Waiting For Christmas

The Waiting for Christmas basket was full this morning with goodies for making a Christmas creche using this book, and an advent wreath (which we are behind in making). Waiting for Christmas is a story about the advent calendar. The history of this great family read-a-loud is interesting. The book is based on the story of the first Advent calender. It wasn't until 1851 that the first Advent calendars came into being in Germany. Gerhard Lang, the son of a Protestant minister and his wife, is credited with making the Advent calendar available to the public. This first printed Advent calendar was published in 1908. The calendar spread throughout the world.

What really pulled my heartstrings was that this delightful worldwide tradition evolved from the creativity of a German mother seeking a way to help her young son count down the days until Christmas.

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;

he rises to show you compassion.

For the Lord is a God of justice.

Blessed are all who wait for him!"

Isaiah 30:18

Day 8 Moses and the Ten Commandments

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalm 119:11

God could have written 1000 laws down for us to follow. He gave us 10. Pretty much every religion out there agrees upon most of these laws. Some try to put their own spin on them. But the truth is that these basic common sense rules, if followed, would lead to a world worth living in. If only everyone could do it. They are simple and practical, yet we are sinners and we cannot do it. As we strive for righteousness, we should be aware of our sin before we can see the need for a savior. Our savior was sent, which brings us to Christmas (the day most celebrate his birth). No matter what day he was really born, the fact is that he was, and we need him!
You'll find the story of the 10 commandments in Exodus.

Cobweb Christmas

Today we read Cobweb Christmas, which is based on a folktale whose roots go back more than two hundred years. Versions of this story have been told in many lands, including Germany, Poland, Russia, Romania, and Great Britain. Its a magical tale about an old lady that decorates a wonderful tree every year and every person and animal comes to visit it. This old lady overlooks the spiders that she swept out of her house when she was cleaning it getting ready for Christmas. These spiders sneak softly, zigging and zagging, weaving little webs all over the tree and they are turned into shiny strands that become the first tinsel used on Christmas trees. This is a book we read last year, and the kids were excited to hear it again this year. Even the baby sat and listened and pointed to the animals throughout the book.

We stuffed see-through ornaments with tinsel and hung them on the tree this evening to remind us of this Christmas legend. I think that I've tapped into this curiosity within me to find out where these traditions originated because they have gotten forgotten over the years. I'll be on the hunt! In the meantime enjoy the pictures.


Spider Cookies Recipe:

1 6 oz. bag choc. chips

1 6 oz. bag butterschotch chips

1 12 oz. bag of chow mein noodles

1 cup peanuts (optional)



Melt chips together, add chow mein noodles, and heap on wax paper until hardened.

Day 7 Joseph's Coat

When you are going through hardships its hard to understand the purpose of God's will. Listening to the news portray the chaos everywhere around us, thinking about the suffering children in other countries, and the hurt many people endure throughout their lives seems so unfair. Could our God allow this to happen? Does he just look away and say - Well! You deserve it, sinners! Hard to believe he doesn't. He surely never left Joseph. What a remarkable story of God's soveriegnty. I have so many questions to ask God when I get to heaven but for now I'm just trusting him.
Genesis 37: 3-36; 50:18-21
Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God."
(Thank you C. Witsey for the colorful coat)

I have heard from many of the ornament exchangers that this daily devotional The Advent Jesse Tree is really bringing your family closer together and you are very grateful for being a part of the exchange. I am really thankful for all of you too, its something we'll look forward to each year.

Christmas goody basket

Every day I put new goodies in the Christmas basket. Yesterday there was our first book The Christmas Cobwebs, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a family read-aloud (hilarious with many teachable moments), and all the ingredients to make the snowflake ornaments. We made the ornaments today after our Jesse tree devotion. Then we hung them up in a room. I'm sure we'll make more as they were so much fun.

Day 6 - Jacob's Ladder

Genesis 28: 10-17 How wonderfully comforting to hear from God that he would personally see to it that you would be taken care of, even though you are a failure at most things you attempt. God used this helpless man to become the source of blessing and means of salvation to the entire world through his son Jesus, whom he would send many years later. The ladder we hung is a symbol of the communication we now have with God through his son Jesus. What a wonderful reminder.

The Christmas Cobwebs

This book is one of two that we will read about the tradition of tinsel on the tree. Can you guess what the tinsel comes from? (Look at the title of the books - The Christmas Cobwebs). I know it is a weird combination - spiders and Christmas. But, what fun we have with these books! We take this time to talk about any special ornaments that we have on our tree and special stories behind them, often remembering friends and family members that gave them to us. We take out the ornaments that I have given each child in the past, on Christmas Eve, that reminded me of that child and giggle about how they've changed and what they still hold dear.

I found a great craft idea from Family Fun on making snowflake ornaments. (They are kind of like spiders webs right? Come on, make the connection. If all else fails, they are just a new collection of ornaments to talk about next year or give them away depending on how many you make). All you need is pipecleaners, the see-through ones, white mini pom poms, fishing line to string the snowflakes and clear tri-sided beads to string on the pipe cleaners. You can see from the picture they are easy to make.

Oh! If you don't get the book, you can go to this link: Golden Cobwebs to read a story about spiders and Christmas. Check back soon because we will be doing more activities about spiders and tinsel next time.

Day 5 - Is Jesus Your Lamb?

We were gone for a few days camping at Disney and so we are behind on posting our Jesse Tree photos. Dear Grandma brought her tree and ornaments so we did get to do a few ornaments while we were camping in their RV. That was a nice treat. Thank you Grandma! We hung the apple and snake, the ark, the camel and tent and this morning we did day 5 - Isaac and the Lamb.

The thought for the day is:

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would give Him a lamb

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part -

But, what I can I give Him. Give My heart.

Christina Rossetti

I leave you with John 1:29b "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."