Ash Wednesday ~ 2011

We started off the day baking our

 Crown of Thorns

and pretzels.

Next we hung the backdrop for the Jesus Tree.

Honeybee got to add the first symbol that night during our family prayer time.

The kids started work on their special Lenten study materials which we keep in purple folders. On the cover of Buck and Honeybee's folders, they taped the sheet I enlarged from one of CHC's A Year With God activities. They get to put a sticker (a heart for Honeybee and a smiley face for Buck) on a thorn each night if they've done their best during the day to be obedient, kind, and helpful. By Easter they will have a beautiful wreath for Jesus. The folders also hold their calendars, stickers, and other papers.

~ Our Family Meal ~

(was based on serving the poor and also the temptations of Jesus while in the desert.)

Rice and Beans ~

 in the symbol of the cross of ashes. 

This reminded us to pray for the poor and those who go hungry

The first temptation ~

(to turn the stones to bread)

~ Chips and Salsa ~

Chips - representing the devils tempting Jesus to turn the stones to bread.

Salsa - reminding us of the blood that was shed for our salvation. 

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread."He said in reply, "It is written: 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4

The second temptation ~

  (to test God)

Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you and 'with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" Jesus answered him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'"

The third temptation ~

(power)

~Spinach~

Representing power and strength. (like Popeye:)

Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." At this, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: 'The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.'" Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.

Once we were done the kids and I headed out to Mass to receive our ashes.