Advent Tree

This year I signed up for a craft swap with other moms at J's school.  There were 25 of us that signed up and we each agreed to make 25 of the same Christmas ornament and then swap so we created a collection of 25 different crafty ornaments.  These weren't just any ornaments that we were to create... They each were to be about a certain theme based on a book called The Advent Jesse Tree by Dean Meador Lambert.  This book is a set of devotions accompanied by Bible verses to go along, one to be done every day during the Advent season as a preparation to the coming of the Christ Child at Christmas.  There was no way I could create 25 unique ornaments myself, so it was nice to have the swap... I made the wheat sheaf in case you are wondering.  While I pictured all the kids participating, I quickly learned that it was too much for the younger ones.  However, it has been a learning experience for both J and I as we sit down, read the Bible story and hang an ornament that corresponds.  It has reinforced over and over again (through a trip down the Old Testament) the need we had (and have) for a Savior and how it was spoken about many, many years before Jesus was even born.  It is a great refresher for me (and a good connector to how all the stories come together) and I am amazed how much a 5 year old boy can comprehend on such a matter!  It has been a special time for us :). 

Here is the book, the tree and the ornaments...

This is where we were awhile back... it has taken forever to get posts up lately!

This will be a fun tradition to continue each Advent season.