I love how the Lenten season symbolically mirrors the season of spring and preparing a garden bed. Six long, tedious weeks of pulling up weeds (some that are only visible after pulling back the thick layers of mulch first), tilling soil, burying seeds and a palpable longing for the warmer, longer-light filled days when the world will be in bloom again.
When the seeds finally burst through in their new, gloriously resurrected forms, we’re reminded once again of beauty. Hope. Life.
Lent is a season of reflection, yes. But it’s also a season rife with meaning, and hope-filled expectation. It’s a season of remembering and rehearsing the gospel: the good news that Christ has died, Christ has risen and Christ will come again.
Our family has approached this season in different ways over the years (often in tandem with the ages and stages of our daughters). To see what we've done in years past, you may want to check out these posts:
5 Ideas for Observing Lent with Kids
This year, we’re excited to use the devotional book Who is Jesus? by Kate and Joe Hox. We’ll also take turns adding flowers to our countdown centerpiece and committing a few things to memory.
I shared this project over on IG, but here's the how-to for making the countdown Lent calendar.
DIY Lent calendar: flower garden
Materials
- Scrap wood
- Pencil
- Drill
- Scissors
- Fake Floral Stems (these are from Dollar Tree)
Steps
- Cut and sand down your scrap wood piece to size.
- Use the pencil to make 40 marks. Don't worry about them being evenly spaced; the flowers will fill in the space. Drill holes.
- Cut floral stems to desired length. Place in a basket or tray and add one each day (except Sundays) leading up to Easter.
