Heaven,
How lovely they glow!
Green is for Growing,
Hide His Word in your heart.
Put your trust in Jesus, God's son,
Give your life a brand new start!

Here is a printable tag you can use
to decorate yours!

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Make A Resurrection Garden

This is a pretty simple idea.
Just take a planter and fill
with garden soil. 
Decorate with rocks 
and crosses made of sticks.
Use a container to make
a tomb and a stone 
for a door. 
Sprinkle with grass seeds.
I used bird seed because
that's what I had.
If it grows, I'll post a 
picture later.

But - it makes a thoughtful
Easter Center Piece. 

Idea submitted by Rajeev Mahan.
Thank you, Rajeev!

Monday, March 23, 2015

The Sheep That No One Could Find

When I think of Easter
I think of redemption and
forgiveness.
This isn't exactly an Easter
Story - but it is one every 
child should hear.
It tells the parable of 
the lost sheep.
It speaks of redemption
and forgiveness.
And it's beautifully illustrated, too!

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Make A Prayer Jar

Make a Prayer Jar
There are so many ways
you could use this!
Just find a pretty jar...
Decorate with Ribbon...
And insert names of people
you would like to pray for.
Draw a name out of the 
jar each morning and pray for
that person through out the day.

If you're doing this with kids
they could make a
"Thinking of You"
card and send it to the person
they are praying for 
each day.

If you're doing this alone,
you could do something nice,
or say something nice to 
the person you are praying 
for each day.

You could send an e-mail
or a card, or even a facebook message.

Just remember to lift the person
up to God through out the day!

Idea submitted by Bambi Rogers!
Thank you, Bambi! 

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Read The Easter Story

The Easter Story
should be read over and over.
The storybook version,
the Bible version, the Children's
Storybook Bible version.
It's a story every child should
have reinforced because it
is the story of redemption.
Without the sacrifice Christ
made, we would have no hope.
And every child needs to learn
that there is hope in Christ.
 Blessed be the God and Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ! 
According to his great mercy, 
he has caused us to be born again 
to a living hope through 
 the resurrection of Jesus Christ 
from the dead, to an inheritance 
that is imperishable, undefiled, 
and unfading, 
kept in heaven for you." 
- Peter 1: 3-4

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Watch the Jesus Movie!

Have a family movie night
and watch the Jesus movie!
Or - another movie 
about the crucifiction and
resurrection of Christ.
is available on DVD at Amazon
and Christian bookstores
near you!

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Tuck Bible Verses Inside Your Easter Eggs

I was stuffing eggs for our
annual Easter Egg Hunt when
I came up with this
super simple idea!
 
 Why not tuck a scripture inside 
each one?
 It's such an inexpensive way to
share the gospel, and keep 
the focus of Easter a
little more on Christ, I don't know
why I hadn't thought of it sooner.
I simply copied and pasted several 
verses into a word document,
and then printed them and cut them
out into strips to stuff into
the eggs. And now that they're
typed up and saved - I'd be happy to share.
If you'd like a copy of the verses
I used just e-mail me,
and I'll reply with the list attached.
My e-mail is
patty.patterson@sbcglobal.net
 

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Teach Your Little Ones to Pray

Easter is a time to reflect
on all that Christ did for us.
It's a time to remind ourselves
how costly our salvation is.
It is a time to pray.
To give thanks.
To renew our spirits and 
commune with God.
We can help our children do this
by praying with them and
by teaching them to
pray themselves.
Allow them to say grace
at mealtimes and encourage them
to say their prayers before
going to sleep each night.
And - pray for them when they
are sick, or hurt and needing 
healing. And ask God for His help 
when searching for a 
lost toy or special belonging
that has been misplaced.
Here is an excellent book 
about a child's prayer. Reading 
books about prayer and praying 
with your children about
everyday things makes communicating
with God much more natural.
And shouldn't it be the most natural
thing in the world to do to take 
our cares and concerns to God?
by Anthony DeStefano.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Talk About Going to Heaven!

I've heard it said that only
two things are certain in life,
and that's death and taxes!
Now, may not be the right time
to talk to your child about taxes.
But - let's face it.
Everybody is going to die!
Death is a part of life.
Yet it's something we see to avoid
talking about.
And because we avoid talking
about it - it's scary for children.
But - for the Christian,
death is not something we should fear!

 O death, where is thy sting? 
O grave, where is thy victory? 
The sting of death is sin; and the 
strength of sin is the law.  
But thanks be to God, 
which giveth us the victory 
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, 
unmoveable, always abounding in the work 
of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that 
your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 
1 Corinthians 15:55-58

Here are a couple of great books 
that talk about the promise 
of heaven! I personally look
forward to going.
 

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Set Aside Some Time for Family Devotions

Set aside some time to do
family devotions - and activities
that help your children 
keep their focus on Christ.
is a fun devotional and it
includes lots of crafts and activities
that go along with the story
of the crucifixion and resurrection
of Christ - which is why
we celebrate Easter!
And most of the crafts can be
made with things you have
on hand. 

Friday, March 13, 2015

Arm Yourself with Truth!

I just love this concept!
I am not a huge tattoo fan
but I love the Word of God
and think we should all try
to memorize it.
 At this website
you can purchase a variety of 
temporary tattoos with scripture
created just for memorization!
 Simply apply them to your arm
so you can easily see them,
and read over them every chance you get.
Now - how cool is that?

You could do this with your family
as an Easter Memorization Project.
Or - anytime, all year long!

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Sing a Song.....

Kids learn a lot through music.
So - sing a song!
There are several great 
Easter songs on this album.
 
 One that celebrates the
resurrection is
One, Two, Three... Jesus is Alive!
You can listen to a preview HERE


Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Another MUST READ Children's Book!

Here is another MUST READ
Children's Book!
If I were to rate this book
on a scale of one to ten,
I'd have to give it a 12.
It deserves "extra credit" because
it really connects with 
children and makes them
feel as if they, too, can be strong
when they depend on Jesus!

 
is about a donkey who was laughed
at. He was considered worthless
because he was too weak
to carry a rider. He never thought
he would amount to anything.
And then one magnificent day,
he was sold. He thought it was a mistake.
NO ONE wanted HIM!
HE was WORTHLESS. 
But then - he learned to depend on
the power of Jesus and he was
used to carry Jesus into town,
where the crowd waved palms
and cheered. 
And we can all do great things,
if we will just trust in Jesus
and do as He says. 

This is a MUST READ! You can purchase
it here:  http://www.amazon.com/Donkey-That-One-Could-Ride/dp/0736948511/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424717256&sr=1-1&keywords=the+donkey+no+one+could+ride

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Easter Books - To Be Used with Resurrection Eggs

Every child loves a story,
and these stories are so, so good!
My personal favorite book
for reading with the
Resurrection Eggs is
Lily's Easter Party!
 Lily's Easter party is a fun story that
let's children know how special
Easter really is!
Another Resurrection Egg book
is Benjamin's Box.
It's a great story, too
In both of these books you open
a resurrection egg and pass 
the contents around and
talk about the meaning of each item.
It keeps the focus of 
Easter on the Resurrection....
on Jesus.... 
right where it belongs. 

Monday, March 9, 2015

Resurrection Eggs

I've used these with my grand kids
for the past few years and 
we love hearing the story
of the Resurrection 
year after year. 
Each egg had a symbol inside
and you open them one 
at a time as the story
is told. They really bring
Easter alive for kids.
 Here is what is inside!
I used to use the eggs by themselves,
but now - I use them along with a book.
I read the book and the childen
use the eggs to help me tell the 
Easter Story
as the eggs for our family 
Easter Egg hunt are being hidden.
I just LOVE this part of our
family celebration.
I'll share our Resurrection Egg
books tomorrow.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Inspirational Easter Eggs

You can find 
Inspiration Easter Eggs
with very little effort.
I found these at Walmart.
They also have quite a few
chocolate crosses
and other things that
keep Christ in focus at
Easter time. 

Keep your eye out
for Easter items that 
honor Christ.
If they sell.... perhaps
they will continue to be
stocked on our 
department store and
grocery store shelves
in years to come.
Let's not let these special 
treasures slip away!
 

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Free Mini-Coloring Books

These mini-coloring books
were designed to be just the right
size to stuff in an Easter Egg.
 And they tell children
about Jesus!
But take a look at the video on the
following page to see the inside:

Friday, March 6, 2015

Make and Color a FREE Jesus Is Alive Color Book

Every kid likes to color!
And - HERE is a FREE 
printable Jesus Is Alive Coloring Book!
It has 15 pages of coloring fun!
And - it will provide some great 
conversation starters
so you can share with your children
the REAL meaning of Easter!

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Jelly Bean Prayer Jars

These little Jelly Bean Jars
are fun to make and can
be used to teach children 
the gospel. And - they're 
super cute!
Just layer the jelly beans in
the jar, decorate a lid and
tie on a little tag!
Kids LOVE making them!
And - it's a great conversation
starter. Every child should be
taught about God's
wonderful plan of salvation!
 
 Black is for our sin
All the wrong things that we've done!
Red is for the blood of Jesus,
He shed for everyone!
White is for a heart so clean,
Washed as white as snow.
Gold is for the streets of Heaven,
How lovely they glow!
Green is for Growing,
Hide His Word in your heart.

Put your trust in Jesus, God's son,
Give your life a brand new start!

Here is a printable tag you can use
to decorate yours!



Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Have and Easter Play Date!

We have a little play group that
gets together from time to time
for play dates.
For Easter, we made foam
egg yard decorations.
 Aren't they cute?
 They're so simple and fun to make, too!

Then we made Jelly Bean Prayer Jars!
 They turned out really cute, too,
but I failed to get a picture.
 So here is a picture of one I made
earlier with Caelie.
 
The little tag on it says:

Black is for our sin
All the wrong things that we've done!
Red is for the blood of Jesus,
He shed for everyone!
White is for a heart so clean,
Washed as white as snow.
Gold is for the streets of Heaven,
How lovely they glow!
Green is for Growing,
Hide His Word in your heart.

Put your trust in Jesus, God's son,
Give your life a brand new start!


And after making our crafts we had
a few Easter Stories and then
hunted eggs!
 I think the kids had a good time.
And they got plenty of eggs and prizes.
 And they were kind to each other!
 And even though my foam eggs
were not decorated, they made
great garden decor....
And they've lasted two weeks,
through wind and rain. And they still
look nice.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Whose Child Are You?

Easter is about God's Gift
Eternal Life
 
Whose Child Are You

Not too long ago, I took a trip to Texas to return two of my grand daughters to their parents. To break up the drive, I planned a few stops. The first stop, was Chuck E. Cheese's. Both girls love to go to the Chuck E. Cheese's in Wichita Falls and it would provide a nice bathroom break, lunch break and it would give us a chance to stretch our legs and work off any energy our bodies stored by being cooped up in the car.

Once we arrived we ordered our lunch and began to play games while we waited on our food. I've learned that our tokens last longer if I give the girls a few at a time, so I followed them around, handing them tokens as needed. As the girls enjoyed a game of skeet ball another little girl came up to me and asked for tokens. Having a heart for children, I handed her a few and off she went to play games. Then I joined Grace and Olivia in a skeet ball game and watched carefully as Grace tried to teach me how to get my ball in the 5,000 point hole. When my game was over, the other little girl was standing beside me wanting more tokens. I looked around, and didn't see her parents, so I gave her two more. By then our food was ready - so we sat down to eat.
And - as we were eating the little girl came back - wanting even more tokens. This time, I told her she needed to go get tokens from her own Mom or Grandma - because these tokens were for my grand  children!

Now - I am not one to be selfish, especially when it comes to children. But - this child was not MINE! I answered her request a time or two, but it is not my responsibility to meet her needs. She is not my child. She is not my grand child. I don't even KNOW her! We have absolutely no relationship.

This event got me to thinking. How often do people try to use God the way this little girl tried to use me? I wonder if He ever feels as if people expect Him to be some sort of Santa Claus in the sky? It seems as if people are focused on themselves more now than any time in history. Some even act like God was created for their benefit, when the fact of the matter is, we were all created for Him. We weren't created to live life for ourselves, but for His pleasure.

Yet - when we selfishly ask for things, God often gives in and grants us our request. He'll hand us a few tokens! And when we come back for more, He may even give us that. He is constantly displaying His goodness! But we can't expect to keep coming back and continue to have our prayers answered without becoming His child! The Bible is full of promises. But - those promises are not for everybody. They are meant for those who God can truly call His own. His children. Those who have accepted His grace and been given the most important gift of all. The gift of His son, Jesus. Salvation. Eternal Life.

When you become His - His promises are yours!

It's simple, really.

Give your life to Jesus and accept Him as your Savior and become a child of God. Give your life to God. Obey Him. Inherit His promises and eternal life. Or - take your request to your own Daddy.

You see. If you are not God's child, you have no relationship with Him. So, asking Him for things is kind of like that little girl at Chuck E. Cheese asking me for tokens.

Yes, God is good. And yes, He has the means to supply all of your needs according to His riches and glory. And He will. IF - you first become His child!

Need help giving your life to Christ? Feel free to call me or any of your truly saved, Bible believing friends or follow this link if you'd like to pray privately.
http://www.embracegodstruth.com/LifeToJesus.html