On Wednesday of Holy Week Jesus did more teaching, performed miracles and rested.
In Matthew chapters 24 & 25 we read about what Jesus was doing on this day of Holy Week. While one of the things he did was rest, which goes along with the verses shared yesterday about not running faster than you are able, there are so many things I love about what he taught on this day that I choose to have Tuesday be our family’s “rest” day. This is just a personal preference and you can obviously switch things up however you would like.
The Second Coming of the Lord & the Parable of the Ten Virgins
I am an absolute sucker for studying about the Second Coming. It’s my absolute favorite gospel study topic! I’ve been rather obsessed since I was a little girl. So today is one of my favorites! In the above mentioned chapters of Matthew, Jesus teaches all about when He will return.
Once again, I don’t currently have pictures for these next activities but plan to remedy that this next year.
We enjoy learning about the Parable of the Ten Virgins today. We also make our own “oil lamps” out of terra cotta clay. When I have pictures from this activity, I will link a post to the instructions on how to make those here.
Hot Dog Roast
This idea might make you say “huh?” initially. Like, “where did she pull that from and how does it fit with the Second Coming?”. Let me explain…
As a a very young girl, my family traditionally had a giant easter egg hunt at my grandma’s house every year on the Saturday before Easter. My grandparents have 9 children and lived on a dairy farm. So my mom and my 8 Aunts would all bring their kids and a bag of plastic easter eggs to the farm. They would hide the hundreds of candy filled eggs all over the front and back yard, the back garden, etc. for my many cousins and I to hunt. It was always a great time.
They say that “sense memories” are the strongest. Memories where you have multiple senses used, especially when smell can be added. When we would have our giant Easter egg hunt at the farm, it was Spring (obviously) and since the work never stops on a farm, we would combine the fun with a big bonfire in the back garden (from gathering branches, leaves, old crops, all the things that farmers burn in the Springtime) and the grandkids would all have a giant hot dog roast. The smell of Spring and bonfires will forever remind me of Easter at my grandmas. I LOVE those smells!
So why Wednesday of Holy Week?
The reason I chose to add this activity here instead of it’s traditional place on Saturday is two-fold:
One, returning to the earlier sentiment of not running faster than you are able. There were too many other things on the later days of the week.
Second, I love the way it can be connected to the other themes of this day of Holy Week. Not so much the hot dogs, haha, but rather the fire. I’m sure we all know the prophesies about “burning” and “fire” that come along with the Second Coming, and while you absolutely can go that route if you like, I prefer to focus on the positive, uplifting side of it all.
Thus we sing one of my very favorite hymns (once again, my obsession with the Second Coming is evident. For real, I didn’t realize until I was well into adulthood that all of my favorite hymns and have been since I was a tiny girl, are all Second Coming related!):
“The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning” – if you don’t know it, I’ve linked it here
Resurrection Egg of the day:
Today’s egg is filled with an orange or amber bead or marble, representing the oil in the lamps of the five wise virgins, along with a strip of paper reading “Matthew 25:1-13.
Video for the day:
In Conclusion
Take these ideas and make them your own. Take what speaks to you. Leave the rest. Or at the very least, hopefully my ideas have helped trigger your own new ones to fit with traditions you already have and love.
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