Day 8: Joseph

Invasion of Bethlehem!  
I'm sure I am going to miss it when these days are over. Every time I turn around my decorations are disrupted or displays tweaked. But instead of getting annoyed I thank God for the opportunity to live with little boys' perspective and mind to view life through, since I did not grow up with that.


This week we played a Bible Trivia game I had as a kid and no matter what the question my youngest shouted, "Joseph!" as the answer. I guess he doesn't know yet that the pat answer is "Jesus". Since there is a significant Joseph in the Old Testament and New Testament I guess he's heard that name a lot and assumed it was a safe answer. Either way, it was funny every time.

Day 8: Joseph's Coat of Many Colors

Tonight was the second Sunday of December so at dinner we lit the second candle of our Advent wreath which symbolizes the second form of revelation: the Law, which will be our story for tomorrow. Through the Law God revealed to His people more about who He is, what His will is for His children, and His standards of righteousness. We often think of laws as boring or hindering but I'm fascinated as how the Isrealites wept, celebrated, and offered thanks at the reading of the Law! They listened to the Law read aloud for hours and sang praise to God for it! What a different perspective they had and I will discuss this week with the kids how the Law is perfect and makes us wise as written in Proverbs. I got candlesticks to fit my wreath but bought a cranberry color rather than the traditional purple and white. We light a 5th candle at our Christmas dinner, the 4 red and this white candle at the center of our wreath.

There is a booklet to go along with the symbols on this wreath, but we have also assigned our own symbolism for each candle. These kinds of wreath/booklet sets with daily readings are a great, simple way to add to your Advent teaching.

In the box we gave one paper and one felt ornament and for the chocolate I had a Thanksgiving mold with cornucopias so we used these to represent the time of feasting and storing before the great famine during Joseph's rule. When I can I like to use a different symbol than what is on the ornament so it's another visual element to remember or tell part of the story.

If you are following along with the Bible in Stories - pages 78-81, summarize 82-99
If using the Bible or another Bible reader - summarize Genesis 37-46

Felt Ornament Pattern Ideas: Tutorial Part 1

This is the set of ornaments below I have made so far for our Advent, which is part Jesse Tree, and part our own list. Sometime we do a variety, like one December we read about the life of Jesus from the book of John. I made a new set of ornaments for that theme and they were fun, especially some of the miracles and trying to come up with a symbol for theological concepts. Who knew you could do so much with felt? They turned out to be my favorite and a great teaching visual! But if you want to get started making felt ornaments on your own here is a little help. They are a tiny but satisfying little project and once you get going they can be done in maybe 20 minutes each. (So...one per episode of Curious George in Mom terms, right?)

Tutorial:
These can be done with as much as little detail as you want, but the details are what really make it. The basic embroidery skills you would need are slip stitch, french knot, back stitch, and stem stitch. I found a good tutorial for these stitches HERE. But there is a lot you can do with just a stem stitch or making x's. 

To get started you need:

• a variety of felt sheets, definitely need: white, brown, green, grey, blue, black and then what ever other background or piece colors you choose.
• needle with a large eye
• embroidery floss; I recommend getting a variety pack of colors which should be the most cost effective way to go.

I do not use an embroidery hoop since this is such a small piece of fabric, though you could use a hoop and do your embroidery work, then cut your circle around it when done. It will take a little practice to master holding this between the fingers of one hand and using your needle with the other.

I start off with two 2 1/2" to 3" circles for each ornament. By some trial and error I cut out the shape I want and then trim it to fit the circle if needed. Making a paper pattern and cutting that out, then cutting the fabric out would work well but may take up too much time for something so small.

You could also make these solely with the embroidery floss and your background circles, outlining the pictures in embroidery instead of cutting them out of another color of felt, but I like the 3D effect of the layers. For the edging and most of my stitching I use all 6 strands of the embroidery floss, but they could be divided to create different effects (less strands to make thinner lines, for example).

When your design in complete on the top circle, line up the back circle and sew around the edge. This should make your work very neat by covering up the back of the stitches.

To sew the edge and loop:
First, cut a very long piece of floss to make it around the circle and for the hanging loop. You could blanket stitch around the edge or I usually whip stitch, starting at the top by making a knot and putting my needle in only through one layer.  Then you can continue with the whip stitch instructions found HERE. When I reach the top I hold out the length I want for the loop and make one more whip stitch, slipping my needle under the slip stitch until it tightens without affecting my loop. Lastly, slip your needle under the next 2 or 3 stitches and pull your thread through and cut your thread. Perfect edge with no knot!

Ideas for the first 8 days:
1) Creation- Adam & Eve, but I have also done a sun on black felt to represent the darkness.
2) The Fall in the Garden- notice the snake (optional). An apple or fruit would also be a simpler image.
3) Ark with Rainbow- I have done others with a lot more detail on the ark, lines in the wood.
4) Tower of Babel - I have done one w/o the ladder and with a curled staircase on the outside going up.
5) Abraham's Tent and sky full of stars, but some simple stars would suffice.
6) Isaac- lamb on the altar.
7) Jacob- ladder to heaven.
8) Joseph- coat of many colors. This one is fun because you could do much with colors, stripes, etc.

Please feel free to use my designs here and attach any pictures of your finished project. I would love to see them or any variations!

Day 6: Isaac

Day 6: We read about Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son of promise to God tonight. We know Abraham had been promised descendents from Isaac and had faith that God could raise him from the dead. This aided his willingness to lay him in sacrifice before the Lord. Just for fun Dad used a secret decoder pin to make a cryptic message for the countdown box:  I-S-A-A-C.

In our box was the paper ornament, felt ornament, a clay ram, a large chocolate lamb that we broke and shared to represent his sacrifice, and a few Legos to finish the mystery vehicle they are building.

A friend of ours had the good idea to throw a Jesse Tree ornament party a few years ago. Each person brought 25 of the same ornament and distributed them at the party so everyone would leave with an entire set. We use some of them from this party and this was one of my favorites.

If you are following along with the Bible in Stories - pages 40-43

If using the Bible or another Bible reader - Genesis 21-22

Day 5: Abraham

I have been looking forward to this day all week because the tree is in the corner of the living room but without any lights. And during this dreary week in VA we need more lights in the house! Some of my favorite decorations are these antique shell string of star lights that we got for $2! The sad news is that 2 of the strands are out and they are antique lightbulbs, so... I hope we can find replacements. No beautifully finished tree picture for tonight.

Day 5: We read about God's Promise to Abram that he would become the father of many nations, with as many descendents as the stars filling the sky before him. It's cool to think that God had Abram step outside to span the vast heavens for this powerful visual (Genesis 13) and that we who share the faith of Abraham are actually the fulfillment of that promise. We wait to hang the lights on this day to represent those stars.

There are 2 Abraham ornaments and star chocolates to represent God's promise. This ornament shows Abraham's tent and the night sky. We hung the large shell star on top and strung the lights. The 4 year old set up the Fisher Price Nativity set under the tree. We ended the night wearing ourselves out singing and moving to "Father Abraham".

If you are following along with the Bible in Stories - pages 18-19, 22-25
If using the Bible or another Bible reader - Summarize Genesis 12-15

Totally unrelated, but they were eager to finish tonight because we promised to erupt a volcano that they had set up for before dinner. I loved the scenery and they were so excited!

Day 4: The Tower of Babel

Day 4: The Tower

Bible in Stories, pg. 16

Tonight we discussed the Tower of Babel, revealing that man's plans to create his own way to heaven is as old as recorded time. God's will was for men to spread out and to Fill the earth but they instead were huddled, devising their own wicked plans, hoping to build their way into heaven. Hadn't they heard what happened in grandfather Noah's day? So God dispersed them by confusing their languages.

Our oldest knew it would be the Tower of Babel tonight so he filled our extra, small cross box with 2 people, a ladder and a map or "plans to build the tower". He made his own box for his brother to open.




The Lego set we got them arrived and this went well with "building" for the tower. They got a small baggie with a few pieces and we took pics on our phone of the instruction book so they could only look at part of it. This is fun because they cannot figure out what it is going to be! (and I'm going to make you wait too.) The ornament is of a ziggurat. The yellow represents the sun or building into the sky and the white are clouds. No chocolate for tonight and we all smiled and sang Away in a Manger one more time and talked about what some of the lyrics meant. At the end Dad shared a prayer request for me and asked our youngest if he would pray for Mom's sake? "Mommy doesn't have an ache," he said.

Last year we bought the Playmobil Advent set which worked out well because it was a castle/knights theme, so for this night there was a cardboard castle to build. Castle theme often works well with the Bible since parts like animals, armor, royal regalia can fit with many of the chosen stories.

Building according to plans

If you are following along with the Bible in Stories - pages 16-17
If using the Bible or another Bible reader - Genesis 11
"Away in a Manger" found in back of BIS Volume II (ii) or hymnal

Day 3: The Flood

Day 3: Today's story is Noah, the worldwide flood, God's salvation of Noah and his family, and God's promise not to destroy the earth by flood again. Our 7 year old said the was the 56th time he had heard this tale, so we quizzed him over dinner and then proceeded to #57. I can understand his point since his Bible reader and worksheet for today happened to also fall on Noah!

We are working through the first 8 main events of the Old Testament that my husband teaches as part of his college Bible class, summarized as: (4 events) Creation, Fall, Flood, Nations, and (4 people) Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph. The kids are asked to memorize this order and at the and of Advent they are asked as best as possible to put all of the ornaments in order. On Christmas day we review all of these events, asking them for details, and to place the ornaments in order. If you are doing this plan or something similar, I promise you will be surprised and blessed by how much they can remember!

There are two paper ornaments from our set about Noah and the felt one I made. For chocolates, they get a sweet pair of lambs to represent the animals on the Ark.


If you are following along with the Bible in Stories - pages 12-15
If using the Bible or another Bible reader - Genesis 6-9
"Away in a Manger" found in back of BIS Volume II (ii) or hymnal

Advent: Day 2

Day 2: The story of Adam and Eve and the Fall in the Garden

Today we read the story of the first sin in the Garden of Eden, the saddest of days. Our 7 year old read the story tonight with all the voices- Eve, the snake, Adam, God. Inside the countdown box there was a perplexing broken ornament. You never know where an object lesson will be found in my husband's mind. Any guesses to how this ties in?

Old Yosemite Sam, missing a hand, represented Adam grasping the forbidden fruit and as a consequence is beginning to die, separated now from the Tree of Life. We don't know how long Adam would have lived but he was no longer able to eat from this Tree every day. To represent this death we had a chocolate skull. The tree ornament with the snake I made is pictured in Day 1.

I wanted to incorporate more time of worship this year so I am going to (weakly) play a song on the piano or sing every night at the end. I think we will sing the same song for 2 or 3 nights, working through some Christmas related hymns and thinking of classic songs that are often sung without printed lyrics like the Doxology and Amazing Grace. Tonight we ended with Away in a Manger and will continue in hopes that these songs will be familiar by Christmas when we go to Christmas song sing-along services. They grabbed some instruments and tried to sing along.

If you are following along with the Bible in Stories - pages 6-9
If using the Bible or another Bible reader - Genesis 3
"Away in a Manger" found in back of BIS Volume II (ii) or hymnal

Advent: Day 1

I am glad December 1 fell on a Sunday this year since the first day is usually the most time consuming. We debated about the whole idea of raising a Christmas tree in our house because of its fabled pagan origins, but decided to redeem the idea by incorporating it as a symbol of Creation and the Trees in the Garden.

Traditionally, if anyone is at our house any evening in December they have to participate in the evening's activities. Tonight we had friends over for dinner so they stayed to help us put up the tree. We have one of those older ones you have to put together branch by branch so this is a labor of love. Thanks A & J!

Day 1: I am thankful to have a creative husband who will go to any lengths for an illustration or lesson. Tonight after the tree was done and our guests had to leave, the kids quickly put on their pj's and we turned off every single light in the house.  We stumbled to find a chair and then out of the darkness Dad began to tell the days of Creation, lighting a candle when came light. He then continued to read from our Bible story book about Creation by candlelight (which is difficult). We have an Advent wreath with 4 candles to light each of the 4 Sundays of the month. We use these to symbolize the ways of God's revelation to us: 1) Creation, 2) the Law, 3) the Prophets, and 4) Jesus.

I'm not used to taking pictures in absolute darkness!

After talking about any questions and praying they got to open the special Cross box and eat the chocolate (a flower) and put the 2 ornaments on the tree. We have a paper set and the felt ones I made which works out well since we have 2 kids. We also have a 25 door Advent box where we put the name of the story for the day and my oldest put in 2 Playmobil owls as a surprise to his brother. I love how he is thinking ahead and wants to add in since he is more familiar now. The tree we put up we explain is to represent Creation and the 2 special trees in the Garden- the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. We ended the night with popcorn and a game, just for fun.

If you are following along with the Bible in Stories - pages 2-5
If using the Bible or another Bible reader - Genesis 1-2


So to recap:

• Advent calendar box with Event of the day
• Advent wreath every Sunday- #1 candle for Creation
• Creation reading
• Cross box with chocolate/surprise & ornaments to hang

Day 1: Creation and Day 2: Fall in the Garden

• 
  This is our basic set-up: We started with these pretty paper ornaments and booklet by Carol Alstadt/Abbey Press, Cross box from Tuesday Morning, Chocolates I made and Felt Ornaments I made, shown above. 
  
  
  I should add that we only set up the tree and put on the 2 Creation ornaments. Our decorating is progressive (meaning to us- less stressful), and makes this truly an Advent Tree about Christ. We will add lights on Day 5 but only put on the Jesse Tree ornaments so they are not distracted from with other decorations.

In Preparation of Advent

“The world knows Christ is born, oh; the King of love has come,

And our hearts will be His throne.” – from “Shining”, Sanctus Real

Many have asked me to share how our family celebrates this month of countdown until Christmas and I am hoping time permits me to keep up a journal of our journey (probably in chunks as I cannot miss family time to blog or I would be missing out on my purpose!) As we consider and evaluate American and Christian traditions sometimes our method is to throw them all out and then choose what to re-introduce. Or to slowly weed out what familiar things can smother the time we wish for for more meaningful teaching. But over the past 5 years we feel we have created some new familiar traditions that focus on the faith that is now inseparable from my husband and I. And the kids are begging the other 11 months of the year for them to return.

Each December we see it as a great opportunity to teach through the entire history of God’s salvation for all peoples. This spawned from the popular idea of the Jesse tree, which focuses on the major people leading up to Jesus, but we added to that other significant events. Part Jesse Tree, part Perspectives course, part my husband is a Salvation History doctoral student, so...spillover from his homework.

This time around Thanksgiving is pull-it-all-together time. I have made and bought ornaments in the past years so they are ready to go (once I find them!), but each year we reflect on any pieces that are still missing. This year I want to incorporate more worship into our time. So after we read the story, hang the ornament, open the trinket or chocolate, we will end with prayer and a Christmas hymn. You cannot avoid knowing all the Jingle Bells and Santa songs, but the beautiful, rich words of the old hymns I do not want to be lost.

“In the Christian story God descends to reascend. He comes down; down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down…to the very roots and sea-bed of the Nature He has created. But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world up with Him.” –from “Miracles”, C. S. Lewis.

Parenting is a humbling experience. I cannot fear messing up this whole thing but must take each day at a time, love my kids, give them my time, and ask God for help (mostly in the form of patience). Teaching God’s Word is also humbling, especially as I stumble through with limited knowledge of all His mysteries. But the two highlighted thoughts above pierced me today- He came down to bring the whole ruined world up with Him. That is life-altering and worth my thoughtful efforts to teach! And Can they see my heart is His throne and will they make it theirs?

Pick what works for you and join me in this venture. Please share any favorite Christ-centered traditions that you have!

I am making these for a friend to go along with Ann Voskamp's beautiful Jesse Tree list. I find such satisfaction out of decorating these 3" circles of inexpensive felt. Incorporating meaning even with the colors of fabric and thread have become my new goal.

 The tedious but relaxing task of melting, pouring, freezing and organizing daily chocolates for the month of stories. Two successes today- we found a dark chocolate that we all like, and melting vegan chips worked great, for my little one with limited dairy!

This is my system of categorizing the candy and its symbolism for every story.

Returning the Meaning to Easter

Before it gets too far away from the season, I want to share our passion for celebrating Passover. There is such a richness to becoming part of a service that has been observed for thousands of years, and a meal that Jesus Himself sat down to eat. It has normally been an elaborate part of early spring for us. We have low tables we set up, long tablecloths to iron, hand stamping placecards with the kids, hosting 10 guests, and planning a meal and driving all over our scarcely Jewish area to gather what is needed. But this year with too many major things going on, we decided to observe a simple dinner with just our children on Resurrection Sunday. We spend the week with mid-day and evening readings of Jesus' last week and this is a good culmination, tying in His work of redemption for us, as also characterized in the rescue of God's people through Moses in the Exodus.

There are several things I appreciate about this evening and its part in our lives. Like my role as a woman lighting the Passover candles, giving light to the table, just as Jesus was born of a woman, giving light to the world. The toughness we learned last year of Why the youngest is chosen to answer the 4 questions when it would be easier to chose the oldest. So they are not left out of being taught! This exercise is such a good reminder.
And the humbling ritual of my husband washing our feet as Jesus did for His disciples. It's awkward and freezing and hard not to giggle, and we come to the table with relatively clean feet, but sobering to think of Jesus stooped to wash the dust of this world off the feet of His closest friends that did not understand why and did not fully appreciate what He was doing.

I appreciate the small moments like my 7 year old putting on a wrinkled white button up shirt and tucking it in, to look "special" for the occasion. The joy in hearing him read the responses for the first time since he has learned this year to read. Their excitement for the chocolate coins (which I bought instead of making this year, cutting corners everywhere I could!) given in exchange for the hidden matzah. And ending the evening on the floor as we took requests for hymns and my 3 year old chose the "Grow, grow, grow" song.
It wasn't big or perfect or the best thing I have ever organized but it was special for us. And its meaning and significance has easily replaced other distracting traditions of this season. I pray it will be something my children will grow to understand and always remember.


"Truly, we can say Hallelujah for the great redemption which God has wrought on our behalf."
We lift the cup of Praise because He has made us His people.