Find more resources to support your children at March: New Life - Easter & Spring
The Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly (Mark 4: 26-28)
During the Spring, we see renewal in the plants, animals, trees, all around us. This renewal comes every year, without fail. Just as the world renews and grows, you can have confidence in your growth. You can have confidence in the growth you see in the world around you. This month we are going to focus on the Easter season and how renewal happens in every part of life. During spring we see renewal in the world around us: trees budding with new leaves, grass turning green again, seedlings (baby plants) poking out of the ground, birds laying eggs. The Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly demonstrates that plants grow in an orderly process until they are full grown and can flower or make fruit. . The same is true for Jesus’s life and your life and my life. It's true for ALL life!
During the Spring, we see renewal in the plants, animals, trees, all around us. This renewal comes every year, without fail. Just as the world renews and grows, you can have confidence in your growth. You can have confidence in the growth you see in the world around you. This month we are going to focus on the Easter season and how renewal happens in every part of life. During spring we see renewal in the world around us: trees budding with new leaves, grass turning green again, seedlings (baby plants) poking out of the ground, birds laying eggs. The Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly demonstrates that plants grow in an orderly process until they are full grown and can flower or make fruit. . The same is true for Jesus’s life and your life and my life. It's true for ALL life!
- A seed, or thought, planted in good soil will take root.
- The time for renewal and growth is always present.
The Butterfly Flaps Its Wings
Jesus taught us that to be able to really renew our lives we must be dedicated to God and understand that God is Love. Jesus showed this in many ways. He did things because in his heart he knew they were the right thing to do. We will see examples of this later this month when we talk about the choices he made and the things he did and said during what Christians call Holy Week: the days we call Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter. He followed the feelings deep inside that helped him know what help he could give to other people and also what he needed to take good care of himself. He was kind and honest to his friends. He treated everyone like they were important, because they are - we are all made out of the same "God-stuff" and we are all the same inside. Jesus was dedicated to knowing God inside him and to knowing God was inside everyone else, too. Jesus didn’t just tell his friends his connection to God, he demonstrated this connection so his friends would discover their connection.
Jesus taught us that to be able to really renew our lives we must be dedicated to God and understand that God is Love. Jesus showed this in many ways. He did things because in his heart he knew they were the right thing to do. We will see examples of this later this month when we talk about the choices he made and the things he did and said during what Christians call Holy Week: the days we call Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter. He followed the feelings deep inside that helped him know what help he could give to other people and also what he needed to take good care of himself. He was kind and honest to his friends. He treated everyone like they were important, because they are - we are all made out of the same "God-stuff" and we are all the same inside. Jesus was dedicated to knowing God inside him and to knowing God was inside everyone else, too. Jesus didn’t just tell his friends his connection to God, he demonstrated this connection so his friends would discover their connection.
- We are all connected. What one of us does affects all of us.
- When we think and act as good as we can, it helps everyone.
The Story of the Butterfly
All month we've been talking about how springtime is a time of renewal - of making old things new again. Many religions celebrate holidays about renewal in the spring. One of the biggest spring celebrations is Easter. Easter celebrates the renewal Jesus experienced. He showed us that we can renew our lives all the time, even when things feel hard or like they're falling apart. We are always growing with God.
Butterflies are great examples of renewal, of making things new again. Butterflies start out as caterpillars, and then they spin a special "house" called a cocoon, around themselves. While they're inside of that, it seems like they've died. Their bodies dissolve. but after a while, they grow a new body with beautiful wings, and when they come out of the cocoon, they can do things and see things they never could before. They can fly! They are totally renewed.
What appears to be bad, or negative might really be a great gift. Just like a caterpillar in a cocoon seems to be in trouble, there is something more happening that the caterpillar can't see. Even though it seems that the caterpillar is sick or broken or falling apart, it really isn't. It is actually being built into a whole new self. In the middle of this confusing time it seems bad things are happening. But at the end the caterpillar will come out of the cocoon, completely healed as a beautiful butterfly.
All month we've been talking about how springtime is a time of renewal - of making old things new again. Many religions celebrate holidays about renewal in the spring. One of the biggest spring celebrations is Easter. Easter celebrates the renewal Jesus experienced. He showed us that we can renew our lives all the time, even when things feel hard or like they're falling apart. We are always growing with God.
Butterflies are great examples of renewal, of making things new again. Butterflies start out as caterpillars, and then they spin a special "house" called a cocoon, around themselves. While they're inside of that, it seems like they've died. Their bodies dissolve. but after a while, they grow a new body with beautiful wings, and when they come out of the cocoon, they can do things and see things they never could before. They can fly! They are totally renewed.
What appears to be bad, or negative might really be a great gift. Just like a caterpillar in a cocoon seems to be in trouble, there is something more happening that the caterpillar can't see. Even though it seems that the caterpillar is sick or broken or falling apart, it really isn't. It is actually being built into a whole new self. In the middle of this confusing time it seems bad things are happening. But at the end the caterpillar will come out of the cocoon, completely healed as a beautiful butterfly.
- Just like the caterpillar, when you find yourself in a struggle, you can be sure that something much better will be waiting for you when the struggle part is over.
- You are always changing into something even more beautiful. You will know and be able to do things you didn't before.
The Story of Holy Week
This week is an important week in Christianity and to others who learn from Jesus. Christians call it Holy Week. This week we will follow Jesus from Palm Sunday through what the Christian religion call The Last Supper (the last Jewish Passover celebration dinner that Jesus participated in), Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Jesus knew that this week would change his life forever. He also knew that it was important to the whole world that he do what he knew he had to do and say what he had to say this week. Jesus showed integrity - being truthful, honest, and knowing he was part of the whole Universal Life - by keeping true to his heart and what he knew about God. He was afraid at times, like we all are, but he did not let fear stop him. He thought maybe he could get out of some things, but he chose to go through everything in his week because he knew it was important for his renewal. He also knew his example would be important to the renewal of many, many people around the world. It still is today.
This week is an important week in Christianity and to others who learn from Jesus. Christians call it Holy Week. This week we will follow Jesus from Palm Sunday through what the Christian religion call The Last Supper (the last Jewish Passover celebration dinner that Jesus participated in), Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Jesus knew that this week would change his life forever. He also knew that it was important to the whole world that he do what he knew he had to do and say what he had to say this week. Jesus showed integrity - being truthful, honest, and knowing he was part of the whole Universal Life - by keeping true to his heart and what he knew about God. He was afraid at times, like we all are, but he did not let fear stop him. He thought maybe he could get out of some things, but he chose to go through everything in his week because he knew it was important for his renewal. He also knew his example would be important to the renewal of many, many people around the world. It still is today.
- Jesus experienced a lot of challenges the week before Easter.
- He stayed in integrity by listening to the guidance of the Divine, knowing he was himself whole and part of the greater Whole, and trusting that God is Good.
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