Remembrance & Springtime

Every 3 months Andrew always gets a good laugh at me because I absolutely LOVE the changing of seasons. He likes to say my favorite season is the next season. They just always come so perfectly. With winter turning to spring I am again LOVING it and blissfully happy as we play in the 60 something degree weather, watch the trees and flowers begin to blossom, hear the birds sing their little diddies, and so forth.

This spring has been especially fun because we decided to focus on Lent with our kiddos and it has been amazing to me how beautifully Lent coincides with spring. You all probably already knew this stuff but it's been new to me. I did some pre-Lent research and planning to decide the best way to teach the kiddos and learned lots of great things. For starters, Lent actually means springtime. We decided to use our favorite Bible (Jesus Storybook Bible) to repeat 5 stories surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus over the course of Lent. We've picked a couple Bible verses to memorize and new hymns to learn. Andrew & I tend a little "old school" and teach our kids songs from a hymnal. We love it and the words are so good. We also picked several words that we want our kids to begin understanding such as holy, crucifixion, resurrection, and a few more. Each week we talk about what they mean and how they relate to Lent and Easter. Madeline & Simeon have been doing great with it all. They remember some, forget a lot, but pay attention and seem genuinely interested in what we are talking about.

Personally, I am learning a lot, too. I was trying to explain Lent to Cyrenthia & ended up teaching myself in the process. I've always turned my nose up a bit toward Lent as a legalistic Catholic holiday (hello snobby, arrogant, uneducated self). I thought, I should be remembering His sacrifice always, not just on a holiday. Thankfully, Jesus has been humbling me, teaching me, and changing me through His Word. Yes, it is true I should be living in light of the sacrifice Jesus paid for me, but it is so good for me to intentionally push myself to experience in a small way His sacrifice which in turn pushes me to humility before Him as I recognize my weakness, my inability, my constant failure. I want to remember, so I can see Him more clearly. So I can love Him more. So I can receive His grace and love and walk with Him.

Just as spring gives way to new life from death, the season of Lent is causing me to remember with humility and gratitude Jesus, my Rescuer, who gives me a way to new life from death. So incredibly thankful.

Our new hymn is "There is a Fountain Filled with Blood." If you don't know it you should learn it. It is a great one.

There is a fountain filled with blood
drawn from Emmanuel's veins;
and sinners plunged beneath that flood
lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains,
lose all their guilty stains;
and sinners plunged beneath that flood
lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see
that fountain in his day;
and there may I, though vile as he,
wash all my sins away.
Wash all my sins away,
wash all my sins away;
and there may I, though vile as he,
wash all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood
shall never lose its power
till all the ransomed church of God
be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more,
be saved, to sin no more;
till all the ransomed church of God
be saved, to sin no more.

E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream
thy flowing wounds supply,
redeeming love has been my theme,
and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die,
and shall be till I die;
redeeming love has been my theme,
and shall be till I die.

When this poor lisping, stammering tongue
lies silent in the grave.

Then in a nobler, sweeter song,

I'll sing thy power to save.

I'll sing thy power to save,

I'll sing thy power to save.

Then in a nobler sweeter song,

I'll sing thy power to save.