Well no small thanks can convey the gratitude I have for dear Alice at Cottage Blessings as we were able to have our version of her masterfully creative and spiritual Lenten Tea II on Good Friday. I will have to say that this event was the highlight of Lent for me and perhaps my dh and children as well. What a blessing and a joy it was to have this beautiful preparation of solemn accord in hopes for the glorious Easter to come. I failed to get any photographs of our solemn tea, but hopefully my words can covey the awe and wonder in the eyes of my dear children as I read through the Good Friday scriptures and described the story of Our Lord's Passion and Cruxifiction through the menu items. Even my dear husband was enthralled and impressed. The children didn't even ask if there were to be treats or where the real tea was, they were just enamored with the whole process as the dishes were represented in the Word.
We started with The King's Crown with Softened Cream Cheese Spread in a Pie Plate, I placed salsa in the center and then the Tortilla chips around the rim to make the Crown, it was very impressive and I liked how the red salsa contrasted with the white of the cream cheese to help symbolize Jesus's purity and the blood he would soon shed for us!
For Out of Envy I made Homemade Guacamole to go with the Crown, it was delicious, and the kids really liked the concept of jealousy in the scriptures.
The Purple Cloak was small squares of Organic Fruit Leather (we love this stuff!) This part tied in so nicely with the Crown and then the contrast to the Crown of Thorns.
For The Crown of Thorns I used Round Wheat Crackers spread with crunchy peanut butter and then the children stuck small pieces of pretzel sticks all around for the thorns. Very powerful!!
I had Hard Boiled Eggs with Scull & Crossbones drawn on them for Golgatha. This was met with wide-eyed quiet and lots of "Oh's" as we read through this part of the scripture.
For The Seamless Garment I cut the flour tortillas in the shape of a "robe" and then cut White Cheddar Cheese into small squares for the "lot". This was great, the kids couldn't believe that the onlookers would want to gamble for Jesus's clothes!
We used the Basil to represent the Two Robbers. I also explained that because of Jesus' everlasting love the robbers were forgiven even before they died and met Jesus in Heaven. We then talked about the color green and evergreen trees a little.
Vinegar to Drink was just that, Balsamic, however, we dipped ours in pieces of Baguette.
The Roman Centurian became a bit of a math lesson as we discussed our 100 baby plum tomatoes and they recalled the story we read about St. Longinus and how he might have felt witnessing the cruxifiction.
I forgot to buy mini-muffins and didn't have time to make them, so for Laid in the Tomb we wrapped Challah bread around a red seedless grape and talked about the reverence Joseph of Arimathea showed to Our Crucified Lord.
We served plain cold water in our tea pot in white mugs, we also tore paper napkins for the "temple curtain being torn in two." We tried very hard to start at 3:00PM but dear husband was a few minutes late, everyone still got the gist and we had been pretty quiet most of the day. The kids made beautiful little table-tent cards with all the Menu Items so we could look around the table and see how everything was represented.
It was such a beautifully spiritual event I can't imagine another Lent without this incredible solemn practice. Thank you again dear Alice for enriching my family with your creativity and genius!! And now, Jesus Christ is Risen, Alleluia, Alleluia!!
And in case you weren't able to do a Lenten Tea, Alice has just posted another incredible offering for An Easter Tea!! Alice I stand in wonder!!
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