The Wilkersons and their user-friendly little people Triduum

Hey All! I was going to write this as a facebook post, but then I realized it would be a bit lengthy. I'm gonna tell you our plans for the next two days to live these holy moments.

There are all kinds of blogs who have way better ideas and certainly with waaaaaay more effort.  But, I've decided the best way to go about life with our family is to start with baby steps.  We'll only go up from here right?

Gosh, I used to love this time of year.  And in a lot of ways, I feel like God gave us an opportunity to uniquely walk with Christ this Holy Week in our domestic church.  Our family van was totaled, RSV hit our house and put Malia in the hospital for a couple days, etc... The Lord moved in my heart during those wee hours of the night on the pediatrics floor of the hospital and allowed me to understand Him deeper (between the irrational, exhausted evil text messages I sent my husband). I hope to share some of that with you guys in the days to come.

Though I am not able to sit through the long beautiful liturgies anymore (those of you who do it with young children, you are my heroes)... there are little things we can do to carry our family through this very holy time in our Church.

So, without further ado, here are the plans I have for today and tomorrow.  I haven't thought through Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday yet (beyond traditions we already do)- but if I think of something good, I'll let you know.  Most of these ideas were stolen from others, some are tweaked to meet a very young family's needs.

HOLY THURSDAY
Today we will take a trek up to an International Market (Ishtar in West Bloomfield for local friends) and buy the best darn pita bread on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.  We will also buy some authentic, good hummus.

During the day, I will show the kids various little videos on the Last Supper and, in a particular, the foot washing. I am planning on just searching for these on 'the youtube'

At 5:30 pm, we will lay blankets on our floor in the family room and sit on pillows.  We will have a platter in the middle with the best.darn.pita, hummus, and apple slices.  We will talk about how Jesus ate and discuss the Last Supper/Eucharist (Note- this will NOT be a Seder Meal, which is apparently controversial, though I'm still not sure I agree).

After, Aaron and I will wash the feet of the children and invite the children to wash each other's feet.  I will think of some words we can say that are easy that the kids can say (perhaps, 'to serve others is to serve Christ').

The Children will go to bed.

GOOD FRIDAY
1)  We will begin the day by 'shrouding' all the Holy Images in our House.  The crosses, the Crucifixes,and the Statues.  We will talk about Good Friday as the darkest day in our history.

2)  Thank you cards.  We will make Thank You cards with stickers, pictures and words (for little Aaron).  We will discuss our Thank You to Jesus for the gift of the cross.  We will then go to a local Church and drop them off at the foot of a crucifix.

3)  We will dress in black as a way to remind ourselves Good Friday is a day of complete mourning.

3)  This is cray, and some of you might be scandalized, but we are going to watch that Passion that was broadcast on Fox Sunday night. I know Lil' Aaron, Big Aaron and I will love it.  And I happen to think it was a super cool moment, in a really not super cool culture.  We are a musical loving family, and I like how it brought the Gospel alive.

Then... we will go to bed.

Those are our plans. I think they will work well with our four children who are 4 and under.  I always tend to bite off more than I can chew, but I think these are good, realistic ways to live the next couple days.  I'll let you know how it goes ;)