The Friday that was Good.

For the final week of a church kids club my two eldest have attended this year, I was asked if I'd be able to make some cupcakes to celebrate the end of term. "Of course!" I replied. But what should they look like? I wondered. (I do love a theme to work with).

Throughout the term at kids club, they had been learning about Jesus' life, leading up to what happened on the very first Easter.

As I was looking for inspiration for what to design for these end-of-term/Easter cupcakes, I bypassed the chickens, bunnies, and baskets, and looked back to the original Easter:

The previous week, my kids had also come home with this craft. Which (hard to see from the photo) also has the following poem on it:

Red is for the blood he gave

Green is for the grass he made

Yellow is for the sun so bright

Orange is for the edge of night

Black is for the sins we made

White is for the grace he gave

Purple is for the house of sorrow

Pink is for the new tomorrow

I now had a design, and I had the colours.

For the black and white parts, I made three crosses for each cupcake. I used dark chocolate for the 'black', and milk chocolate for the 'white', because milk is white!

... And because the white chocolate didn't melt properly and looked dodgy :(

I iced them all, not in order of the colours of the poem, but in order of whatever food colouring I grabbed first- I was running out of time. Because, I had this idea that I could photograph them in their colour groups, purely so that I could achieve this:

  Red is for the blood he gave         Green is for the grass he made

 Yellow is for the sun so bright        Orange is for the edge of night

Purple is for the house of sorrow          Pink is for the new tomorrow   

To make up for not having actual white on any of the cupcakes (even if I was the only one who cared), when I wrapped them in cellophane bags, I attached some curly white ribbon onto them all. But, by then I was really out of time, so couldn't take a photo of it. You'll just have to imagine!

For God so loved the world,

that He gave his only Son,

so that whoever believes in him may not perish,

but may have eternal life.

For God did not send his son into the world

to condemn the world,

but to save the world through Him.

John 3:16-17

And, one of my favourite songs, with lyrics that beautifully describe what God has done for us, which we sung this morning at church:

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure.
That He should give His only Son,
And make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away.
As wounds which mar the Chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon the cross,
My sin upon His shoulders.
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished.
His dying breath has brought me life,
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything:
No gifts, no power, no wisdom.
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart:
His wounds have paid my ransom.