I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted on our blog!!! I think my new job is taking more of my spare time than I realized!!! I'm really enjoying my work in the Children's Ministry at our church, but I definitely have less time for Facebook (for which I'm grateful) and less time to blog (for which I'm sad).
I'll do my best to catch up over the course of the next few weeks on all the latest Doan family adventures ... we recently got back from our spring break "service" trip to Jordan (we can't say mi$$ion trip in Doha). We handed out food and clothing to Syrian and Palestinian refugees with a group from our church. And while we were busy the entire time, I can't help but feel like we did very little -- the need in Jordan is so tremendously huge!!! I will blog more about that another day including the organizations we worked with in Jordan should you have any interest in financially supporting them.
But before I go back over our happenings these past several weeks, I must pause to wish every one a very blessed Easter weekend!!! One thing about living in a Muslim country, Christmas and Easter just aren't the same. For Easter, there are no plastic eggs in the stores, no egg dying kits, no school Easter parties, no Easter bunny photos in every mall, no Cadbury eggs, no Peeps!!! While it saddens me that my marshmallow loving Nicholas has no memory of the sweet taste of an Easter Peep, is that really what Easter is all about??
Before you start to feel sorry for Jaden and Nicholas - let me tell you , they are NOT missing out! The stores may not be overwhelmed with Easter candy, bunnies, and eggs, but we have enjoyed a most wonderful Easter weekend!
It started with a group of dear neighbors getting together for our own Easter egg hunt (re-using the precious plastic eggs we all save from year to year) and then dying Easter eggs (thanks to a friend who recently went to the US and brought back lots of the dye kits to share). I took our set of Resurrection Eggs and shared the story of Easter with all the children present. It was a wonderful afternoon!
Then on Good Friday (the start of our weekend), I was able to make it to church. The traffic was miserable as it seems they shut off our main parking lot and wouldn't let people park. I'm not sure if there was a legitimate reason for blocking the lot or if it was simply an attempt by the authorities to prevent as many people as possible from attending church on Easter weekend.
After church we enjoyed a time of family devotional ... reading the story of Jesus dying on the cross and talking about the pain and suffering Jesus endured because of our sin. He bore our sins and took the punishment for our iniquities and died that we might live. Is there a greater example of love? To die in place of someone else. It was a very special time.
This morning we made our traditional resurrection rolls for breakfast. It's an object lesson where Jesus is a marshmallow (Nicholas loves this!) and after he died on the cross, they prepared his body for burial with oil (melted butter) and spices (cinnamon and sugar). Then they wrapped his body in a linen cloth (crescent roll) and placed him in the tomb for 3 days (stove for 10 min). Of course the marshmallow melts while cooking so when the rolls are done and you cut into them, you will find that the tomb (now the roll itself) is empty! A fun object lesson and a tasty breakfast!!
Tomorrow, on Easter Sunday, Ken has to work, but the boys get the day off school. I look forward to finishing our devotional and talking to the boys about the resurrection and the life we have in Christ Jesus our Savior. We also have to finish our resurrection egg devotionals tomorrow too! So 2 Bible times in one day! What a way to spend Easter Sunday!! Right?
The boys will also get a visit from the Easter bunny with a few small gifts and eggs hidden around the house tomorrow morning when they wake up. It will be the start of our Easter Sunday, but it won't be the focus of our day and for that I'm grateful. I love my children and I want them to know the real meaning of Easter.
It's late and I must get to bed but again, Happy Easter to everyone and I promise to catch up and post pictures soon!!!!
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