We have really enjoyed our time together as we have been preparing for Christmas. And I don't mean buying gifts and making cookies. We haven't even started any kind of shopping or baking. That will come in time.
We are trying to spend a little time each day doing family devotions in the evening as we celebrate advent. We read our verses and short devotional and light the candle. Like any busy family, we miss a day here and there, but we make it up when we can. It is nice to have a purposeful time each day to focus on God and His word.
This is our second week of Advent, and our family celebration night included family time at home watching an old Christmas movie. The girls are not feeling great so a night hanging out at home was just perfect. We watched the old Christmas In Connecticut movie (a favorite of mine).
We have also been working on making a Jesse Tree. Also a way to count down the days for Christmas, but with visual pictures that help retell the story of the Bible. We have not done a Jesse Tree before, so I googled some ideas and decided to print some pictures and use the verses from this site HERE. I was trying to do this in an easy way rather than "make" our own ornaments with felt or sewing, I just printed them and the girls made a tree on paper. I have the ability to make things more difficult for myself so I was determined to make this easy for all of us.
Each day we put an other ornament on the tree that represents different parts of the history of Christ and the Bible. We were a little behind so we have done more than one ornament a day, trying to catch up.
Maybe it is the educator inside of me that LOVES things like this. This is such a great way to have the kids learn Biblical history. Tristen pointed out how it is all connected and part of one big story.
Right now our kitchen door is displaying this tool we are using to learn more about God and His history.I love being purposeful and spending our time on things that we find a lot of value in. If the Jesse tree works well for us, I might make some cute ornaments out of felt for next year. You know...in my spare time. =)
sm.jpg)
6 comments:
We have also been doing a Jesse tree for the first time this year. Every day, the boys (especially JD) looks forward to our time together reading our devotion and placing an ornament on the tree. Like you, I found a website with a printable devotion for every night and an ornament to print. Thanksgiving weekend the boys colored all of the ornaments so they're ready each night to hang. We've all really appreciated reading God's love story from the Old Testament and seeing how it all comes together. This is a tradition we'll definitely be keeping.
I love this idea....I may have to research this. Your girls are really looking older in this pictures.... they grow so fast~
Last year was our first doing a Jesse Tree and we really enjoyed it. This year is even better as the little's can understand more and ask some really great questions. I love the devotional book with it. It really helps explain and focus on the item on their level.
Love your beautiful pictures and your beautiful girls!
I sure wish we had done this when you were younger. I remember doing some advent projects on the Sundays before Christmas - but this is so great!
Yay! LOVE how your tree turned out...but more importantly I love that your girls are digging it and making connections through it! Can't wait to hear what Friday brings for your family. Trusting in the Lord's provision!!!
I asked Tim for that Christmas movie. I love it.
Post a Comment