I plan on continuing last Tuesday's post about pregnancy and newborns with another one about toddlers, but that will have to wait until next week, because today is the eve of Lent 2011, so today's topic is all about why I think observing the season of Lent is important, and the "tips and tools" will consist of ideas for making Lent a meaningful experience for young children.
It's not just a Catholic thing.
All Christians can benefit from the Christ-likeness there is to be gained from observing lent. Observing seasons like lent and advent, and any other spiritual time like these might seem strange or too "church-y" or whatever. But you know why I think it's important? Because it is much too easy for us to FORGET what God has done... to FORGET who He is.... to FORGET what He requires of us... what He wants FOR us! We need reminders. Times that we purposefully devote ourselves to remembrance... because, as the old hymn says, we are "prone to wander."
Ah, this is SOOO true for me!!
Lent is a season for learning to identify with Christ in His suffering. It is good for us to suffer. Yes, you heard me right. It is good for us to even subject ourselves to suffering! Psalm 119:71 teaches us that suffering helps us learn to obey The Lord and pay attention to what He is saying. The Lord wants to sanctify us in this very way. It is a concept that everything inside of us wants to reject, but it is still true, regardless of how we feel about it. Feelings and circumstances rule us too much of the time, rather than the true King of Kings being the ruler of our hearts and lives.
Read Honest to God for further explanation about why Christians observe the season of Lent.
Lent makes Easter the celebration it should be!
Lent is 40 days long - this year it runs Wednesday March 9th through Saturday, April 23rd (excluding Sundays) Easter is April 24th. How much more valuable and celebratory will Easter Sunday be if we have subjected ourselves to suffering in the days leading up to it? It is a celebration of what He has done and what He will do. It is a celebration of His victory over all the yucky in this world... in our lives...in our hearts. We can't comprehend or digest all of this in just one day, when we're all dolled up to go to church on Easter Sunday. No... we need time to process, time to reflect, time to subject ourselves to suffering... time to observe the season of Lent!!!
If you really do it, I think you will unexpectedly surprised by the blessing He pours out!
Using Symbolism:
You can use symbolism to teach kids about what it means to identify with Christ in His suffering, and what Lent and Easter are all about. Tangible things are easy for kids to understand. And they will remind us adults, too!
- For example, you could place an empty bowl on your dining room table, and just leave it empty. When you see the bowl, think about (and talk about with your kids) the intense hunger that Jesus must have felt when he fasted for F-O-R-T-Y D-A-Y-S in the wilderness. Have you ever tried fasting for just one day? I have. It was hell on earth! It was challenging. It rubbed me wrong in every way. It made me question. It made me focus......The empty bowl could also represent for us all of the things that we fill our lives with that help us to cope, and put ourselves first, and stuff like that. Things like food, money, shopping, TV...little comforts that make us feel better... for a while... things that aren't really that bad, but that take up all the space in our lives (in our "bowls") -- and that distract and leave no room for The Lord. The empty bowl could remind us to empty our lives of these things for a time -- so that God can put something better in their place. What is it for you? What is it for your kids? You think kids are not distracted? You think they don't fill up their lives with things that are meaningless or not quite so beneficial? They do. Even little kids... Encourage them to make room for The Lord.
- Another symbol that you could use in your home is a cactus. You could get a real cactus, or just draw a picture of one (I like the idea of a real one) -- and just put it where you will see it and be reminded... of the wilderness, of what it feels like to be thirsty, desperate, parched... again, of the Lord's forty days in the desert. It can remind us to "come away with Him" to a quiet place, like Jesus often did, just to be with His Father.... even if it is to a desert.... where the distractions of this life can no longer bombard us... where we can hear His voice.
- Draw a cross on your hand, and/or on your child's hand with a black marker. Black is the color of ashes, and ashes were used in the bible to remind people to be repentant and sober-minded. It is a reminder to always be examining ourselves -- our attitudes -- our habits -- our sinfulness. We should be sorrowful over our sinfulness. Not sorrow that just leaves us guilty, but sorrow that leads to repentance, which ultimately leads to pure joy! (see 2 Corinthians 7:10). A symbol right on our hand will continually remind us throughout our day. Easter is a celebration, but it does begin with ashes. He gives beauty for ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. He wants to make us oaks of righteousness, for His glory (see Isaiah 61).
Other thoughts...
- Keep it simple. Simplicity seems to be a theme of lent, as we seek to rid ourselves of the things that "so easily entangle" us, and just be with Him, to be changed by Him and to learn from Him. Hardship and suffering and the whole concept of lent, and Jesus' death on the cross, and resurrection are all difficult things for children to understand. Don't feel like you have to explain in too much detail. Keep it simple. God will touch your kids' minds and hearts to give them understanding where He wants them to have it. Trust Him to do this.
- Check out this guide to lent for young people, for a simplified description of the meaning of lent that kids can understand!
- Make a Lamb of God calendar.
- Check out Momopoly - lent for little ones (ignore the catholic references to rosarys, etc.. if they bother you)
2 comments:
I enjoyed this, thank you. I'm usually irritated by how most people choose to "sacrifice" during lent. It seems like so many decide to make lent their time to diet. They are giving up sweets or coffee or junk food. To me that really has nothing to do with Christ and the point of lent. We make it about us and not about Jesus. I liked the symbols you suggested, very interesting.
You challenged me and gave me reason to think through some things. Yesterday I already felt Gods presence over me in just the first few hours of conteplating change in my life for Jesus. Day one down...thirty nine more to go....
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