Living Nativity 2010

Two of our little "angels" are pictured in this article!
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Advent Wreath

Our church has an advent wreath at Christmastime. The wreath consists of 4 taper candles (3 purple and 1 pink) and a white Christ candle in the center. (Our wreath is missing the white candle right now.)

The word "advent" means "coming". The during Advent, the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, we stop to remember that we are looking forward to the coming of Jesus to earth.
Over the years we have used several different Advent Devotionals, some kid-friendly, others a little challenging. One devotional that I have used the past several Christmases is Looking Forward to the Nativity. It isn't an "Advent" devotional that speaks directly to the meaning of each candle, but it is a great devotional that begins with creation, speaks of sin entering the world, and our need for a savior throughout the generations. Another book we have used is Christ in the Carols. It is a great devotional too that tells the meaning and the history of the various Christmas carols. I usually just read one devotional, and then use the other to sing carols with the family. (Courtney and I made the wreath many years ago from a wreath, picks, candle holders and ribbon. She picked out all the pieces as a 2 year old and we've been using it ever since!)

Christmas Stockings

Growing up we always opened Christmas stockings and gifts from Santa on Christmas morning. It was always something I looked forward in and as a child I believed in Santa.

When I got married and started having children I began to wonder how the whole "Santa" thing would be handled. I wanted Christmas to celebrate the birth of Christ and I wanted everything we did to point our children to the true meaning of Christmas. I loved the idea of hanging stockings by the fireplace and the fun of opening them on Christmas morning so we decided to do "Santa" a little differently.

I made stockings for each of the children reflecting some aspect of the birth of Christ, or his ministry here on earth. The stockings all held practical gifts (a new toothbrush, toothpaste, chap stick, a small toy, or a small Bible, or a Christmas book). The first stocking I made had a nativity scene with an angel and the word "noel". I stitched the patches on and then went around the fabric pieces with paint to keep them securely in place.
For the next stocking, I made it in blue (since it was for a boy) and put a star on it for the star the wise men followed and put a lion and a lamb on it. The lion and the lamb both point to Christ as Jesus is the "Lion of the Tribe of Judah" and the "Lamb of God".
For the third stocking I put on a cross to represent the reason for Christ coming to earth...to die on the cross for our sins. I also added a shepherd because Jesus is our "Good Shepherd".
For the fourth stocking I put a crown on it because Jesus is the "Prince of Peace". The patch on the bottom of the stocking has Jesus as a babe in the manger.
For the fifth stocking I put the three wise men at the top of the stocking and pictures to represent the gifts they brought to Jesus.
For the sixth stocking I put a cross with the lamb on the top patch, to once again represent Jesus as our sacrifice. At the bottom I put a picture of the cup and the bread to represent the Last Supper and Communion.
Now, the question is what will I put on the last stocking? Yes, my youngest has celebrated two Christmases without a stocking (well, at least one that is homemade). I'm not sure what to put on the stocking to continue to tell the story of Christ. Any ideas?

Christmas Ornaments

I love Christmas ornaments and decorating the tree! It is something I look forward to as soon as the tree emerges from the downstairs storage room.

When I was growing up our tree was adorned with wooden ornaments my mom had painted. We also hung the metal icicles that twirled and caught the lights from the tree. Our first Christmas we didn't have a tree, so we hung ornaments that Tom's mom had handed down to us from the railing in the hallway. It didn't quite meet my need to decorate!Once our children were born they each received a "baby's 1st Christmas ornament". After that, we continued with the "Hallmark" collection up to 5 years old. Once our children reached their 6th Christmas we let them choose their own ornaments...that is, until some very unusual ornaments were chosen.

I knew that I wanted their ornaments to go with them once they left the house...something for them to take with them to adorn their first Christmas tree, but I also wanted their ornaments to reflect what Christmas really means.
From then on, I began shopping for ornaments to give to my children at Christmas time (usually I would shop for ornaments the day after Christmas and find some great deals for the next year!) As I searched I would look for ornaments that would have a symbol of Christmas...a star, a nativity scene, a cross, etc).
I also bought them each a small Rubbermaid storage box to keep their ornaments in. Each year there is much anticipation once the boxes are in sight. It is such a delight to hear their excitement as they open up their box and dive into their ornaments. They love it and I enjoy hearing their memories from one Christmas to the next.

I also love that once they leave home, they will take the story of the true meaning of Christmas with them. Perhaps they will be able to share with a neighbor or a friend what their ornaments mean. And I hope that they will be able to begin to influence the next generation for Christ with something as simple as a Christmas ornament.

Christmas Jammies

One gift on Christmas Eve...

When Tom and I first got married we discovered that our ideas about Christmas and gift giving were different (big surprise!). My family always went to my Grandma's house on Christmas Eve. We always had potato soup for dinner, Grandma's special pies for dessert, and after all the dishes were washed, dry, and put away we would open Christmas presents. The only thing left on Christmas morning were stockings to open.

Tom's family did things quite different. They didn't open any presents on Christmas Eve. Everything was done on Christmas morning followed by a big Christmas dinner.

Well, we had to come to terms with our differences and to begin forming our own traditions. At first we celebrated with my family on Christmas Eve and his family on Christmas Day.

Once our daughter was born we started to do things a little differently. One family we knew told us they always opened one gift on Christmas Eve...a new pair of PJs. I loved the idea. We still could open up a gift, and everyone would have nice, clean jammies for pictures on Christmas morning.

The first several years all the jammies were very Christmas-looking. But as the years have progressed the PJs have started to be just new, not necessarily looking like Christmas. It is amazing how something so simple, is something that all the kids have looked forward to each year!

A Christmas Tradition? I Hope So...

A Wonderful Surprise

A year ago at Thanksgiving, we had a wonderful guest in our home. She was far away from family and couldn't make it home for the holiday, so we invited her to spend Thanksgiving with us. After a day full of fun, baking, and feasting, I went to bed tired but happy.

The next morning I awoke to a wonderful surprise. The Christmas tree was up in the living room. I assumed that my husband had taken it out and set out the kids' ornament boxes as a surprise. As I walked through the house however, I noticed things weren't just out...they were decorated! I knew that Tom wouldn't have done it...Christmas elves (in the form of three late night teenagers) had decorated as a gift. And what a wonderful gift it was!

This year I was hopeful that my elves would return. Our guest wasn't here this year, so I wasn't sure if two elves would do the job. As I walked out into the living room this morning I was thrilled to see that two elves had again visited...and this time, they made (and decorated Christmas cookies as well!)

The snow was falling outside too...so it feels like a white Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. What fun!

(I'm wondering whether once "elves" go to college if they still decorate, or if they pass on their decorating job to the younger "elves"!)

Puzzled

Have you ever tried to put something together without directions? I am usually pretty good at solving a puzzle. Today however, was a different story.

I went to church today to put together a puppet theater. It was constructed of PVC pipe, connectors, and a red & white tent top. I had seen the finished product, so I was confident I could easily reassemble the theater. I was so wrong!

I made a few critical mistakes:

1. I didn't know that the theater was put together with 3 different sizes of PVC pipe. (They all looked the same at the start!)
   
2. I didn't realize that when someone had taken it apart, some pieces were put back together with connectors that didn't belong to them.
3. I didn't have the directions or blueprints.
4. I didn't have the help from the one who put it together in the first place.

After working on it for quite awhile and becoming frustrated, a friend walked by and said, "You know, I think I saw the directions for that theater in another room. Would you like them?" Immediately I said, "YES!" She went and got the directions and I could easily see my mistakes. I now knew where the two longest pieces belonged. I saw that the structure for the tent top had been put together with the wrong length of pipe. I also saw where each of the connectors belonged. Within minutes the puppet theater was assembled and it looked exactly like I remembered it.

Isn't life so similar? We go through life knowing what we want or what we think life should be like. We try things on our own, determined we can figure it out and get the results we want. But it doesn't work that way. Trying to do life on our own is much like me trying to put together the puppet theater without the directions.

1. God has designed each one of us uniquely. There is a purpose and a plan for your life and for mine. Trying to figure out life without understanding all the pieces is frustrating.
2. There are some things in life that are not for my best. In trying to put my life together I may try to connect with some things that are not for my best. Just like the pieces that were put together by someone else, they don't belong.
   
3. In order for life to be all that God intended, we need the blueprints or directions. God has given us His Word, the Bible. When we use that as a guide for our lives, it gives the direction we need to have a life with purpose and meaning.
4. God is the designer and we need Him in our lives. Imagine how easy it would have been if the designer of the puppet stage had been with me. He could have shown me what each piece was meant for and put the stage together as it was designed. God wants to do that for you too. He designed you and knows you best. He wants to show you how much He loves you and wants to show you what is best for your life.
   

When my friend walked by and asked if I wanted the directions I could have said, "No thanks, I think I'll figure this out." But that would have been foolish. There were things I didn't understand about the design. The same is true about life. We need the One who designed life to be in our lives, giving us direction and the life that He has planned for us.

Are you tired of doing life your own way?

God designed you. He made you to be in relationship with Him. However, when we choose to do things our own way without God it is called sin and sin keeps us from God. In His plan, He made a way for us to be forgiven. That was through His Son Jesus, who came to earth to die in our place for all the wrong things we have done. Nothing we can do can get us to God. He made the one and only way through His Son.

Would you like God, who created you, to be in your life and give you the hope and help you need? It is really quite simple. It is seeing your need for God and asking Him to be a part of your life.

If you would like to have God in your life you can pray right now. You can pray something like this...
"Dear God, I am tired of trying to do life my own way. I need you in my life. I realize that you have made me and have a purpose for my life. I know that I have done many things that have kept me away from you. Please forgive me for all the wrong things I have done in my life. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to die in my place on the cross. I receive you now as Lord and Savior. Please come into my life and make me the kind of person you want me to be."

If you prayed that prayer congratulations. God is now in your life! I'd love for you to comment below and I'd love to give you some tools to help you on your new life with God.