5 Easter & Good Friday ideas

HOUSTON (Christian Examiner) -- It is Good Friday and now that Easter is just around the corner and the children are home from school -- moms (and dads) and grandparents (!) might have a few minutes to focus on what can make the Resurrection more than just eggs and bunnies. So wishing you the most blessed of Easters, here are some quick ideas to get started on right away in preparing for baskets, tables, hearts and homes! May every second count.

1. Resurrection Cookie and Easter Scripture Egg. On her blog, "Your Homebased Mom," (the title of which I find intriguiding), Leigh Anne, who describes herself as a "homebased" mom for 28 years since her first child was born, last year introduced these goodies as a way to share the Easter story. "Each step and ingredient of the recipe represents a part of the story," she writes, including a Resurrection Cookie, which represents the empty tomb, and an Easter Scripture Egg.
2. Resurrection Garden. On her blog, "OhAmanda" the author of "A Sense of the Resurrection," a child's book on how to celebrate Easter, offers instructions on developing a garden in a glass bowl. See her resurrection garden come alive!
3. Alleluia Egg. The Women for Faith & Family of the Eastern Orthodox Church in a list of Easter Day and Easter Season ideas for family celebrations, shares ideas about decorating a special Alleluia egg for the family Easter table. There are other ideas including spring flowers in pretty bowls, an Easter lamb cake, cupcakes with flaked coconut to represent wool.

"The main different in the celebration and festivities in a Christian household is that we know what we're celebrating and why," they remind readers.

4. Easter Lily Craft. Christie Young Jones, executive editor of Children's Ministry Magazine offers an activity for older children in making Easter lilies. The activity is illustrated for ease.

5. 30 Christian Easter Crafts. Nancy Bandzuch has assembled links from her website "Do Small Things With Love" a collection of 30 links to various Christian Easter crafts from other sites around the web.

"Why did we ever let the Easter bunny and jelly beans take over Easter?" Nancy writes. "Reminded of the glory and wonder that Easter is, our modern celebrations seem pretty silly. And so, in these weeks leading up to Easter I really hope that you will join me in helping your family keep Christ front and center. Easter was His day -- and continues to be His day."