The green growing weeks of Winter are passing, and next week our world turns purple. Ash Wednesday is coming. The time in this church calendar is so rich, full of practices and invitation to walk more deeply with Christ. Yet Easter, and the Lenten season leading up to it can be hard to explain to children. It is hard to invite them to participate fully in preparation for the resurrection of Christ when the invitation involves giving up something they love.
Traditionally, Lent is a season in which Christ followers are called to fast, to abstain from a daily practice and allow this craving to remind them to center their thoughts on God. I don’t know about your experience as a parent, but sacrifice isn’t something that comes naturally to little ones, nor does it automatically remind them of God’s love! But that doesn’t mean that Lent cannot be a rich experience for your entire family. It just takes some intention and creative thinking to set up the invitation for your children.
One thing our family is going to practice this year is a daily Lenten call to action. On Ash Wednesday, a basket full of 40 Easter Eggs will appear on our kitchen table. Each day, we will open an egg and follow the invitation to think more deeply about our God, and care more concretely for our world and our neighbors.
I have attached a PDF of the daily prompts to this post- perhaps this is a practice your family wants to adopt as well? Blessings on your journey…
JoyPlusGrace 