truth spoken

Poetry by Amena Brown - In the Beginning

Christmas Traditions

Advent starts today, the fourth Sunday before Christmas. The boys really haven't been old enought before to do anything too involved, but this year they are ready. We are going to innitiate two traditions, both advent things, both which celebrate family, gathering together, and what we are waiting expectantly for which is the celebration of Jesus' birth, Christmas.


Jesse Tree:

We are going to do the Jesse Tree which is a daily devotional time spent together learning about the specific incidents in the Old Testament which lead up to the Birth of Christ. Here is a definition I found at disciples now:

An ancient tradition of visually representing Jesus' family tree used by generations to prepare for Christmas. Based on the prophet Isaiah's references to the "root" and the "branches" of Jesse (King David's father) when Isaiah prophesied about the hope of the Messiah, the Jesse Tree reminds us that God’s plan has been forever and that we are a part of it.

Each day you read through the verses, and then hang one symbolic ornaments on the Jesse Tree. We started today.

4th Sunday before Christmas:
Persons, Events/Themes: Introduction to the Jesse Tree
Scripture: 1 Samuel 16: 1-13, Isaiah 11: 1-10
Symbol/Ornament: The tree

Additional Resources:
The Jesse Tree: Celebration of Advent



Bungaree Advent Calendar :

The second tradition we are going to do is we have an advent calendar that starts on the first of December marking the days up until Christmas. I know that kids can be excited about many more things than material gifts, but we can soon make them calloused to our gifts of time, energy and togetherness. This is a season to celebrate Christ, but we also would enjoy celebrating the gift that we have of spending time together. Each day we will choose a new thing to do together here are some of the (age appropriate) things I have come up with:

*make cookies for some friends and deliver
*play a game together
*listen to Christmas music while eating popcorn
*drive around looking at Christmas lights
*make a gift together for someone
*watch a good Christmas movie
*go to a coffee shop for a special hot drink
*read the Christmas story together by the tree
*make cut-out snowflakes for the windows

Do you have any special holiday memories? Do you have a tradition that you look forward to every Christmas season? Do you have any more ideas for things to do with our almost-5 and almost-3 year olds? Oh, do share!!

jesus loves bungarees (and people too:)

Check my bungarees out!

bustin' out.

I busted out my gui-tar again. yes, I took a little break. I am not sure why. I think I felt like I wasn't going anywhere. It could also be that I am finally in a new season spiritually as well, a closer place a place where I have a better understanding AGAIN. I know seasons are for reasons...but some are horrid. I am at a place of life again, and it is finally feeling like it is flowing in and out once again.

pastor rob is taking us to places that I had been so many times in scripture my eyes were foggy when we would turn there. the fog has lifted though, and the waters are reaching me. I feel like this is a post saying: I was blind, but now I see. Dry seasons are meant to be, but while I am in this wet season I am going to send out tons of roots so that during our next dry spell I will still be tapping the goods.

God is so good, and oh...incredibly faithful to be and do.

So yes, my guitar. I have started playing again and I am thankful to have not forgotten. I have recently decided to start learning tons of songs in Spanish, since we go to a spanish life group, and that is where the most need would be. I play to worship, and at some point I would love to lead others into worship as well....for now I am soaking in the love, my gui-tar love.

What are we sneaking around for?
Who are we trying to please?
Shrugging off sin, apologizing
Like we're spreading some kind of disease
I'm saying "No way. No Way."

I'm not ashamed to let you know
I want this light in me to show
I'm not ashamed to speak the name of Jesus Christ.

This one (says) it's a lost cause
Save your testimonies for churchtime.
Other ones state you'd better wait
Until you do a little market research
I'm saying "No way. No way."

I'm not ashamed to let you know
I want this light in me to show
I'm not ashamed to speak the name of Jesus Christ.

I'm not ashamed to let you know
I want this light in me to show
I'm not ashamed to speak the name of Jesus Christ.

(music)

I'm not ashamed to let you know
I want this light in me to show
I'm not ashamed to speak the name of Jesus Christ.

I'm not ashamed to let you know
I want this light in me to show
I'm not ashamed to speak the name of Jesus Christ.
I'm not ashamed to speak the name of Jesus Christ.

I'm not ashamed to let you know
I want this light in me to show
I'm not ashamed to speak the name of Jesus Christ.

I'm not ashamed to let you know
I want this light in me to show
I'm not ashamed to speak the name of Jesus Christ.

I used to listen to this in the back of my parent's car growing up. I have had this on my ipod for a while now, it is a 90's song by the Newsboys. I listen to it for the truth it tells, the conviction it calls out.

this is what gets me the most from this song:

What are we sneaking around for?
Who are we trying to please?
Shrugging off sin, apologizing
Like we're spreading some kind of disease


the words are razor sharp, maybe even more true now than they were when the song was written, at least for me they are