Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
John 15:13
Jesus talked a lot about giving on Day Four of Passion Week. Of course He had every right to do that since He was about to give the ultimate gift of His life on the cross for the sins of the world.
Encourage your children to give today as you talk about how much Jesus gave. Bake Easter cookies (see recipe below) in the shape of a cross to share with neighbors. As you make them, talk about Jesus’ gift to us. Say:
Everybody has done wrong things such as disobeying, lying, being unkind, etc. God calls this sin and there must be punishment for it. But Jesus loved us so much that He took the punishment for all the wrong things that were done or would ever be done. He died on the cross so we would not have to. We can now have a happy life forever with God.
In your giving today, don’t forget to give thanks to Jesus for His gift of life to us. Here’s some simple thankful songs Make up your own songs together.
My mother’s old-fashioned tea cookies recipe:
3/4 cup crisco or butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 & 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 & 1/2 cup Self-rising flour
Mix all together, roll out, and cut into shapes
(If you don’t have a cross cookie cutter, roll out 2 small ropes & lay one across the other to make a cross.)
Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.
Ice with butter cream frosting:
1 box confectioner sugar
dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
