Sharing Easter Through Service; 14 Day Walk with Christ

I'm so excited to be part of Amanda's, at Jedi Craft Girl, 14 Day Walk with Christ. I've been following along with her and others and I was thrilled that she asked me to join in on this 2015 service edition. 

There have been some great ideas of ways we can give service already over the past week or more. I've loved following along and have posted some of the ideas on FB.

I immediately wanted to follow along with all of the great ideas she was going to post, but also wanted to include a little something more personal to our family as well. So, I put up this simple banner in front of our fireplace. I had already made the fireplace mantle Christ centered for Easter, but now we had an extra reminder to try and focus our daily lives on Christ, especially in the days leading up to Easter. Then I took these little canvas bags and placed vinyl letters on each one. How perfect was it that the days "Walk With Christ" are exactly 14 letters too! 

Then we had a family night, where we all came up with ideas of service that we could individually, or as a family, perform. We talked about how Christ's life was full of service and that he never turned anyone away. We likened that to us today, and came up with ways that we could also be like Christ, and serve.

We all participated in coming up with ideas, all 5 of my kids, from my 3 year old to my 15 year old, and my husband and I. After we came up with some ideas, we wrote them down, and then rolled up the papers and placed them in each little bag. Then each day, we pull one out and we all perform that act of service. 

I love seeing my children's handwriting and seeing what they came up with each day, as we pull out the service for the day. I also love the way it fills their hearts as they perform that service. You can see it reflected in their eyes, in their prayers, and in their actions.

These are the service ideas that collectively, our family came up with:

1- Pick flowers and give them to someone. (3 yr AND 5 year olds' suggestion) 

2- Help plant a garden

3- Leave notes of appreciation for each member of the family, for something they do today.

4- Send cards to Grandma and Grandpa (or friends/family)

5- Take an Easter treat and message to friends/teachers.

6- Make something out of wood (like Christ did as a carpenter) and give it to someone. 

(My 12 year old son came up with this one. I loved the thoughts of Christ behind it.)

7- Mow someone's lawn for them.

8- Make food for my family in bed. 

(That one made me laugh a little, coming from my 9 year old daughter.)

9-Color with the little girls...

Translation: Spend time with a family member, doing something that the other enjoys.

10- Walk the dogs.

11- Do another person's chores for them for the day.

12-Donate clothes and toys to others in need.

13- Show more love.

14- Pick up trash at the park.

The one that I wanted to share with you today is #5. I create this simple word art printable below. We have the same quote on a wood plaque on our fireplace mantle. I love the simplicity of it and the reminder that Christ is still with us, every day. He is with us wherever we go, because he still lives. 

We printed this out and then delivered it to some friends with some little Easter goodies one night as one of our acts of service. 

We just made the cute little nests again that I posted here to take along with the printable.

My kids also have thought of giving one of the printables above, to each of their school teachers with an invitation to an Easter program our church is holding soon. It may not be the kind of service where we are out raking someone's yard, but we are still serving each other, and our friends and families, by thinking of them, and by helping to bring them closer to Christ,

One thing I love about this whole 14 Day Walk With Christ Service Project, is that it doesn't have to be done in just the two weeks leading up to Easter. If we truly celebrate the real meaning of Easter, and celebrate Christ's life and his resurrection, then we should be trying to be more like him all year long. I don't plan on taking this down anytime soon, because I love the reminder it is to our family, to always strive to Walk with Christ.