Easter Cookies

Since our new tradition at Christmas I have thought a lot about other holidays that have great significance.  The most recent being Easter. I asked my boys to tell me why we have Easter. I know we have talked about it before but I wanted to see what they remembered. They told me it was for candy and looking for eggs and having fun. I was mortified! I decided things would be different this year. I have never been a big fan of playing up the Easter Bunny. I personally think its creepy. I mean a person sized rabbit?! How on earth is that cute or fun? It's just plain scary! So I did not do Easter baskets this year.

I always feel like I have to do more than I did last year and be more creative and make it bigger and better every year. How exhausting! I realized that maybe less is more. The less hype I make about the earthly "fun" things the more they will learn of eternal things. Of all the holidays Easter is the one I think should be most centered on Christ. I definitely do not want the day to go by and not honor the magnificent sacrifice that was made for me, for you.

Of course I realize I have children to teach, not adults. I found this activity in a ward cookbook from Becky Anderson. We tried it and I'm hoping it made some kind of impression.

Easter Cookies
(To be made the night before Easter)

1c whole pecans (we used almonds but I think pecans would be easier to break)
1 tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch of salt
1c sugar
Ziploc baggie
wooden spoon
tape
Bible






1) Preheat oven to 300. Make sure to do this before you start. Don't wait until you are half way through to do it.
2) Place the pecans in the baggie and let the kids beat them with the wooden spoon. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
3) Put vinegar into a mixing bowl. Let each child smell the vinegar. Explain that when Jesus was on the cross and became thirsty he was offered vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30
4) Add the egg whites to the vinegar. Explain that the eggs represent life. Read John 10:10-11.
5) Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand and let them taste it. Put a pinch in with the eggs. Explain that this represents the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
6) So far the ingredients are not very tasty. Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that this is the sweetest part of the story. Jesus did this for us because he loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.
7) Beat the eggs for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks form. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those who's sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
8) Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto a wax paper cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid to rest. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
9) Put the cookie sheet into the oven. Close the door and turn the oven off.
10) Give each child a piece of tape and seal the door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
11) Go to bed. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight and that Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20-22.
12) On Easter morning open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Take a bite. Notice that it is hollow inside! On the first Easter morning Jesus' followers were amazed to find his tomb was empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

The kids didn't care too much for the cookies but I could see some wheels going in their heads and the next day at church they were all more eager to talk about what Easter is all about. WE still had an Easter egg hunt and they still got tons of candy and a hollow chocolate bunny but I think there was a little more to it this year.

T.K. asked if we could watch his Christmas video after church. As we watched and listened to the Christmas music and thought about our savior's birth on the day he was resurrected it made my heart so full.

I am thankful for this great sacrifice, and I know that He lives!