Thursday, December 18, 2008

Another Great Idea!

The following is posted by Diane Hopkins of Love to Learn. You can visit her blog at http://www.dianehopkins.blogspot.com/



Posted: 17 Dec 2008 11:20 PM CST

Christmas is a time when we try to do lots of service for those in need. What memories we have from all those good times. But, sometimes we can forget the truth that "charity begins at home".


That's why one of my favorite traditions of Christmas is our "Secret Service Star". In the past, we've used a wooden star painted gold. When that got broken by my energetic young sons, a cardboard star covered in aluminum foil took its place. Doesn't matter so much what the star looks like in our family anymore, it is the idea it represents. In fact, this year I just quickly drew a star on a post-it note! And it works just fine.


The important thing about the Service Star is that it initiates a very fun and good-feeling game of "you're it!". You can only hang on to the star for an hour if you get tagged. And how you get tagged is that the possessor of the star does a good deed for you, in secret, and leaves the star in its place.


I started off the game this year by doing my son Ammon's chore: unloading the dishwasher. Then I left the empty dishwasher open with the post-it note star on the rack. Ammon noticed it, was surprised and delighted to have his chore done, and went quietly and secretly made Louisa's bed, leaving the star on her pillow. Louisa was now "it" and got dressed to go out in the snow and help Emily to do a task she didn't want to do. The star did its magic and again transferred to a new owner. And around and around it goes, making us all feel happier and more thoughtful of each other!


Eventually someone did a secret service for my grown son Mark when he came home to visit. Since he had to pass it on quickly and didn't have much time, he brought a big cool glass of water to my husband at his desk . . . along with the Service Star! And he remarked quietly to me, "I need to be nicer."


Around and around this star goes, making everyone a littler kinder, providing plenty of smiles and making Christmas come alive at our house."


Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas." -Dale Evans Rogers

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Advent Activities for Families




I just ran across a great website that has something called Advent for the Family which includes "Daily Bible readings, craft, activity and recipe suggestions to enhance your holiday season!" It is amazing and right up my alley since I need something in my hands explaining exactly how to celebrate Advent.



I know it's late to start it this year, but we are just going to skip all of the crafty stuff and recipes up to todays lesson. Even if you don't do it this year, bookmark it and try it next year. What a great way to keep Christ the center of Christmas!

There is also another way to celebrate the Advent season by creating a Jesse Tree. "It is a small, leafless tree decorated with symbols portraying Jesus' spiritual heritage." It's kind of like a study of Jesus' Family Tree which you make as you go. We made our tree out of long sticks and hung it from a light fixture above our table. Each day you read a passage and hang the symbol for it. We have sort of made a game out of figuring out which symbol goes with the day's reading and then guessing what it represents. Here is a similar picture of how our's looks.Here is another website with Jesse Tree directions and a little different pictures. Let me know if any of you decide to try these out!

CHRISTmas!

This Christmas REMEMBER:



Jesus is Better than Santa!

Santa lives at the North Pole.
JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh.
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year.
JESUS is an ever present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies.
JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited.
JESUS stands at your door and knocks...and then enters your heart.

You have to stand in line to see Santa.
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap.
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is
"Hi little boy or girl, What's your name?"
JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and our future.
He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly.
JESUS has a heart full of love.

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO!
JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says "You better not cry!"
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me, for I care for you.

Santa's little helpers make toys.
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts,
repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle, but
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree,
JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

It's obvious there is really no comparison.
We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about.

We need to put Christ back in Christmas.
Jesus is still the reason for the season.

May the Lord Bless and Watch over you
and your loved ones this Christmas 2008.

And may He prosper and bless
the work of your hands in the New Year!
********************************************
Although I did not write the above words (this is an email floating around), they represent what our family believes. We do not celebrate Santa at Christmas at our house, we celebrate Jesus! We teach our children that Christ was a gift to us from God and then he gave his life for us on a cross, so during the holidays we can give to others as a way to give back to God. It's not about what we want but about how we can bless others!

May you truely know the real reason for CHRISTmas!

Friday, December 12, 2008

Winter Wonderland!






We are still in disbelief, but we were blessed with snow at our house this week! Not only did we wake up to a mostly white outside but after it began to melt away in the afternoon, it began snowing again and snowed for about 4-5 hours. This accumulated and stuck amounting to around 2 inches. Our children have never seen snow, so this was an extra special treat. We touched, tasted, threw, built, snow-angeled, and played until 10pm. It was so amazing to walk out of our house and the whole yard was solid white. Unfortunately, the one time it snowed in our neck of the woods, Kenneth was out of town at a conference :( so he missed the whole thing. But, of course, we saved some in the freezer and Cody has already pelted his daddy once with a snowball. Here are a few pictures of our snow day fun!