Day 6 of Preparing Your Heart for Advent

Helping to Prepare Your Child's Heart for Advent

I always thought that most kids grew up playing with nativity sets.  I've since learned that I was not the norm.  Most families apparently didn't have stuffed cloth nativity sets that are child-friendly and that are still played with today by my children.  It was a complete set and we knew the Christmas story at an early age, thanks to those cloth representations.  Apparently the norm, I've learned, is that most families have non-playable nativity scenes.  I won't lie.  I love those beautiful nativities because they are so pretty to look at.  However, that and child play equals disaster.

One thing that we've done in our family to help prepare our children's hearts for Advent is to purchase a Little People Christmas Nativity and of course, the VeggieTales Nativity.  Our kids love playing with them and B is absolutely in love with baby Jesus.  He knows all of the names and who followed a star to see Jesus and to worship Him.  He knows about the shepherds and why they had to have Jesus in the stable.  He has a  hard time understanding why Jesus was in the stable and not a house, though.  His brain can't comprehend that, yet.  Baby M just likes to play with the nativities and put the angels on top of the stable.  I'm okay with that.

You see, our kids don't just play with the nativities.   Daddy T or I or any one of their grandparents will normally sit down with them as they are playing with it (a good 30 minutes, by the way) and tell them the Christmas story over and over.  We do keep it biblical!  We don't say that the wise men came in the very same day and the shepherds were waiting outside the doors!  Come on, who hasn't thought that at some point growing up?  We feel that play is a good way to learn and what better way to learn about Jesus and the reason for Christmas than through the nativity sets.  Since they are so little, they can't fully grasp everything but we are doing all we can to lead them to Christ so that they will be ready to come to Jesus when they understand what He did for Him on the cross.

Book Review: The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson

This was my first introduction to Melody Carlson.  I must say that I really enjoy her style of writing, if her books are all written like this one.  When I first started this book, I thought this would be a cute little store that sold Christmas items and that had a happy feel inside of it.  I was surprised when it wasn't what I thought it was!  (The picture on the front of the book also helped me form my opinion about a cute little shop!)

The Christmas Shoppe is a store that looks like a place no one would want to visit.  However, when people went in there, they came out with something far more important than they could ever imagine.  Matilda has a way about her that seems to teach those who enter into her shop what the meaning of Christmas really is. 

This book is a short little book, but it's a great Christmas read.  I would definitely recommend this book as a stocking stuffer or a book for that friend of yours who loves to read!

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Day 5 of Preparing Your Heart for Advent

"O Little Town of Bethlehem"

O Little town of Bethlehem how still we see thee lie

Above they deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by

Yet in they dark streets shineth, the everlasting light

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above

While mortals sleep the angels keep their watch of wandering love

O morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth.



And praises sing to God the king, and peace to men on earth.

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven

No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin

Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enteres in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray

Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today

We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.

25 days of Family

Last year, I put together a little Christmas calendar that was full of family activities for us to do.  It was a good way to get us in the habit to make sure that we do something together as a family everyday.  It doesn't always happen that way, but I find that Christmas is a good time for us to focus on being together as a family and being very purposeful about it. 

So, along with our focus on Advent, we are also going to be doing the following things.  I love the chance we have to be together as family and to make memories, even if they are just playing duck, duck goose!

25 Days of Family

1-Watch a VeggieTales Christmas movie.

2-Play Duck Duck Goose.

3-Bake cookies and take some to neighbors.

4-Put together a puzzle.

5-Game night!  Pick a game to play.

6-Color a Christmas picture.

7-Watch a VeggieTales Christmas movie.

8-Drive to see Christmas lights.

9-Bake cookies and take some to neighbors.

10-Put together a puzzle.

11-Play Duck Duck Goose.

12-Make a foam Gingerbread house.

13-Make a Christmas place mat.

14-Movie night!  Pick out a Christmas movie to watch and pop popcorn.

15-Break out the crayons and color a picture.

16-Write a letter to Santa.

17-Bubble bath!

18-Roll up some socks and have a "snowball" fight.

19-Puzzle time!

20-Movie night!  Pick out a Christmas movie to watch and pop popcorn.

21-Bake cookies and take some to neighbors.

22-Play miniature golf!

23-Write a Christmas story.

24-Movie and game night!  Oh, don't forget to feed Santa and Rudolph and bake Jesus a cake!

25-Christmas Day!  Read the Christmas story together in Luke 1-2.

Day 4 of Preparing Your Heart for Advent

Over 400 years. That's what separated the Old Testament from the New Testament. That's quite a long time of silence from God. Can you imagine what the Israelites might be thinking? If it was me in that place, I might be wondering if God was still there. Did God really care? Did God give up on us and leave us completely after all of the screw ups we had made? Why isn't God talking to us anymore like He had done before? I'm sure I would have many more thoughts than just these, but these are the ones that come into my head when I first think about it.

Now, take that same 400+ years. That's how long the Jewish people had waited on the arrival of the Messiah. Did you catch the main word? Waited. Can you imagine the anticipation they felt. I wonder if it's anything like what we experience today as we await the Second Coming. There's that longing to worship the King of Kings. So, with all of this anticipation, can you imagine their disappointment when Jesus came as a "babe wrapped in swaddling clothes?" That's it? They waited on some baby, in a manger, with parents who were just plain people, and in a city that is not known for royalty? Where was this majestic king who was going to make everyone bow down to Him and would come with a grand presentation?

After thinking about the time span and the anticipation, I can see how some might feel a little disappointed with just a baby. But I see the bigger picture because we have the Scriptures now, which they didn't have then. We know that the baby was Jesus, the Son of God. Philip Yancey says, "Among people who walled off a separate sanctum for God in the temple and shrank from pronouncing or spelling out the name, God made a surprise appearance as a baby in a manger. What can be less scary than a newborn with his limbs wrapped tight against his body? In Jesus, God found a way of relating to human beings that did not involve fear."

But the anticipation is the part that I keep lingering on. Isn't that part of the reason why we celebrate Advent? I think that Ann Marie Stewart said it best. She writes, "The Latin word for "advent" means "the coming." The advent season was instituted as a time of fasting for holy living, and it remains a time of inward preparation for the coming of Christ. It's much more than a one-day celebration, it's a month to be still and remember the God of our past, present, and future. In anticipating His first coming, we celebrate His presence in the present and prepare for His second coming to earth."

So, my friends, I ask you...are you anticipating Christ the King during this Christmas season or are you anticipating the gifts and the things of this world?

Day 3 or Preparing Your Heart for Advent

"About 800 years after Jesus was born, an unknown monk, schooled in prophecy, wrote a scripture-filled carol, linking the Old and New Testaments.  "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" taught many aspects of the Messiah during a time when average people had little access to the Bible.  The words were coupled with a fifteenth-century Franciscan processional entitled "Veni Emmanuel."  After missionary john Neale discovered and then translated the Latin chant into English in 1851, this hauntingly beautiful carol became popular."--Ann Marie Stewart

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

O come, O come Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

CHORUS:

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel.

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

(Isaiah 7:14)

O come thou rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of hell they people save

And give them vict'ry o'er the grave

(Isaiah 11:1-10)

CHORUS

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer

Our spirits by thine advent here

And drive away the shades of night

And pierce the clouds and bring us light

(Malachi 4:2)

CHORUS

O come, Thou Key of David, come

And open wide our heavenly home

Make safe the way that leads on high

And close the path to misery

(Isaiah 22:22)

CHORUS



Day 2 of Preparing Your Heart for Advent

It's impossible to think about the Christmas story without remembering the reason that we celebrate Easter.  When we go back to Bethlehem, we see the baby in the manger, Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, and the wisemen (the latter of which did not show up the same day as Jesus' birth, by the way!).  Oh, and we'll throw in the camels, donkeys, sheep, and horses that you always think of when you see the manger scene.  I'm sure it was quite a sight in actuality, but I'm not sure it's at all like we picture it at Christmas.

What was the point in the manger?  What was the point and significance of Mary?  What was the point in God bringing His Son to earth?  All of these things are significant to understanding Christmas.  I mean understanding the true meaning of Christmas....not the Santa Claus Christmas.  And yes, I did say Christmas...not Holiday.  These are things that we'll look at over the next couple of weeks as we prepare our hearts for Advent and for the celebration of our King.

For now, let's consider salvation.  We know that anyone who believes in Christ Jesus will be saved.  But if you say this to someone, you often hear back, "But He can't save me.  I did ________."  No sin is too bad to save.  All sin is equal in God's eyes.  As humans, we're the ones that have created levels of sin because I think it's a way that we judge people. 

I'd love for you to read Ruth 1-4 today.  You're probably familiar with the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz.  It's a wonderful depiction of love, faithfulness, and God's sovereignty played out.  However, when you get to the end of Ruth 4, you see a genealogy.  I want 2 people to stand out to you: Perez and Boaz.  Why?  Because of who their parents were.

Perez came from Judah and Tamar.  You can read their story in Genesis 38:6-30 and 1 Chronicles 2:4.  Long story short, Perez is the result of Judah and Tamar's incestuous relationship.

Boaz had a mother known as Rahab.  That's not all she was known by, though.  Usually when  you hear about Rahab, it's Rahab the harlot.  Or prostitute.  Whichever you prefer to say.  And she also began as someone who was not a believer, as well.

So what does all this mean?  I think that Ann Marie Stewart sums this up quite well.  "The Book of Ruth reminds us that God welcomes all who believe in Him no matter their background or faith.  He not only came for all, but His bloodline demonstrates His salvation for all." 

What's the point of Christmas without Christ?

Day 1 of Preparing Your Heart for Advent

Isaiah 53:1-9



(1) Who has believed our message? 

To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?

(2) My servant grew up in the Lord's presence like a tender shoot,

like a root in dry ground.

There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,

nothing to attract us to him.

(3) He was despised and rejected--

a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. 

We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.

He was despised, and we did not care.

(4) Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;

it was our sorrows that weighed him down.

And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,

a punishment for his own sins!

(5) But he was pierced for our rebellion,

crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole.

He was whipped so we could be healed.

(6) All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.

We have left God's paths to follow our own.

Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

(7) He was oppressed and treated harshly,

yet he never said a word.

He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.

And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,

he did not open his mouth.

(8) Unjustly condemned,

he was led away.

No one cared that he died without descendants,

that his life was cut short in midstream.

But he was struck down

for the rebellion of my people.

(9) He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone.

But he was buried like a criminal;

he was put in a rich man's grave."

Book Review: The House of Hope by Elisabeth Gifford

This book got me hooked from the name of the book and the picture on the cover to the book's description.  The Hope Foster Home is a foster home that Robyn and Joyce Hill started so that they could take care of the abandoned orphans in China.  Many of them were medically fragile babies that were abandoned because the child would most likely die without treatment.  In fact, some were left to die and they would have had it not been for Robyn and Joyce following the Lord's leading and taking in these children and doing everything within their power to see that the children lived and even went to their forever homes. 

Throughout the book, they share stories about different children.  They share where they came from, how they came to the Hope Foster Home, what surgeries they needed, how the Lord provided, and in many cases, where they are today.  It was a  book that I couldn't put down because of many reasons.  Adoption and taking care of ophans is very biblical and you can't help but see the love of Christ being played out in the lives of everyone at the House of Hope and the love they have for these children that have been left with no one. 

It hasn't all been easy for Robyn and Joyce.  They've had to sacrifice and fight for where they are now.  They've overcome losses and trials, as well.  But one thing they never doubted: God had a purpose for them in China and He was going to use them to carry it out.

This is a book to be enjoyed by everyone.  It will make you fall in love with the children at Hope Foster Home and you will hop online to join their foundation and to become active with their mission.  I'm sure of it!  Oh, and 100% OF THE PROCEEDS OF THIS BOOK GO TO FUND THE WORK AT HOPE FOSTER HOME. HERE IS THE LINK TO THEIR SITE: http://www.hopefosterhome.com/

You can find more reviews of this book by going here: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13438821)

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I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

What do you think?

Can you tell this guy is in love with these two kiddos?