Easter 2011 - Part 1

This year the kids and I made Easter Story Cookies. Abigail and Henry are at the perfect age for something like this and they really understood what we were doing. Here's what we did and what it represented.
First we read John 19:1-3. After Jesus was arrested, He was beaten and mocked. We beat peanuts with a mallet to show how Jesus was beaten.
Then we read John 19:28-30. When Jesus was on the cross He got thirsty, but they only gave Him vinegar to drink. The kids smelled the vinegar and we poured it in a bowl.
Next we read John 10:10-11. Eggs represent life. Jesus gave His life so that we could live—forever! The kids poured in the eggs.

Next we read Luke 23:27. Jesus’ followers walked with Him as He carried the cross. Many of them cried because they were so sad. The salt tastes like tears. I guess I missed a picture of this but we put in a pinch of salt.
Next we read Psalm 34:8. The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus loves us! The kids poured in sugar.
Then we beat the mixture (without the nuts in it).
Notice how white the mixture is. We read Isaiah 1:18. Jesus is pure because He never sinned. When He forgives our sins, He makes us pure.
We folded in the nuts then read Matthew 27:57-60. We put teaspoons of the mixture on a cookie sheet. Each mound represented the rocky tomb where Jesus was laid.
Lastly we read Matthew 25:65-66. We put the cookie sheet in the oven and turned the oven OFF and “seal” the door with a piece of tape.

The next morning the kids checked the oven. They pulled off the tape to check the cookies. They cracked them open and they were hollow, empty, just like Jesus' tomb! I missed a picture of this because they checked them before I was awake. So bummed I missed a picture, but glad they were excited to check them out.

It was neat to hear them tell other people about the cookies and what everything represented. I love being able to do these kinds of projects with the kids since they are at such a perfect age.