Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

For those that don't know, the season of Advent started on Sunday.  Advent is the season where we prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christ's coming.  We reflect on the meaning of Christ becoming flesh.  We read the Love Story that God unfolded, and had planned since the beginning of time.  It's so easy to get caught up in all of the "festivities" that surround Christmastime, and neglect the very thing that is the most important - worship and adoration of the Savior Himself.  That's why I love Advent.  It helps me to slow down, reflect, worship, pray, and serve - all while anticipating the celebration that is to come.

I've gotten tons of questions lately about the Jesse Tree.  I love the questions, because I am so excited that a lot of our friends have decided to start doing the Jesse Tree with their families this year.  I just love this tradition.  Starting the first day of Advent, you read a passage of scripture together as a family, then hang a corresponding ornament on your Jesse Tree.  The readings go through the promises that God made to his people, the lineage of Christ, and the prophesies about Christ, all leading up to Jesus' birth.  The Jesse Tree gets its name from the Messianic prophesy in Isaiah 11, that starts with "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit..."

Where do you get a Jesse Tree?
There are people that sell the whole package or just the ornaments, or just a booklet of readings and information on Etsy.  Most are done out of felt and done like a banner that you hang on your wall.  This is what I grew up using, only my mom made ours.  You could also do what we've done, and use the Christmas tree that you already have.  Instead of using it as a "Christmas tree", we still put it up, put lights on it (Jesus is the light of the world) and put an angel on top (Announcing the Coming of the Lord), then only put our Jesse tree ornaments on it.  So, it starts out with only lights and gets one ornament added every night.  I also handmade my ornaments out of wooden circles and squares that I got at a craft store, used paint pens to draw pictures on them, drilled holes in the tops, and put wire through them to make hooks to hang them.  Want to do the Jesse tree but really want to save money?  Go get a big branch out of your backyard, draw pictures on paper circles, and put some yarn through them.  yep.  that works too.

You want Scripture verses to read?
There are so many scripture readings that you could use.  What each family uses differs greatly.  If you look it up, you'll get lots of different passages.  This is the list that we use, which are the same readings that I grew up with.  Add or subtract passages as you wish, change up the order to mix up old testament and new testament...just remember the most passages you should use is 28, because  at most, Advent is 4 full weeks.

Week 1:
 Jeremiah 33: 14-16 Jesse Tree Prophesy (tree branch)
Genesis 1:1-2:4a Creation (world and clouds)
Gen. 2:4b-7 Creation of Man (mud man)
Gen. 2:8-17 Where man lives (tree and flowers)
Gen. 2:18-24 Creation of Woman (lumber lady)
Gen. 3:1-7 The Fall (serpent and apple)
Gen. 3:8-24 The Result (flaming sword)

Week 2:
Gen 4: 1-16 Cain and Able (Man torn from man)
Gen. 6:5-9; 7:1-5,10, 17-23; 8:6-13 The Flood (ark)
Gen. 9:1-17 Noah's covenant (Rainbow)
Gen. 11:1-9 Tower of Babel (*says people torn from people.  We use the tower as a symbol.)
Gen. 12:1-7; 15:5-6 (*says tent, but we use a sky full of stars)
Gen. 22:1-18 Sacrifice of Issac (lamb)
Gen. 28:10-22 Jacobs Dream (ladder)

Week 3:
Gen. 37:1-35 Selling of Joseph (coat)
Ex. 3:1-18 Moses' call (burning bush)
Ex. 20:1-17 Law of the Covenant (tablets/10 commandments)
1 Sam. 3:1-20 Samuel, first Prophet (lamp)
1 Sam. 9:15-17,25-10:1 Saul, first king (oil flask)
1 Sam. 16:1-13 Jesse's son (branch with flowers)
1 Sam. 16:14-23 David (harp)

Week 4:
1 Kings 3:3-28 Solomon (justice scales)
Micah 5:2-4 Bethlehem prophesy (town)
Jeremiah 23:2-8 people-shepherd prophesy (shepherd's crook)
Isaiah 9:2-7 Messiah-king prophesy (crown)
Isaiah 11:1-10 Messianic age prophesy (branch with fruit)
Matthew 1:18-25 Annunciation and expectation (angel)
Luke 2:1-21 Nativity evening (baby)

And now...worship.
  For a lot of years now, this has been my favorite Advent song.  It's an updated version of the hymn that's actually really good and speaks to my heart every time I listen to it.  I hope you enjoy!!

Making a Masterpiece...

So my grandfather (who died almost a year ago) made this easel for my sister and I when we were little.  Yes, he made it.  Now, after many years of sitting in my parent's garage, it is being put to good use again!  I think it's a fabulous addition to our school room, and the kids think so too :)

I got this idea from Parent's Magazine.  I got some cheap 4oz baby bottles, filled them with paint, cut off the top of the nipple and put it in the bottle upside down and put the ring on.  Tada!  Re-sealable paint holders that take excess paint off of paintbrushes too!!  

Worked fabulously!

My Little Gymnast

We started Bella in Gymnastics (Finally!) about 2 weeks ago at GymKat Sport Center here, in Granbury.  She LOVES it!  It's a small class of (at most 6) 3.5-5 yr-olds. It's been more like 2 kids...hoping for more for the purpose of socialization, but at least she has something that is JUST for her, and something that she can work hard at and excel.  A good excuse for praise from Mom and Dad :)

...and this is the best picture I could get on her first day...

The sticker on her shirt is for following directions :) 

MmmmMmmm Good!

I've been making up more baby food for Isaiah.  Here, I've canned some Pears and some Plumbs.  I only can fruit purees.  With Balian, I wanted to do veggies.  However, the only way you can safely can veggies is with a pressure canner...and the pressure canner instructions specifically said NOT to do purees.  So...I gave up.  Botulism is not something I want to mess with.  So after steaming and pureeing, I can the fruit (high-acid) foods using the boiling bath method, and freeze the veggies in babycubes then separate into ziploc bags.  It's worked out pretty good for me.  But there's just something about all those canning jars lined up...makes me happy :)

Rub-a-dub-dub

Rub-a-dub-dub

3 kids in the tub

ooo, the new possibilities

the baby, the comic, and the firecracker too

I can't believe it's true!

*sidenote:
Do you see the Pet shampoo?  No, we don't have a dog.  We use it for Isaiah (and me) for eczema.  I know.  weird.  But it's been working really good and I've definitely noticed a difference in both of us.  It's actually John Paul's (the Paul in Paul Mitchell) Pet Shampoo for sensitive skin or something like that.  It has oatmeal and almond oil in it...if you or your baby have eczema, check it out!

And yes, Balian got a haircut.  I went grocery shopping, and when I came home, he had no hair.  Apparently some guy at the auto parts store referred to Balian as a "she" and Neil just couldn't handle it.  Whatever.  People are so dense.  I thought it would be the coolest thing ever for my crazy man to have a fro.  We'll try again later, I suppose...

A Little Piece of Heaven

This is what makes a great day:  All 3 kids in the same room, playing together, without arguing, fighting, bickering, or being too rough.  Just good 'ol playtime.  Makes this Mama very happy :)

*sigh*

love, love, love it!

Pumpkin Painting

Painting the Pumpkins they got at Mainstay Farm :)

The Choice

Every morning I have a choice.
It determines the rest of my day.
my mood, my attitude,
and the way I will react
to everything that comes my way.
This choice carries over to my children as well,
in all that they say and do.
For their attitudes reflect the ones of their mother
and their mother affects their moods.

My choice lies between the sheets of my bed,
where I lie cozy, all comfy and warm.
Will I choose today to die to myself
and give up sleep to spend time with my Lord?
Or will I choose to be awakened,
grumpy and delaying
into another day of shouting,
bickering, and complaining
all the while wondering why on earth I chose this path
when a more fulfilling way lies in this one choice that I have.

For when I wake with the Lord,
and I give my time to him,
there is a refilling of the Spirit within me.
There is peace.  There is joy.
Purpose with every question,
and boundless opportunity.
Discipline is done with humility,
a good attitude, and a calm disposition.
Time exists that never would have otherwise.
And I am able to not just speak, but also listen.
Joy is found in everything that I do.
I sing as I fold laundry.
I hum while doing dishes, and my children sing along.
Less bickering, less shouting.

though chaotic at times, I love my job.
and I'm content at the end of the day.
No headache, no backache, but excitement and joy
And all of this because I woke up to pray?

So why would I choose the bed,
when I know dying to self is gain?
Why does hitting snooze seem so wonderful
when it ruins my day?
I'm learning to say no
to my comfy bed and sheets.
And arising to spend time with the Lord
as my beautiful children sleep.
And the more time that I spend with Him,
the better off I'll be.
For my children's example of following Christ
lies entirely within me.