We celebrated Holy Week from Saturday to Saturday this year, since Josh had to leave Easter Sunday to travel to teach at the Pastor’s Bible School from Sunday-Wednesday. We started the week with setting up our tree and starting our nightly Lenten Lights readings.
We did Palm Sunday on Saturday night, since Sunday nights are too busy. And then we took a break Monday to have Josh’s birthday and did our reenactment of Jesus cleansing the temple on Tuesday.
Wednesday night we had our Easter Egg hunt (we like to keep that separate from Resurrection Day). The kids had a blast finding eggs – they each had their own color. It’s always fun to watch the youngest find eggs. Then we had a store where the kids traded their eggs for goods. Prices: water guns & bags of balloons – 3 eggs each; instant coffee, shampoo, face mask, pack of gum, Oreo cookie pack – 1 egg each.
Thursday evening we had our Maundy Thursday service with feet washing and remembered the Last Supper. We have the older wash the younger’s feet – and Micah washed Josh’s.
Saturday morning we did gifts. Then we had a special lunch with some other missionaries from Ban Lung. We ended the week with a short Resurrection service in the evening. We thank God for the resurrection of His Son and what that means for us.
A side note – Sometimes people comment about our traditions and how nice they are – true. But it often comes with whining and complaining – the singing is not always peaceful. It’s hot season, and it’s hot and sweaty. Our younger kids are really tired by 7pm, so adding anything extra is hard. I’m often enduring and not so much enjoying, while I try to keep the youngers happy. The night we had our resurrection both younger boys fell asleep in my lap, and it was so peaceful. Anyway – there’s a little view into what the pictures don’t show. But it’s all worth it. It’s not all easy, so if you want to try things like this….be encouraged. It can be hard and tiring work – but you are planting seeds and giving your kids a way of living life that is so worth it. Thanks be to God.
I’ve benefited from adding the Maundy Thursday and foot washing liturgy into my faith practice. Not something that was part of my church experience growing up but glad to have been introduced to it and added it now.