Advent Scriptures for your Calendar

photo courtesy Arvind Balaraman

Here is this years' Duty Chronicles Advent Calendar...

Advent 2013

And in case you haven't seen, here are some ideas for Advent activities to do with your kids. The point being to spend quality time with them, not rushing around trying to get the right supplies or check this off your to do list. Add some to your family time together and just enjoy it!

Hopefully the Advent Calendar + devotional will help all of us to become more consistent in worshipping with our families each day. Let me know if you have any other fun ideas to reinforce Christ this season! Here are some great ideas that our family uses or that I have heard of other families using:

Christmas Card Prayer Box – make a prayer box that will hold your Christmas cards from last year. At family worship every night, have the kids choose one card from the box and  pray for that family.
OR
Christmas Card Prayer Sticks - we are utilizing these throughout the year and the kids love it! They even ask to keep some in their room to pray for them on their own. I love that!

Advent Wreath – a picture of ours is here as well as a description of the 4 weeks of Advent

This goes along nicely with the Advent calendar to reinforce the “waiting” period. We use battery-operated candles so the kids can take charge of doing this without burning the house down.

Kids’ Play – reenactment of the Christmas story, do a scene each day or reenact the whole thing on Christmas. Don’t worry about costumes, pull out sheets to wrap around yourself, grab a kitchen towel and keep it on your head with a headband or rubberband. Get creative! Your kids will love putting their costumes together!

Manger Ritual – putting Jesus in a “manger” on Christmas Day, empty basket under the tree until Christmas (great for small toddlers, with knowledge that you will explain “waiting” to them everyday)

Christmas Songs – O Little Town of Bethlehem, Joy to the World, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night, Go Tell it On the Mountain, Angels We Have Heard on High, Away in a Manger, What Child is This (these are just a few well known Christmas/Advent songs). Focus on one song per week so that your kids can actually learn the words and tune.

Stargazing - pretend you are a Wise man, grab a constellation map and gaze at the stars. Imagine where the Star of Bethlehem would have been and talk about how bright it would have to be to guide you miles and miles to the newborn king!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Toilet Paper Roll Advent Calendar

I've been wanting to make a tutorial since so many people have asked me specifics about how I made this last year. Well, after getting the Christmas stuff down from the attic this weekend, I decided to take it apart and re-number my calendar so that it would be a countdown rather than just the dates on the rolls.

So, here is your handy dandy tutorial...for making a toilet paper Advent Calendar.

Toilet Paper Advent Calendar

Materials:

25 toilet paper rolls
25 toilet paper sized pieces of coordinating scrapbook paper
several rolls of coordinating ribbon or tulle
stickers that number 1-24, plus an additional "Christmas Day" sticker (depending on if you are counting down or simply putting the dates)
Decorative accents (rub-ons, stickers, etc.)

Instructions:
1. Cut out papers to fit around toilet paper rolls so that they cover the entire roll. Tape the top piece.


Glue the wrong side of the paper.


And tape the end to secure it.


2. Cut pieces of ribbon or tulle about 6 inches if you want it to stick out and sort of "poof" at the edges (for tulle).

3. Tie two pieces together. Feed through one toilet paper roll, making sure the tied part is staying on the outside. Feed the other end through another toilet paper roll and tie the loose ends as tight as you can. If you fail to tie them tight enough you will be able to see spaces in between toilet paper rolls. Continue this until you have completed.





Make sure you are putting them in the order you would like. Last year I used the calendar starting with 1 and going up to 25. This year I decided I would prefer to start with 24 and end on Christmas Day (0), to make it more like a countdown.

4. To hang the Advent Calendar, I tied a piece of ribbon and fed it through the very top toilet paper roll so that the knot wasn't showing and hung it from a wreath hanger that is in our dining room.



It's just a fun and cute way to remember where we are (in relation to Christmas and how far away it is) and to let the kids feel involved in getting them out each day. It also serves to keep us consistent. My family goes through scriptures of Jesus' birth as well as prophecies that point to Christ. We ask questions to focus our day on Christ and sometimes we have an activity that reinforces what we have learned. We sing Christmas songs and pray as a family.

If you would like a very simple Advent devotional, here is the link to download ours.

Duty Chronicles Advent Devotional

Show some link love if you make this craft or use our devotional. Thanks!

Advent Crafts, Activities and Traditions

Here are some ideas for making your Advent/Christmas season more meaningful. Some are just plain fun, but you can certainly make wonderful memories doing them together!

Building Graham Cracker Houses – we’re going to make houses out of graham crackers, frosting and candies. We might even have a contest in which everyone will win some prize (most festive, tallest, cutest, most symmetrical…)

(picture and idea courtesy of my friend from MOPS, Ellen Palomo)

Graham Cracker House Frosting
3 egg whites (room temp) NO YOLK
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 box powdered sugar (confectioner's) 16 oz.
Some Ideas for decorative accents: Mini Shredded Wheat for the roof, Necco wafers, licorice strings, Lifesavers, candy cane sticks, gum drops, mini marshmallows, Red Hots, Hot Tamales, Sprees

In large mixer bowl beat egg whites, cream tartar as you slowly add sugar. Beat 7 minutes until smooth and thick. Store in tightly covered container. Can be made ahead if tightly covered and kept at room temperature up to two days. Makes two cups.

Lay a damp cloth over frosting as you work on houses as it will dry out quickly. Make frosting one batch at a time. If for any reason the frosting isn't thick, add more sugar a few spoons at a time. It needs to be firm but not so thick it can't spread. It dries on graham cracker houses quickly if made correctly.


Christmas tree ornaments – green triangle and brown rectangle construction paper glued together and decorated with markers, stickers, jewels, pearls, stars, whatever you have around. Punch a hole and tie with a cute ribbon at the top.

Talk about the symbolism: Greenery in the midst of winter symbolizes eternal life, which we are to receive from the One to Come, the Christ Child (Matthew 1:21). He has come to save us from our sins.

I’m going to make a garland out of ours and string them in places that don’t normally get decorated, like the kids’ rooms.


Watch Christmas Movies together – we love Boz Christmas, Veggie Tales Christmas, Muppet Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th St.


Read Christmas Books – books we like or that have been recommended to us:

Who is Coming to our House? By Joseph Slate and Ashley Wolff
B is for Bethlehem by Isabel Wilner
Alabaster Song by Max Lucado
One Wintry Night by Ruth Bell Graham
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski
The Legend of the Christmas Tree by Rick Osborne
The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg
Jacob’s Gift by Max Lucado


Christmas Memory Book – take pictures, write about the holidays, where did we go, what was an unexpected blessing, trace your children’s hands, and pull it out to add to the next year. It’s fun to look back on!


Tree Trimming – play Christmas music while you are putting out your decorations, while you are trimming the tree, anytime after Thanksgiving have Christmas music ready to play. We love Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, Andrew Peterson, Mariah Carey (yes, I know…). Drink egg nog, hot chocolate, cider and enjoy the time together.


God’s Greatest Gift Wreath Craft – from Oriental Trading


Paper Plate Angel – we are doing this the day that we read about the angel approaching Mary and telling her that she will be “with child”


Cinnamon Ornaments – I haven’t made these, but know people who have. Combine 1 C. applesauce with 1 C. cinnamon and mix well. Roll out to ¼ “ thickness onto ungreased cookie sheet or heavy aluminum foil. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Peel away excess dough. Use a toothpick to make a small hole for ribbon. Bake in warm oven (about 200 degrees) for 2 hours.


GFA and Samaritan’s Purse Catalog – choose gifts together from these catalogs, perhaps have children save up money and use it to give as their “gift” to Jesus


New Pajamas on Christmas Eve


Christmas “crackers” – cracking them together, pictures with crowns
Buy them,
Or make your own and fill it with whatever you want
You could even make these and put your advent devotions in here and crack them everyday!


Christmas pickle – hiding it in the tree and having a reward for the one who finds it


Birthday Cake for Jesus – sing happy birthday, bake foil-covered papers into the cake with strings attached. Answer the question you get in your piece for reflection and sharing


“Boxing Day” – Dec. 26th to box up old toys to give to charity


3 Gift Guideline – Jesus was given 3 gifts, give kids the same amount

We are certainly not doing ALL of these. We will pick and choose based on what works for our family and the ages of our children. These are just ideas to get you thinking about how to make your Christmas season intentional in terms of looking to Christ as the focus of our season and spending quality, meaningful time with your children.

Just a reminder...

"May our decorations, gifts, festivities or lack of them - never block our view of him but always point us toward him." -Noel Piper

Advent

So...you've heard me talking about Advent...what is Advent?

You know that last year I made a cutie Advent calendar out of toilet paper rolls (or you do now)...



You know that some sort of wreath goes along with it...



But you have no idea what Advent is.

Advent is the season leading up to Christmas, beginning 4 Sundays before Dec. 25th.

What's the point, you ask?

I'm glad you did.

It's best put by Noel Piper, in Treasuring God in Our Traditions:

"We are a people of promise. For centuries God prepared people for the coming of His Son, our only hope for life. At Christmas we celebrate the fulfillment of the promises God made - that he would make a way to draw near to him."

So, during the 4 weeks of Advent we are anticipating the coming of Jesus. Advent means "coming." Just like God's people were waiting for the salvation that was foretold all throughout the Old Testament, so we wait as they did, only we know the outcome, JESUS!

Again, Noel:

"Advent is a season of looking back, thinking how it must have been, waiting for the promised salvation of God, not knowing what to expect. And at the same time, Advent is a season of looking ahead, preparing ourselves to meet Jesus at his Second Coming."

What's the purpose of Advent Candles?

As far as Advent Candles, we light one each Sunday, so there should be candles for four Sundays plus Christmas Day. As the lights get brighter and brighter, we reflect on how Jesus truly is the "light of the world." Here is my Advent cheat sheet:

Week 1:
This week we light the very first candle--the Prophecy Candle. This candle represents not only the Biblical prophecies about Christ's birth, but the very feeling of anticipation which God's people experienced over hundreds of years as they awaited His coming. Advent encompasses both the arrival of the Christ child and His second glorious coming!

Week 2:
This week, we will be lighting the Bethlehem Candle. First light the Prophecy Candle, then the Bethlehem Candle.
The Bethlehem Candle represents the preparations made for the coming Christ child. Even though no room was available for Mary and Joseph when they came, God had orchestrated events so that Caesar Augustus called for a census to be taken. Joseph and Mary had to leave Nazareth so that they could register in Bethlehem and the prophecies were fulfilled.

Week 3:
This is the week of the Shepherds' Candle for Advent.
The shepherds represent the message of great joy that is brought to the world about Jesus' birth. Light the first two candles and then the Shepherds' Candle.

Week 4:
This week's candle is called the Angel Candle and it represents the love which God shared with the world when He sent His Son, Jesus! Light all four Advent candles this week.

Christmas Day –
Today we light the past 4 candles of Advent and then the white candle, which represents Christ! Our Messiah, Jesus, Light of the World is finally here!


What's with the Advent Calendar?

We use the Advent Calendar for our daily devotions each day. I print off our reading and we put them in the toilet paper rolls that are hung on the wall. It's just a fun and cute way to remember where we are and to let the kids feel involved in getting them out each day. It also serves to keep us consistent. We go through scriptures of Jesus' birth as well as prophecies that point to Christ. We ask thoughtful, provoking questions to focus our day on Christ and sometimes we have an activity that reinforces what we have learned. We sing Christmas songs and pray as a family.

Sometime this week I am going to make my Advent calendar available, as well as post some ideas for Advent/Christmas crafts, activities and traditions. Please let me know if you have some good ones I can post with mine. I hope this helps and I hope you will consider starting this with your family. I am going to try to make it really easy for you to get started by making mine available and sharing all of the good ideas I have learned from others along the way.

Some of Noel's questions I want to always consider...

Can others see why I am celebrating?

Am I celebrating Christ?

Am I focusing on God's gift so that my appreciation for Him grows?

"May our decorations, gifts, festivities or lack of them - never block our view of him but always point us toward him." -Noel Piper

What's the Scoop?

So...what's going on with us, what have I been crafting, how are we doing, what about New Life, what's the scoop?

Things are going well, we are blessed by our sweet family of five and praising the Lord each day with thanksgiving each day this month of November.

We have the Duty Tree of Thanks, which is posted in our dining room (on the craft closet door, hence the skinniness of our tree) and each night at the dinner table we go around and say one thing we are thankful for from that particular day. Each person has a different paper design and so we know who was thankful for each thing on the tree. We have had lots of sweet ones, hilarious ones and silly ones (with an almost two-year-old what can you expect?). Another friend of mine also does this but with real twigs...very cool!



A sampling of thankful leaves would be: for flowers, sparkly pumpkins, God's grace in my studies, evidence of God's grace in my life, sweet friendships, Diego, Word Girl, Mr. Don and Mrs. Kelli, the Kinnard's, Asher and "Kayne", new life, long showers, and lots that include thanks for each other.

My friend Ashley had the idea to keep the leaves and make placemats out of them to use during November next year. I think it's a great idea to remember the things God blessed us with the year before. I'll let you know how they turn out. I'm thinking scrapbook paper and a laminating machine and we should be good to go. I think I'll include some pictures and handprints on the back as well.

We went to Dallas a couple weekends ago to celebrate with my cousin Greg as he got married to Megan. It was wonderful to see so many family members that we hadn't seen in ages. Most out-of-state family hadn't even met Beckett yet, so it was a pretty exciting weekend to meet both our boys.






As far as crafts, I made Taylor Joy's ballerina tutu, which was so simplistic, even the most un-crafty person could partake. Here is the tutorial I used. I also tied a big bow in the back and sewed fabric flowers on the ends of the skirt all around, hot gluing rhinestones in the middle.




I've been working on Advent stuff (I'll post about soon) and a baby prayer book that I am designing in Photoshop that I want to make available as well. But as for now, that's about it. I've got lots of traditions/holiday ideas and I want to hear yours as well. So, let me know yours and maybe I'll post some along with the ones we are doing or have thought of or heard of.

New Life is going through the Sermon on the Mount = compelling and convicting!
Here's a link to the sermons: Righteousness Redefined

Dress Up Day!

Here are our pictures from Halloween, which is really just a dress up day for us!


Our annual pumpkin carving tradition...this year was Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc.


Sweet Easton as a precious cow.




Taylor Joy as a "pink sparkly" ballerina (her outfit request...I simply complied with the request, as if I would have an objections to that!?)



Beckett boy as a firefighter and Mommy as "Kelly" from Handy Manny (Taylor Joy's idea also.)


Taylor Joy and Beckett with their sweet friend, Tinkerbell Annie



Our block party in full effect. We got to meet some wonderful neighbors. Isn't Halloween a great excuse to do that! We had a cupcake walk, beanbag toss, football toss, cookie decorating, coloring pumpkins and cinnamon apple cider. So fun!




The whole family, including Handy Manny dad. We had a great night together.

Look at Me!

I am three months old!

I love to be engaged in conversation...just talk to me and I will talk, laugh and smile for as long as you like.

Watching big brother and sister run around is one of my favorite things to watch. I sit in the Bumbo and watch them go back and forth racing their strollers.

I also like to watch Beckett and Taylor Joy help cook and look forward to the day I can help mommy too.



I was dedicated at church this month and the whole body of believers agreed to pray for me and help my parents shepherd and train me as I grow up in the church community. Aunt B came to visit that weekend and be a part of the dedication.






The third month was stellar!

Pumpkin Patch Pics

Say that 10 times fast ;)

Dependence

My baby is 2 months old and since his birth I have been determined to soak up all of his littleness before he decides to become "big" like my other two.

I have been blessed and overjoyed to witness all of his babyish ways.

Those baby arms.

That double chin.

Those chubby thighs.

The plump cheeks (both sets!).

His big eyes, ever exploring the world, ever following me around the room.

His sweet dependence on me.

His expectation that I will meet his needs.

Those big smiles and overwhelming joy, his delight in me.

All of this soaking up of his precious infancy has led me to greater insight, by God's grace, of my status before the Lord.

As Easton depends on me for nourishment, comfort, and love, so I must depend on the Lord for my spiritual nourishment, comfort and love.

So often, on my quest toward finishing this life well, with good intentions I slowly begin to depend on myself. When life leads me through trials, I begin to depend on myself to get through it. Often it isn't even conscious. If I think about it hard enough, I know that that I can't possibly get through it without the Lord. Other times, I have planned something in my head and I have a need to control it, regardless of the Lord's plan.

I think the Lord must look at me and see me as a toddler scurrying around (picture Beckett), saying things like, "I can't pay my bills!" or "How will I get all this housework done!?" He is so patient with us, waiting for us to slowly come around and realize that we must depend on Him.

As I looked at Easton staring up at me the other day, smiling his precious little face off, the Lord gave me great insight into the way that we can delight Him. He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. I was so delighted to see my son smiling at me, satisfied with his mommy and content to look upon me.

It reminded me of how often I fail to just sit and be content before the Lord, delighted in Him, in who He is. Often I read the Bible just seeking out application to my life, instead of first recognizing the character of the Lord in the pages that I read and praising God for the way that He reveals Himself to us through scripture. That is the way that true application takes place. A desire in my heart to serve the One who I owe everything to. My true gratitude for the Gospel and what it means in my life, soaking that up, is what leads to effective application of the way the Bible says I should live.

I hope this encourages you to rest in the Lord, no matter what you are going through.

"Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good." 1 Peter 2:2-3

Crafty Links

This one is for my crafty friends...which really means, those who desire to craft something. The crafts that I pick are extremely easy and anyone can do. Really.

My lack of posting about crafts in no way means that I haven't been crafty, I just haven't had the energy to post about the crafts, which means I am combining several of my favorite crafts into one post.

And, before I begin, I just want to say...posting fun crafts to our blog is a way for me to expose you to the fun of crafting and show you that anyone can do these! This is not my way of showing your how crafty I am..as a matter of fact, I get all my great ideas from someone else. There is rarely something I came up with on my own. So, be inspired and get crafty this week!

T-Shirt Shrug
Cut Out and Keep
This was definitely the easiest sewing project I have ever done. I am recommending it for your first sewing project. And I am going to make about 10 more of these for myself as well as some for Taylor Joy. They are perfect for layering.


Painted Pumpkins
My family loves to decorate pumpkins every year. We paint pumpkins, carve pumpkins and eat lots of yummy pumpkin desserts.

Last year I became frustrated that our pumpkins weren't lasting longer and so I bought a bunch of foam pumpkins on clearance at Hobby Lobby, thinking it may provide a way for my fall decor to go further in the season. After all, fall decor usually starts in October in our house and ends right after Thanksgiving when we pull out the Christmas decor.

I pulled out some acrylic paints and glitter from the craft closet and went to town on the foam pumpkins a couple of weeks ago. I painted stripes, polka dots, I layered paints to give a distressed look and I even glittered some. I tied raffia and bought a straw bundle to accessorize the pumpkins. I was very pleased with the result. And the best part, I can use them again next year!

So here are the steps:

1. Buy:
foam pumpkins
acrylic paints
glitter
raffia
straw bundle
Clear coat spray

2. Paint pumpkins as desired. Dots and stripes do not need to be perfect. Mine certainly aren't.

3. Let dry and then spray with clear coat.

4. Accessorize with raffia, etc. to achieve the look you desire.

Peasant Skirt
J-Caroline Creative
I made this skirt (a 3 tiered) with some ladies and being together was the most fun part. Actually, wearing them to church together was fun and reminiscent of my high school days when me and my friend Misti would wear coordinating outfits...oh the days! It makes me smile to think of our neon-wearing, platform-sporting selves.

Best. Husband. Ever.

2 Months of love and cuddles

Look at me, I am 2 months old! (yesterday actually, but mom was having a busy day)

I have really gained some poundage over the past month. I now weigh between 12 and 13 lbs. I am 24 inches long and I am cute as a button.

I have become quite interactive lately. I have been smiling for weeks now and just in the past few days I have been cooing at mommy. She thinks it's the most precious ever.

My brother and sister provide quite the entertainment. I love to watch them and smile at what they are doing even when they aren't paying any attention to me. Then, when they notice me, they rush over and begin to pay LOTS of attention to me.

Like today, when my sister was dressing my brother up like this:



See? Lots of smiles all around.

Read and Share Toddler Bible

The Read and Share Toddler Bible is a children's Bible directed at toddlers aged 1-4. Based on our experience with this Bible, I would say that it is better directed toward children aged 1-2. The stories are short and simple and easily understandable for this age range. Plus, they cater to a very short attention span with each story containing around 4-6 pages with very few words.

The Read and Share Toddler Bible is the perfect size for toddlers to carry around and read without it getting bent or the spine getting loose. It's perfect for chubby little fingers to wrap around and it's the perfect size for taking to church, to keep the little ones amused during the service.

I love it that there is a DVD of stories that accompanies the Bible to enforce what your children are learning during family worship and independent reading times in the Bible.

I love the concept that they use at the end of each story, which is to engage your children with a particular activity that pertains to the story or questions to draw out your children about the story.

Now, most people may not have an amazing children's Bible to compare this to. I do. The Big Picture Story Bible is packed with God's amazing character interwoven into the stories that it depicts. His character and his promises are emphasized as you read through the Old and New Testament. The Read and Share Toddler Bible fails to emphasize God's character as it tells the stories. Here is an example:

Jesus Helps a Little Girl

The conclusion: "He (Jesus) took her by the hand and said, 'Stand up!' She stood up! She was all better."

I read the last page of this and flipped the page waiting for more.

An explanation.
A praise.
Something about who God is.
Please!

Nope. And most of the Bible is like this. I want a Bible that emphasizes God's character in the story. I want to instill faith in my children by revealing the character of God, not by simply telling them a nice moral story. The stories told are true and accurate, but the missing ingredient is an important one: God's revelation of himself through these stories.

This Bible is fine to add to your children's library as a storybook, but as you read the pages I encourage you to ask yourself, "What does this say about God?" and to teach those truths about God to your children as He reveals himself through the pages of the Bible. As your children learn more about His character they will have a greater sense of their own sinfulness, which will lead them to a greater dependency on God, and this is ultimately what we desire for our children.

If you decide to purchase this Bible, keep this last point in mind so that your children don't simply come to know the morals of the Bible, so to speak, but that they can also understand the God of the Bible who wills and acts according to His good purpose throughout the pages of Scripture.

State of the Duty Union

Hey friends!

Sorry it's been so long since I posted pictures! I know that is unacceptable when you have a newborn and they are growing and changing so much.

Easton is putting on some weight (especially in his cheeks!) and is quite tall. I still think he looks more like Taylor Joy did when she was a baby with the exception of his smile. That is totally Beckett. I must admit, I am so thankful to Allen for his genes since he gave all our our children adorable dimples. I always wished I had them and now I can be thankful that our children have them. Oh, the little things!

As for the other kids, they are really enjoying having weekends filled with family and friends. Allen's family came 2 weekends ago and my mom and sis came this weekend. Taylor Joy has started her weekly Bible class with Asher and is doing some preschool work on the off days.
MOPS just started up, which we go to every other Tuesday, and I am still coordinating crafts for the group. So, if you have any cute crafts that a group of women could easily do together, please let me know! I am always looking for good ideas.

New Life is really growing and we love it. Allen just started a series on Matthew (The Sermon on the Mount) called Righteousness Redefined. Last night was an overview of chapters 1-4 and Jason Kinnard, another elder, will be preaching next week.

We are also excited because we are on the verge of becoming an Acts 29 church. You can read more about what that means (if you are interested) here. Allen and I will be assessed on Thursday of this week and should know very soon if New Life will be approved. Some of our favorite pastors are of the Acts 29 variety: Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, and Jonathan Dodson plus they are closely tied to our other favorite pastors, John Piper and C.J. Mahaney. This would be a wonderful alliance for Allen to have with others who have been very successful at church planting.

Our second membership class starts at the end of this month so we will more than double the members we have now. For those who are visiting New Life and aren't intending on joining or those who don't really know the purpose of the church or church membership, please listen to this: Mark Driscoll's, "What is the Church?"

Now, for the pictures! Enjoy!




Nanny (Kendra's mom) with the kids


Nanny and Easton


Aunt B (Kendra's sis) with Taylor Joy


Dad's MVP



Soon-to-be Uncle Ryan playing blocks with Taylor Joy


Aunt Cathy with Easton