Continuing advent

I've been quiet on the topic of Advent for the last week or so. We didn't give up on it, I just haven't written about it. It has been a rich season for our family, as we sought to bring more of the true meaning of Christmas back to our day-to-day December existence.

I told you early in the month that I was going out on a limb to tell you of my plans. See, one of my insecurities is a belief about myself that I start things only to fail. That I make a plan only to drop it. That I don't have good follow through. I'm learning to extend grace to myself, to not be such a perfectionist. For example. Early in December (perhaps the 3rd, I don't remember) we missed a night of Advent. I had wanted to be sure to do a reading every day, and I failed. Or at least that's the old way of thinking about it. And according to the old pattern of doing life, I may have tossed up my hands and packed away the devotional books for next year.

But this year was different. God has been making progress on my heart! :) (and in my mind) When I realized we had missed a couple days, I also realized it was because we didn't sit down for dinner together at home. I thought it appropriate to change my goal. Recognizing that this is a busy season of year, and we have a lot of reasons why we're not at our own dinner table nightly, I decided to try to have an advent devotional each time we were at the dinner table together. This proved to be a very realistic goal for us. We have had some good family times together.

Most recently, we have been using a tool I bought a few years ago. Focus on the Family was selling Adornaments, and I bought a set. It is a set of 12 cardboard ornaments that have a name of Jesus on them. They have a verse and a devotional thought. When we get around to it, I let each child choose one, read it, and hang it on the tree. (When Abby reads hers it sounds a lot like a compilation of several Awana Bible verses she has learned, "An' Dod said, He made evweting bootiful, you shall not obey. . . " I"m not sure why she changed the verse to "not obey", but she's pretty consistent)

So, that's us for Advent. Thanks for reading and talking with me about it some. It's been helpful to know that there are people out there who know what I wanted to try - it makes me slower to give up. And we've had some great family conversations about several topics. Yesterday's advent time turned into a discussion about the armor of God. . . It's not so much WHAT we talk about, but the fact that we're having spiritual conversations as a family. It's very, very good.

Peace

I have seen different things on different Advent lists, but the word we're going with this weekend is Peace. Titus will light the second candle, we'll read some verses and talk about what peace looks like. What it meant for Jesus to come and bring peace, and what it means to live in peace now.

It's an interesting theme for me, seeing how my boys are upstairs fighting as I type. There has been very little peace in our home - when both boys are home - for a long time. I would say that the biggest challenge in my life currently is how to parent two boys who get along so poorly. It has been my lifelong desire that any children I may have would be close - good friends. So not only is it difficult to have wisdom for parenting, it makes my heart ache.

I did, however, have a very encouraging conversation last night. I was speaking with a friend of mine whose family I deeply respect. All of their kids are in college or older, and I have long admired how they all get along. When her sons are together, you can see that they truly enjoy and admire each other. As we were talking last night, I mentioned the troubles my boys were having, and she gave me hope that it would get better. She said her boys did not get along at all, that it was pretty bad, until her older son was about a freshman in highschool.

I can't tell you how much hope it gave me to know that these young men, whom I have often looked at with the desire that my boys might have something of the heart for God and love for each other that I see in their relationship, got along poorly for several years. When she said it took a change of heart on the part of her older son, and that God had changed his heart, it gave me hope that one day the seemingly immovable mindset of my sons might just move.

Who knows, perhaps there will be peace on earth after all.

Advent ideas and resources, with a little bonus

Hey, happy Wednesday! I drove Josiah out to Pratum (think out in the country, by the farm) this morning at 7:30. As we pulled up to Market Street (still in town) I glanced left to check for cars and there, hanging low in the morning sky, was the huge full moon. There's something about the moon in the morning that gives me pleasure. Then, as we crossed Cordon road and left the city behind, turning corners past a pasture of long-horn cattle and a lone buffalo, with frost laden fields stretching before us, the sun came up over the blue ridge of the Silverton hills. A glowing orange orb sending light cascading over the fields, barns, and trees. Mt. Hood was illuminated in all it's glory, and the kids and I drank in the beauty. As we turned to return home, there was that big, beautiful moon hanging low in the western sky - as if staying a little longer this morning just to say "Hello" to the sun. I was filled with the wonder of the beauty, wishing for a camera, but at the same time realizing that the camera can never capture the awe of such a moment, such a gorgeous, glorious day. It was then that I prayed this prayer, "Oh Lord, please let moments such as these last long in our memory, for this kind of beauty feeds the soul. Thank you for creating us with the capacity to enjoy beauty. Amen"

So, that was your bonus thought for the day. :) Now, on to advent. We had a great second family advent time last night. The first was on Sunday, where Josiah lit the first candle and we talked about the HOPE of Jesus' coming. The second was last night at dinner, where we had our first scripture reading because it was December 1st. It was a sweet time together, where all the kids got out their Bibles (well, Abby got out her Cubbies book from Awana, but that's about as close as she has to her own Bible,) and were eager to read. It was fun.

Here are a few tips and ideas if you're wanting to do some Advent activities with your family this year. It's not an extensive list, but it's a start.

1a. I can't take credit for this one because I heard it from someone else, but here it is: If you're a wife, you have the opportunity to set your husband up for success. You can do the footwork of finding some verses, perhaps a devotional reading, a Bible, and setting them at your husband's place for dinner. Sometimes we get discouraged because we feel like our husband is not being the spiritual leader - whatever that's supposed to look like - and we nag. This is an opportunity to help him succeed. I think it's fine for the mom to lead the Advent time - I led our time on Sunday because I had done most of the research and knew what to teach - and I also think it's great for us to give our husband the opportunity to lead as well, even if we are the person getting things rolling. Jeff was appreciative that I set it up and got our family started with Advent, and he did a great job of leading the kids in reading and discussing the verses.

1b. For scriptures, we used the back of the church bulletin. This month they are giving daily scriptures for Advent, so I just have it tucked in my Bible and that's what we used for our reading at dinner time. I have another list that I got at Hearts at Home last year. I may type it up for you in the next few days, if not, those of you who have the "Traditions" book from the May term last Spring have a list of daily scriptures for the Advent season.

2. Use the internet, just google Advent activities, and you'll find several links. Some are selling things, and some are free - just use your judgement on what you're family needs.

3. Start a family collection of special books telling Christmas related stories. Here's a google listing of places selling Advent books.

4. For your own personal devotions, Salem Alliance has a great online resource this year. They have daily advent readings written by various people.

5. Start some sort of advent calendar with your kids. It doesn't have to be store bought - I read one idea about wrapping 25 chocolate kisses in a long saran wrap line, and separating each with a tied ribbon - then kids get to unwrap one kiss a day until Christmas. Just something to build anticipation and create a talking point about Jesus' coming.

What other ideas do you have, or have to you done? I would love to hear them. May God bless you as you are intentional during this season - and Merry Christmas!!

Hope

I know that when a blogger has nothing to say, they call that "Blog Clog," but what do they call it when a blogger has too much to stay and starts posting more than once a day? Blog Spam? Blog bog?

I find myself in one of those seasons where the words in my head are tripping over each other, and I don't know which sentence to start with. Should I blog about blessing our children (Chapter three in my new favorite book, Prayer Saturated Kids)? Should I blog about Advent resources so that any of you who want can join those of us doing something daily with family during this month before Christmas? Or should I blog about what's on my heart from quiet time this morning? I think quiet time wins, but check out my new quote today which gives you a glimpse of the idea of blessing our children, and watch this space for Advent resources in the next few days.

So, on the back of our church bulletin this week was a list of daily scriptures to help us "remember and celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ." I picked it up this morning and was drawn to the readings from yesterday, November 30th. I'm sure there are perfectly good verses listed for today - December 1st - but that wasn't what I was drawn to. It's interesting where we end up sometimes when we follow the gentle nudges of the Spirit, rather than the letter of the law, or what we "should" do. (I call those "the shoulds" and it's pretty near a curse word at our house, but I digress.)

Told you my words were tripping over each other today!! Back to the reading for November 30th. The bulletin led me to Isaiah 9:2, which you can read in the sidebar today. This is not a new verse for the Christmas season. I can't venture to count how many times in my life an advent reading has pointed me to Isaiah 9:2. But today was different. As I was reading, these words popped out at me - kind of jumped off the page, if you will: ". . . on those living in the land of the shadow of death. . . " And here is what followed, what I wrote in my journal:

(Editors apology: by offering you this glimpse into my journal, I feel a need to explain that I edit my thoughts for this blog, while I do not edit my thoughts for my journal. So if some if it seems to skip around, be a bit hard to follow, or just plain crazy, that's because I wrote it for my personal quiet time, not for public viewing. However, when I finished writing, I just had the thought that it might be valuable to post it here. Take it for what it is, and let the parts that don't make sense to you go. Apology over.)

"Earth, or just certain season of history on earth, have been "the land of the shadow of death." What we take for beauty and reality - all we know, all we aspire to, all our science, reason, emotion and life - is lived in a place that is under the shadow of death. What hope it gives to know that there is a heavenly place where no shadow exists. Because of Satan's rebellion, and fall, this planet is shadowed - But glory to God, we don't have to live under the shadow of death. We can walk in the light of Life. A foretaste of heaven - when no life is under the shadow created by sin and evil, rebellion, greed and death. O Lord, for the beauty of Life, and to be a giver of life, I pray. Lift my eyes to you, that in my times of despair, I might see it as only a passing shadow. A hint of death that can truly do me no harm - because I live in the light of Your Life. Thank you, Lord, for hope. Amen"

In what do you place your hope today? Is it something from this shadowed planet, or something reflecting the true light of life? Let's be careful to examine our hope, our desires, our dreams. . . and discern what is truly at the root of them. For anything born of earth will die, but anything born of heaven is eternal.

God bless you today with Hope.

Advent

O.K. so I'm going out on a limb. I am going to make myself accountable to all you quiet, but faithful, blog readers. We, at the Roth house, are going to celebrate Advent. There, I said it. Now we need to make it happen.

The first year we were married, Jeff and I had an Advent Wreath, and all the right colored candles, and we anticipated the coming of Christ as a baby. It was a sweet, sweet time. I have long since wanted to do it with the kids, but alas, it's so easy to get distracted during the holiday season. However, last spring we had an amazingly motivating woman come talk to our mom's group, and I made a decision that I would at least do SOMETHING to set apart Christmas as a time to celebrate the birth of Christ, my Lord. I cannot let another season go by, without attempting to instill in my children some of the rich tradition and heritage of our faith. I cannot let it be about Santa claus for another year, it must be about Christ, or it is nothing at all. If my kids grow up to give great gifts, fill great stockings, and teach their kids about Santa, - but don't have any traditions anchoring their families in Advent, I have made a huge, huge mistake.

For the record, I think Santa is a fun tradition. I am not opposed to Santa, nor do I think he's the anti-christ. We have had fun with stockings, reindeer, gingerbread houses and all sorts of American traditional Christmas stuff. I'm just talking about doing something intentional to continue developing Christ traditions as well.

Here's my list so far:

1. Beginning Sunday, November 29th, we will be lighting the advent wreath each week.

2. On December 5/6 we will be learning about, and celebrating St. Nicholas. We will do our gingerbread house/train on Saturday, and we might do our stockings on the 6th instead of Christmas morning. I know, SHOCKING, but stockings began because of St. Nicholas, and if we move them to December 6th, we 1. spread out the fun, 2. connect the event with it's purpose and so strengthen positive tradition, and 3. protect Christmas morning as a time for the family to celebrate Jesus. I confess I haven't decided 100% about this, but I'm considering it. Jeff is game either way - I checked!

3. We will set up Bethlehem, but not the whole nativity scene, in early December. Then, we will move a pregnant Mary (I'm splurging on the Willow Tree figurines Christmas set) and Joseph toward Bethlehem from a different location in the house. (Nazareth) I may make a field somewhere for the kids to see the shepherds and sheep, and I think we start the wise men from a LONG ways a way. If I've paid attention, they are not supposed to arrive until January 6th, on epiphany. Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem on Christmas even, and Baby Jesus doesn't arrive in the manger until Christmas morning.

4. Last Christmas at the Pursuits Desk at Salem Alliance I bought a little book called "Getting Ready for Christmas." It has daily devotional thoughts and activities for young families. I'm going to try to keep it at the dinner table starting December 1st, and read it whenever we are together at the table. We'll see how this one goes- I'm not always great at the maintenance stage of my bright ideas - hopefully we'll read it more often than not.

So, that's it for now. We'll see how I do at follow through. You can ask me how I'm doing if you want. I'll try to post here at least once a week for those of you who might try to do some of this with us. May your advent season be full of the richness of Christ, our Risen King!