A Season of Advent

Advent is waiting. Waiting with anticipation for a coming King. 

December can be one of the most hurried and rushed months of the year.  With two of our three children's birthdays in December, we don't want it to feel rushed.  We want our children to look with anticipation towards December 25.  Not for presents, but for Christ. 

This post is sharing some of the things our family is doing this year, to create an atmosphere of anticipating Christ and celebrating Christmas, His Coming.

This year, for the first time, we are having a Jesse Tree.  The reference to "Jesse Tree" is found in the eleventh chapter of the book of Isaiah. 

1 Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him — a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.

The Jesse Tree is an Advent adventure to experience the stories of the Old Testament that tell of Christ's coming.  We read and wait, as those in the OT waited for their Savior.

I wanted rustic ornaments and a rustic tree.  I set out Sunday afternoon, with my daughter and scavenged for limbs around our house and in the woods.  I'm quite pleased with what we created.

And our first week's ornaments.

I hope to get a post out later this week showing how I made the ornaments.  (I added the numbers on to the picture with photo editing software.)

Starting on the first day of Advent, we also began reading the story Jotham's Journey.  We've heard many good things about this book.  We've also heard there is some violence, so be sure to read ahead.

And beginning on December 1, we'll put our Advent Nativity together and also read the 24 chapter book, The Jesse Tree.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There is a beautiful devotional at A Holy Experience.  I'm not reading this particular one with the kids, but it is one I plan to read after I do their devotion with them.  If you are interested in doing your own Jesse Tree, there are ornaments to print at the end of the free ebook.  You may need to enter your email address to sign up to receive the updated posts from A Holy Experience.  It is only when you receive the updates via email or a blog reader (google reader, etc) that you will see the link.  Directions are on the site.

Are you doing anything to celebrate the season of Advent?