Jesse Tree

my brother and rocio get here two weeks from today! i can't wait to hug them and chat with them, watch them play with avery, laugh at ashton and cuddle mr. ian.

christmas has a way of bringing families together. Christ has a way of bringing families together.

so many people have a hard time with this time of year. christmas isn't all hallmarky like the movies convey. families fight and busy schedules invade the joy and peace and hope that is supposed to reign in our hearts as we think of Immanuel: God with us.

oh, but christmas can be magical. it truly can. for each of us. forget the parties and the getting the cards out in time, say no, be late for things and take time to sit in the quiet, watch a single flickering candle and think about that night. that night a tiny babe was sent to heal us.

magic.

i downloaded a free Jesse Tree advent devotional from here.

avery was a doll helping me hang our new advent calendar on the mantle. i was amazed at all the numbers she recognized.....


if you're not familiar with a Jesse Tree. it's basically a devotional that takes you through the Bible in 25 days. each day you put a new ornament on your Jesse Tree.

(all of the ornaments get tucked inside each envelope)


there is a candle above each number and we've been lighting a candle for each day in december


dave reads/improvises the devotional for each day


and then aves puts the ornament on the tree


and i've been letting the girls open a present when we're done. mostly it's just old christmas books and animals from years past.


we'll see how many days we actually get to do this. it literally takes less than 10 minutes each day. it's easy and it was free!

i want Christmas to be magical for them, i want this time of year to scream to their little hearts "Christ is here! there is unending reason for JOY for HOPE and for PEACE."