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Counting the Omer

Today is the Feast of First Fruits (Leviticus 23:9-13), which also means that today we start counting up to Pentecost, or Shavuot, the “Feast of Weeks.” It’s called that because there are seven weeks (50 days) between these two feasts.

“From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to YHWH” (Leviticus 23:15-16).

I am still learning all the ways this feast is significant, but since the Scriptures say to “count,” well then, count we will!

image - Counting the Omer

I got the idea on Pinterest to make a “Counting the Omer” chart. I bought some plastic mini cups with lids, plus a 50-cent piece of poster board. An “omer” is a Hebrew measurement used for barley, and it refers to the offerings brought to God in thankfulness for the harvest He had provided.

Image - Counting the Omer

I very lightly marked squares (2 1/2-inches by 2 1/2 inches) onto the poster board, 7 rows by 7 days in each row. Then I started gluing the cups onto the chart.

image - Counting the Omer

I had many curious helpers stopping by to help me! It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to tell my kids about God when we do the “craft projects” included in His Word.

Image - Counting the Omer

I used Elmer’s Glue to attach the cups, but I’m probably going to have to do them all over again, because the cups have been popping off over the last 24 hours. I should have used tacky glue instead.

Image - Counting the Omer

Next I printed out some verses that we can read each day when we do our “counting.” (You can download the print-out I made by clicking here.)

Image - Counting the Omer

We folded the little verse papers and put them into each cup. Then I wrapped little pieces of candy in tissue paper, so the kids wouldn’t be able to see what kinds were in each cup. 🙂

image - Counting the OmerFinally, I put a lid on each cup, then numbered the cups from 1-49. (On Day 50, we’ll have Big Gifts.)

Image - Counting the Omer

Finally, we hung the chart on the wall with thumb tacks. (It’s a little heavy.)

Last year, we did a sticker chart, gluing little pieces of barley on each spot. However, some days we just forgot to do it! That’s why I decided to do candy this year. Now I’ll have seven children reminding me. 😉

How does your family count the omer? What have you learned from this?

~Anne

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Comments

  1. Anne this is awesome! What a great idea. I have seen lots of sticker type charts but none of them compare to this idea. I know the children will love it and the reminder to do the chart is such a great idea.
    Well done, sister! Well Done!
    Posey

  2. Wow! This is wonderful!! I only wish I had happened across it six weeks ago. Thank you for providing your scripture verses to print out as well. I can tell I have found a family of like mind with ours. So glad to have come across your blog.

  3. It has been fun! I think we’ll all be sorry when it ends in another week. 🙂

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