Let’s Celebrate!

One of the things I appreciate so much about the Bible is how everything is connected to something else. The water of the flood and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea foreshadow our baptism. Many of the Jewish holidays point the way to Jesus Christ, the Messiah. God gave the Jews Passover to remind them how He delivered them from Egypt. It also foreshadowed the coming of the perfect sacrifice – Christ. Our baptism is a reminder of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. It also helps us remember that we have put to death our old sinful self and risen a new creature in Christ.

I believe God understands we need markers in our lives to help us remember what is important. Just like those Route 66 signs with arrows help us stay on Route 66, markers can help us stay on God’s path. My baptism is a distinct memory from the moment I committed my life to Christ. When we take communion every week, it serves also as a reminder of the commitment we made to the Lord when we were baptized.

We can give our child memories that will help him remember “who he is and whose he is”. Perhaps the easiest memory to give your child is regular attendance at worship services and Bible class. Some of my fondest early memories are either at church or involve doing things with people from church. All of those memories also remind me I belong to God.

There are many fun things you can do with your child as part of family or holiday traditions that will also create those memories. One of our family’s favorites was making “resurrection cookies” the night before Easter. The recipe had ingredients and scriptures which were a part of making the cookies. They bake in the oven overnight and when you break the “tomb” cookies open the next morning, they are empty just like Jesus’ tomb.

Our daughter knows we celebrate Jesus rising from the dead every Sunday. She also knows Easter is rarely on the exact date of the resurrection. Making those cookies every year at Easter, however, reinforced the story in her young mind. It will also always be a part of her memories of Easter which she will hopefully cherish and share with her children some day.

Linda Dobson has helped write some great books full of ideas of ways to create memories with your child. Try to find as many opportunities as possible to establish fun traditions that involve God or stories in the Bible. These traditions will become as much a part of his childhood memories as hanging stockings at Christmas. More importantly though, these traditions and memories will always serve as a reminder that she was raised to love the Lord. Hopefully it will become a part of your legacy for future generations of your family. That would truly be a reason to celebrate!