At the foot of our homemade, poster-board, Lenten, Cross....

Easter is coming.
It is THE most significant holiday for my soul to celebrate.
His birth is special, it's the beginning, it's miraculous....but, His death and resurrection make ALL the difference. He rose from the dead and so I now live. Amazing.

The last 2 years we've been able to include our kids in this reflective season. Personally, I love reflecting. I find so much energy in having open space for my heart to look back. I do this best by writing and talking...rarely is reflection complete for me when left to my internal thoughts alone. Therefore, as Lent begins and I enter into a 40 day time frame of remembering His love that led Him to making the ultimate sacrifice for us...I must include my family in that journey with me or there will be a disconnect between us. This story is their story. His grace is big enough for the messy process we go through in trying to understand it, especially as children.

Two years ago we began a new tradition as a family. Each nite during Lent we gather at the foot of the cross. We make a big cross on poster board and hang it up on the door. We write scripture around the cross of God's love, one passage a week. Inside the cross we write words that remind us of what that image means. We sing songs like "The Wonderful Cross" (which is Justice's favorite) and "Jesus Loves The Little Children"...and we anticipate Easter's celebration at the end of the 40 days.

Already in bright green John 3:16 is vividly printed on the poster board. All 4 of my kids nearly have it memorized and inside the cross in bold yellow letters the word "LIFE" is written for this first week. I keep looking at it when I walk by and I find myself uttering a raspy "thank you" often.

It's astonishing for me to feel the weight of His love right now. I feel the burden of His love...which His sacrifice exposes. I feel grateful for my kids and the way He uses these little people to overwhelm my heart with His insane, purely perfect, unconditional love.

Love.
Sacrifice.
Jesus.
Family.
Celebration.
Life.
For God So loved the world......
Thank You Jesus.