Advent: A Posture of Heart
For Thanksgiving this year we did a simple "Thankful" tree where each night before bed we each chose something we are thankful for and M got extra practice writing these for us while H taped them to our cardboard tree. This activity was so successful, I wanted to do an Advent Study for Christmas. I looked for one online but many were too complex for very young children (maybe even for me, too) or just were not quite aligned with what I had in mind. I decided to piece together and modify my own study that worked for us, using various sources, which I will list below. I also want to approach this the same way we did the Thankful Tree, with a relaxed, open spirit that strives for consistency and priority but also doesn't have a nervous breakdown if we miss one night due to basketball practice.
One description of Advent I read and loved is that it is not a checklist to get done or a countdown to Christmas, it is "a posture of heart to be sought, a perspective to be taken as we ready ourselves for His coming at Christmas and when He returns to make all things new." (from Dawson Church's Advent Guide)
One description of Advent I read and loved is that it is not a checklist to get done or a countdown to Christmas, it is "a posture of heart to be sought, a perspective to be taken as we ready ourselves for His coming at Christmas and when He returns to make all things new." (from Dawson Church's Advent Guide)
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Waiting for a Savior
I thought this would be a good place to start because both of my boys could always use an opportunity to practice waiting. We started with setting out the stable, by itself, which looked quite lonely, they thought, and we talked about how it might have looked when Mary and Joseph first arrived. Jesus' birth was foretold but many people had to wait many years for the Savior to arrive. We talked about how hard it is to wait but sometimes what we are waiting for requires developing patience and things to fall into place, so when its time, everything is just as it should be. We read Psalm 130 and I asked them what "Hope" means and M put it well, "a wish." |
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God Created Everything
We are adding the plants and the animals to our somber scene to remind ourselves that God created every little thing and every little detail is a part of His plan. The first night, my youngest pointed out that Jesus sleeping in the hay was "not fair." I agreed, and reflected on the fact that God could have chosen anywhere for Jesus to be born and in any array of luxurious circumstances. But He choose a manger with hay, alongside animals and plants of the Earth. There is great power in humble beginnings and transparency that cannot be questioned. Reading: Psalm 104:24-30 |
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The Angel Comes to Mary
God sends an Angel to Nazareth to tell Mary of the coming of Jesus. God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus! God chooses each of us for very special jobs that only we can do. He gives us gifts and talents to share with others. What things are you best at? Sometimes God sends us angels to tell us things. Sometimes we can be angels to each other, carrying the messages of God. We colored our own angels and decorated them. We added Mary and Joseph to our Nativity. Reading: Luke 1:28-33 |
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The Shepherds' Good News
All around the countryside in Bethlehem, Shepherds tended their sheep. What does a Shepherd do? He takes care of his sheep. He tends to them and protects them. Without a shepherd, what happens to the sheep?? The sheep know their shepherd's voice and they come when he calls. We are like sheep and Jesus is our shepherd. We added our shepherds and ate candy canes since they resemble a shepherd's staff. Reading: Luke 2:8-16 |
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God Promises a Great King
We added the three wise men on a journey to Bethlehem. Wise men served kings. What is a king? Long ago there were many kings, but most of them did not make good choices for all their people. God Promised a King that would always do what was right and good. A King that would always speak to the lowly, help the poor, and be kind to a stranger. A King that would never die with a kingdom that would rule forever. God imagined a world in which all things lived in true peace with one another. We made crowns to wear! Reading: Isaiah 11:6-9 |
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Jesus Leaves the 99
Jesus told many stories to his people. One story was about a shepherd that had 100 sheep. |
Sources
Dawson Church, Birmingham, AL
https://www.dawsonchurch.org/files/uploads/Christmas2019Devotional_web.pdf
Missionary Mommy blog
https://partofthemain.wordpress.com/series/advent-readings-2011/
https://www.dawsonchurch.org/files/uploads/Christmas2019Devotional_web.pdf
Missionary Mommy blog
https://partofthemain.wordpress.com/series/advent-readings-2011/
