Last year I read about doing advent with a Jesse Tree. I'd never heard about it before and when I read this I was sold! Of course, by the time I read it last year it was like December 14th or something, so we only got to do about half of the days. This year, we got to start from the top.
When I read to the boys from the info I had printed up for this advent I was touched by this:
It reminded me that there was a LOOOOOONG wait! And it reminded me that no matter how long we wait for the promise of God, it's a sure thing... it's coming, it's something we can really put our hope in.
Tonight we hung the stump ornament and the earth ornament. The stump is the basis for the whole Jesse Tree advent and comes from Isaiah 11:1:
The earth is to bring us back to the beginning, to the very first people who God made, and to the very first people God promised a Savior to. "And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." (Genesis 3:15)
Did we have a Normal Rockwell scene there by the tree as I read these scriptures to my 3 and 5 year old sons and talked to them about Advent and what we were doing with the Jesse tree thing? No! In fact I had to sigh many times and pray quietly to myself to appropriate the patience God has with me and apply it to my kids.
There was lots of squirming and interrupting, lots of whining and lots of, "When is Santa gonna bring us candy and presents!!!?" Which made me come about this close to shouting, "There is not Santa, okay!!!!" But I didn't. I instead heeded that quiet voice of the Spirit urging me to just let the boys see me worshipping Jesus and talking about Him this time of year.
So, I went on, after correcting the little squirmers, and said, "What do you want to thank Jesus for boys?" They then thanked Jesus for Santa bringing presents. I smiled, and prayed for their faith to always be childlike as they grow to maturity in Christ.
I realize that just as it was for those who came before Jesus it is for me now. For i wait too. I wait and labor and pray and hope in God's sure promises for Christ to be formed in my little children. Sometimes it seems hopeless. Sometimes it seems so far away. Sometimes it seems impossible. But my hope must be set not on what I see or hear in my boys but on God's promise which does not fail. And just as Mary resigned herself to be the vessel through which God would deliver His Son in the flesh, though she would be rejected and in much pain, I must surrender myself to believing that with my God all things are possible... even the forming of Christ in my little boys is possible.
Praying for us as moms and for our children,
When I read to the boys from the info I had printed up for this advent I was touched by this:
"During Advent we remember some of the people who came before Jesus and who waited and hoped for his birth."
It reminded me that there was a LOOOOOONG wait! And it reminded me that no matter how long we wait for the promise of God, it's a sure thing... it's coming, it's something we can really put our hope in.
Tonight we hung the stump ornament and the earth ornament. The stump is the basis for the whole Jesse Tree advent and comes from Isaiah 11:1:
"A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch
shall grow out of his roots."
The earth is to bring us back to the beginning, to the very first people who God made, and to the very first people God promised a Savior to. "And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." (Genesis 3:15)
Did we have a Normal Rockwell scene there by the tree as I read these scriptures to my 3 and 5 year old sons and talked to them about Advent and what we were doing with the Jesse tree thing? No! In fact I had to sigh many times and pray quietly to myself to appropriate the patience God has with me and apply it to my kids.
There was lots of squirming and interrupting, lots of whining and lots of, "When is Santa gonna bring us candy and presents!!!?" Which made me come about this close to shouting, "There is not Santa, okay!!!!" But I didn't. I instead heeded that quiet voice of the Spirit urging me to just let the boys see me worshipping Jesus and talking about Him this time of year.
So, I went on, after correcting the little squirmers, and said, "What do you want to thank Jesus for boys?" They then thanked Jesus for Santa bringing presents. I smiled, and prayed for their faith to always be childlike as they grow to maturity in Christ.
I realize that just as it was for those who came before Jesus it is for me now. For i wait too. I wait and labor and pray and hope in God's sure promises for Christ to be formed in my little children. Sometimes it seems hopeless. Sometimes it seems so far away. Sometimes it seems impossible. But my hope must be set not on what I see or hear in my boys but on God's promise which does not fail. And just as Mary resigned herself to be the vessel through which God would deliver His Son in the flesh, though she would be rejected and in much pain, I must surrender myself to believing that with my God all things are possible... even the forming of Christ in my little boys is possible.
All your children shall be taught by the Lord, And great shall be the peace of your children... This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the Lord. Isaiah 54:13,17
Praying for us as moms and for our children,
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