Celebrating Easter Every Day
by Guest Blogger Lee Ann Mancini
Whenever I hear of an upcoming celebration, I feel the joy rising up within me. I love celebrations. Whether informal or formal, I’m always glad to have a reason to celebrate. The word celebrate literally means “to assemble to honor.” It comes from the Latin word celebrare meaning “to honor a person, day, or season with festivities.”
There are many special occasions in life that we celebrate, such as birthdays, weddings, graduations, national holidays, etc. However, for the Christian, the most important celebration of all is Easter. Why is that the case? First Corinthians 15:14 boldly states, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless, and so is your faith.” If Christ had not risen from the grave, our faith would be useless, our salvation meaningless, and our preaching pointless. As a matter of fact, while Jesus’ birth was miraculous and His deeds were extraordinary, His greatest work—that of conquering death—was of incomparable significance. The importance of Jesus’ resurrection cannot be exaggerated. Without the resurrection, there is no salvation—or Christianity!
Knowing this, we can easily see why Easter is the most important holiday of all for the Christian. It is a joyous time to worship the Lord with family and friends. But in addition to celebrating on Easter Sunday, we should celebrate what Jesus has accomplished every day of the year! What do I mean by this?
I mean we should follow the commandment set forth in Deuteronomy 6:4-8, which says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” We are called to celebrate what Christ has done for us every day of the year! We are called to express our love and devotion to Him in every season!
Help Your Children Express Their Love for Jesus Every Day!
Here are some ways you can help your children express their love for Jesus both at Easter and every day of the year:
- Teach your children to say simple prayers.
- “Thank you, Jesus, for the Easter miracle of rising from the grave. Help me to remember to thank you every day for what you have done for me and for everyone who believes in you.”
- “I love you, Jesus! Help me to see new life all around me. Help me to give thanks to you because your death has brought me new life.”
- “Dear Father, thank you for giving us your Son and for raising Jesus to life so we can live with you in heaven forever.”
- Lead by example. Encourage your children to engage in simple acts of kindness.
- During Easter, visit someone who is elderly or lonely. Bring them flowers with a Bible verse attached. Spend time with them, and remind them how much Jesus loves them.
- Express your love for Jesus through your words and actions. Say a kind word to a stranger, or lend a helping hand. After doing someone a favor, remember to tell that person, “Have a blessed day!”
- Encourage your children to draw pictures with handwritten notes at the bottom. Send these in the mail to a loved one. Add your own personal message, expressing how much you love that friend or family member and are praying for them. Show you care for them just as Jesus loves and cares for you!
- Here are some other fun ideas:
- Pick one day each week to do something different with your children:
- Tuesday or “Two’s Day”: Every time you say Jesus’ name, say it twice.
- Thursday or “Thirsty Day”: Every time you take a drink of water, say, “Jesus, you give us living water.”
- Saturday or “Salty or Sugary Saturday”: Make foods that are fun to eat using salt or sugar. Thank Jesus for all the wonderful treats!
- Bulletin Boards: Bulletin boards are not just for school! Have your child cut out pictures from magazines, draw pictures, or take photos that reflect the risen Jesus and new life. Post them on a special bulletin board.
- Placemats: Make homemade placemats! Pick a Bible verse. Have your child draw pictures of God, Jesus, and the Bible that relate to that verse. Alternatively, cut out pictures from biblical magazines. Glue them on a piece of paper, and laminate them to use as placemats. Once children learn the Bible verse, make a new placemat!
I know some of these ideas may sound simple, but ask yourself, “When is the last time I did something like this to help my child grow in the faith?” If you have done something like this recently, that’s wonderful! Keep on doing what you’re doing! If you have not, then it’s never too late to start!
Celebrate the Day of Ascension
In addition to Easter, don’t forget to celebrate the Day of Ascension—or what some Christians call “the Feast of Ascension.” This refers to the day Jesus went to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. Only after the ascension was Jesus’ work complete. Hebrews 10:11-12 states, “Day after day, every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again, and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.” Jesus’ sacrifice was “finished” on the cross, but His work was not completed until He ascended to the Father! Just as the apostles saw Jesus ascend into the heavens, we too will see Him descend on the very last day. What a celebration that day will be!
Please Check This Out
Please check out this wonderful reading of God’s Easter Miracles. The sound effects are wonderful! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C5GGlQH20Y&t=301s
More about Guest Blogger Lee Ann Mancini
Teaching women and children to raise up the next generation for Christ, Lee Ann Mancini’s desire is for children to begin to know and love Jesus from an early age. Read more.
Lee Ann’s passion for teaching children how to love people as Jesus did eventually led to the creation of the Adventures of the Sea Kids:
