DFM Blog: Easter Tree

Today begins the first day of our Easter Tree. My mom always had an Easter Tree and I just loved it! I'm sure it is up in her house as I write this. So, since we all have so enjoyed turning our pantry door into our family celebration center...I began to ponder how to approach Easter. Then, upon reading about the kind of Easter Tree celebration Noel Piper used...and then seeing another crafty friend Andrea's ideas...I got to work creating something of our own.

When I began to think about what kind of tree to have...I could only think of the Cross. So, we bought some burlap (think sackcloth and ashes for grieving and for Ash Wednesday which begins Lent). Then, we cut "an old rugged cross" out of brown felt. This one is not meant to be fancy, pretty, or glamorous. This one is to remind us of the upcoming death of Jesus on the cross. This one is to cause us to reflect. The girls and I talked about how different this one looked than our valentine's one. Two displays of love.

Then, because I liked the daily devotions and yet wanted the feel of the Jesse tree we had, I used daily readings and symbols from Andrea's blog for her Easter Tree. But, I wanted to use pictures and attach them with a pin to the Cross. They are sharp and remind us the nails. Each day as we pierce the cloth with those pins...it is tangible reminder of the piercing nails and the rugged cross. This one is somber.

I simply used the daily suggested pictures and hopped on Google to print out photos of the symbol or Bible story that goes along with the reading. The readings walk us all the way through the Bible to remember the entire story of the Bible is about Jesus!!! I laminated them with contact paper and then cut them out. I printed out the readings and we began the first one today. The mustard seed...to remind us it all begins with FAITH!

Lastly, we hung our seed of faith at the bottom...the foundation. We will hang our pictures from the bottom up in order to show how the Old Testament lays a foundation! We will end at the top on Good Friday...with a crown of thorns and a cross filled with fulfilled prophesy! Then, the cross will hang there until early Sunday morning. It will be GONE...and we will celebrate that He is RISEN!!!

We will be using Noel Piper's 7 candles of Easter...much like we used our Advent candles. I posted about earlier today about her article and book that outline all about it. So, you can read it there:)

For the next 40 days all I will be posting are daily thoughts on the readings for the day and photos of the Cross. I need to focus on the Cross and less on self. I need this break to bring the Cross and Resurrection to the forefront. I need to decrease and let HIM increase.

The Old Rugged Cross...