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the second day of christmas

By December 2, 2011 No Comments

advent means come. the idea…preparing for the Savior’s birth. this post isn’t for debating. i have seen christians be as materialistic as the world and i have seen christians absolutely refuse to participate in anything chritmas. i don’t want to be either. i want to start teaching my children now the gift of giving…the reason for the season…about the birth of their Savior. here is a really cool website i found: a holy experience. it actually starts november 29th, but don’t worry because you can do a little catch up! this is their advent, a daily reading:

November 29

It is Advent. Come

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 11:1-2 (NIV)

1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD

One bite of a fruit right there in the Garden and our tree of life fell.

Our hopes all crashed to the earth and the whole planet groaned and we’ve lived our whole
lives like stumps. Cut off from God.

And then out of our fallenness, out of our cut-down tree, springs this singular fragile shoot.
It’s the only hope we’ve got.

Out of a family line of obscurity, poverty and small account, comes a King.  God is in the
business of clothing the neglected and unexpected in royal robes.

And out of the last and forgotten son of Jesse, comes forth one tender branch that will grow
into a crown of thorns…  a rugged cross….  our ladder back to God. Jesus will go to
impossible lengths to rescue us.

It’s out of the stump of that fallen tree, watered with the living waters that flow from His
grace, that a twig sprouts that will be the sceptre that defeats sin… and lets us grow again.

Today we begin Advent. Today we begin the season of waiting… yearning.  Today we can
feel it coming already – this new life stirring.

Lord God, let there come forth out of this fallen tree New Life, and cause me to see it
today – new growth in people all around me, even in the dead of winter.

Unwrapping more of His love in the world:  Plant wheat or grass seeds
today for every act of love and kindness you do today. Continue planting seeds for
kindnesses throughout the Jesse Tree Journey. Keep watering the sprouts until Christmas
Eve. You’re growing straw for the manger of the coming King! Love and New Life are coming!

 

and a corresponding picture to cut, make into an ornament and hang on a jesse tree. ours is a beautiful manzanita branch that my mom made for a thanksgiving tree. this picture is from the author’s website:

your kids might be a little young but they will still learn something. if you decide to do this advent, let me know…i’d love to see pictures!

Marie Klein Burtt

About Marie Klein Burtt