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celebrating the season :: our family’s Advent plans

celebrating the season :: our family’s Advent plans

In past years, we’ve approached the season’s celebrations in a variety of ways, such as our Advent Envelopes above.  Those were fun.  We’ve read thrilling edge-of-your-seat storybook adventures and participated in activities planned around the children.  Books, devotionals, ornaments — so many ways to observe these HOLYdays.

As I prayerfully approached this Advent, the desire for simplicity with depth kept coming to mind.  Meaningful, but not burdensome.  Rich illustrations of the Gospel message, yet applicable for young minds and hearts.

Ways to gather the whole family, from wiggly toddler to newly-turned teen :: and yet ways to share deeper conversation with our growing girls (ages 13 and almost 9).

I think we have a plan.

Here’s what we hope to do:

walk our way daily through the Way of Light wreath ~ remembering Mary & Joseph’s journey of faith into unknowns

support the children of prisoners, who will spend Christmas away from family

decide how we will impact believers in Asia with our gifts

 

These are ways we’ve participated in the past, and we’re excited to continue.  New to us this year…

This new resource is excellent! The author is Mom to two girls and sought a way of instilling truth into their hearts while keeping them engaged in the process.  Truth in the Tinsel is the result of time spent doing just that.  I was honored to meet Amanda White at the Relevant Conference and share over dinner.  She’s created a tremendous resource for families!

Set up very similar to Jesse Tree celebrations, this ebook includes 24 devotionals and short readings for preschoolers to early elementary, along with an ornament craft to complete.  Extremely well-organized (Amanda lists all craft materials needed by day in one easy-to-print sheet!) and simple to jump right in, I’m anticipating using Truth in the Tinsel with our boys (ages 2 and almost 6).

How this book has moved me.

For Advent, I’m reading it aloud to our girls.  Another read-through for me and shaping minds for missions in our children.  When I think of the author being only 5 years older than our teen when she began outreach to Ugandan peoples, I am struck with the urgency and need to continue instilling a love for all of God’s children.

To pass on the ‘real reason for the season’ — that Jesus came to bind up broken hearts, to proclaim good news to the poor and to return beauty for ashes.

Oh yes, I’m looking forward to great conversations!

And finally, for Mom’s heart...sprinkled with conversation on insights with the Dad as well, a resource used for several years now.  Watch for the Light is both inspirational and spiritually challenging.  I am always encouraged to look deeper, think higher than commercial or even traditional Christian celebrations offer.

To examine my heart, to lay bare before the Christ-child become Savior, and to hear His voice this season.  A not-at-all-fluff resource that I’ve come to cherish.

 

A joyful Advent is ahead of us….

 

 

{two quick notes: this post contains affiliate links; should you purchase using these links, I would make a small profit.  Up until this point, I haven’t engaged this avenue, the disclosure policy is applied today and to future posts.  Thank you.

Thank you, thank you also for the tremendous feedback on intentional living! How rich your words!  We’ll be pursuing the subject together this month, so stay tuned!  Grace dear friends…rest and peace to the advent of your holiday season.}

 

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Daniele Evans