Showing posts with label Advent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Advent. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Advent tea

Working at the Catholic School has been a faith blessing for me. I have found that in the 7 years that I have taught there I have examined my faith against theirs and have been given huge blessings. I have kept many of my one traditions and adopting some of their traditions as well. One of the things that I have learned about is the Jesse Tree. When preparing for our latest family night on your faith during Ordinary times I came across a post about Advent Tea. This "Tea" is one that is a food representation of the different stories read during the devotion of the Jesse Tree. I decided to try it. (This is so not something I am good at--hosting. It is out of my comfort zone. I seem to be getting out of that zone a lot lately.)

I sent out invitations. Got a menu ready. Went shopping. Made food. Hosted the tea. I had so much fun, especially when Charlie started asking about the food that I was preparing. She got her Bible and began retelling the stories. Some of these stories we had not read in a very long time. I had a nice presentation of the food but forgot to take a picture. I hope this will become a yearly tradition with friends.




We started out with four things on our plate and ran through the stories. Then I added a food and read the verse. I think that next time I will do the whole thing like that, one story at a time. I know that B did not get much out of it. But, I do think that if I keep doing it, he will get something new each year. I hope that my friends were blessed by the tea as much as we were.


Adam’s Apple

Apple slice w/ a gummy worm serpent

Genesis 3:6

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.


Noah’s Ark

celery boat w/ peanut butter, 2 animal crackers and a skittle rainbow

Genesis 9:12-17

12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”



Abraham’s Stars

ham lunch meat cut into the shape of stars w/ small cookie cutters

Genesis 15:5-6

He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.”

6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.


Isaac’s Bundle of sticks

8 pretzel sticks tied into a bundle

Genesis 22:6

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together,

Jacob’s ladder

untie the pretzel sticks and create a ladder

Genesis 28:12

12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.


Those two stories were told together. Once they had their ladder made they could eat the pretzels.



Joseph’s Coat of Many Colors

corn tortilla cut into the shape of a coat, spread w/ peanut butter and topped with colorful sprinkles

Genesis 37:3-4

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate[a] robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.



The Burning Bush

broccoli covered in thousand island dressing

Exodus 3:2-3

2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”


Moses’ Tablets of the law

Milano cookies w/ roman numerals written on them in black icing (the ones on the internet looked so much better than mine)

1 The LORD said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.


Jonah and the Whale

a bowl full of whale crackers and a little people counter (I could not resist.)

Jonah 2:1-2

1 [a]From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2 He said:

“In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.


The Root of Jesse

Carrot sticks (b/c they are a root vegetable)

Isaiah 11:1 and 10

1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;

from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.


David’s Star

I did not understand how this story related to the star of David.

Cut large star shapes out of flour tortilla's sprayed with butter sprinkled w/ cinnamon sugar and baked.

1 Samuel 17:45-47

45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

Bethlehem, House of Bread

biscuits cut into quarters and baked to look like a roll

Matthew 2:5-6

5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’
[a]”


John the Baptist’s Honey

honey (for the biscuit)

Luke 1:41

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.


Matthew 3:3

3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
[a]


Angelic Messengers

angel hair pasta w/ sauce

Luke 1:26-28

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”


Flowers of Jesse

rose chocolate suckers

My mother-in-law use to make candy with Dusty and Mistie so Charlie made these with her one weekend.

Isaiah 11:1-3

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—

3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;


I really do hope that this becomes a tradition for us sometime during the Christmas season.


Monday, November 29, 2010

i spy an advent picture

We started our Advent season off with an interactive I spy. This is a homework assignment that I give the kids in my class over the Christmas holiday. This year, I added it to our Advent activity. They kids (especially B) had a ball with this. Each one got to choose some items to hide in the picture: The number 25, a flame from our Advent wreath, a sea shell, a Barbie, Fred Flinstone, Flimore, Lightening McQueen, a train, two monster bowling pins, a banana, a bowl of fruit loops. Also, hidden in our scene are five kings, two angels, two sheep, a donkey, a camel, Mary Joseph, Baby Jesus, and a shepherd. If you find all the items, please comment so that my kids can see how many friends have enjoyed their work. Feel free to share this link with others. Have a great time spying!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Advent Calendar-Activities

27-build an I spy w/ nativity pieces
26-Paint a silhouette nativity
25-Watch the Nutcracker Ballet
24-have a picnic under the Christmas tree
23-Make Christmas cards to give to your friends at school.
22-journey to Bethlehem
21-Write a letter to Santa
20-bake cookies for neighbors and firemen
19-make a hand plate. Read a Special Place for Santa. Deliver cookies to the neighbors.
18-build a gingerbread house
17-Give gifts to your Awana helpers
16-make cinnamon applesauce ornaments
15-deliver navitiees to friends
14-make gingerbread play dough
13-go look at Christmas lights
12-Go to a Christmas program
11-
10-Write love notes to each member of the family and leave them on their pillow.
9-make a gum drop tree
8-make puppets and tell the story of Christmas
7-go for a walk around the neighborhood. Drink hot chocolate afterwards.
6-Listen to Christmas music.
5-watch Jug-band Christmas
4-Go on a Christmas Scavenger hunt
3-Make fortune cookies
2-Make a bookmark for your book.
1-Go to Midnight Mass

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Nativity



Here are a few pictures of the tiny nativity that I got from Hobby Lobby last year. Each of the beginning days of our Advent Calendar we had a piece hidden inside the box. Charlie was so excited to see what piece of the nativity she opened each day. She had a very special place for her Nativity. She kept it in her window sill. I loved going in each night to find her playing with it and moving all the pieces. One night she had baby Jesus over in the corner away from all the other pieces. When I asked her about it she said (in true Charlie fashion) "Well, all those camels, sheep, and donkeys are making too much noise for Jesus to sleep. He just had to get away from them." I love this girl.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Advent Calendar-Activities

27 Days till...Draw a nativity
26 DAys ... Make a ring toss.
25 days...Make and play with Gingerbread play-dough
24 days... make felt Gingerbread cookies
23 days...Make a Christmas Geocash
22 days Watch a Christmas Story
21 days Make a Christmas alphabet book
20 days Journey to Bethlehem
19 days Read "A Special Place for Santa"
18 days go look at christmas lights w/ Grandma
17 days Build a gingerbread house
16 days make an angel *
15 days Make a gumdrop tree
14 days Watch the nutcracker ballet
13 days Make a jingle bell bracelet
12 days.. Go look at Christmas lights
11 days Make a set of Christmas story dice and tell Christmas stories *
10 days Make puppy chow *
9 days Build an I Spy picture using Nativity pieces
8 days Watch Charlie brown Christmas
7 days Make hot chocolate w/ marshmallows
6 days..Make Christmas cookies *
5 days Make fortune cookies *
4 days Go on a Christmas light scavenger hunt
3 days Go geocashing and leave a nativity piece *
2 days Make gingerbread cookies
1 day Make reindeer food. * (Charlie got some for school)
All * items are the ones that we did not get done. Sometimes life just interrupts the best laid plans.

Advent Calendar




I have always wanted to be one of those mom's that counts down the days till Christmas. Last year I just never got my stuff together to actually do it. This year, I did. We have had the most fun. I am still not successful at doing something every night but we have done a lot more this year. Here is our calendar. In each box was a card to tell us what to do as well as a piece to Charlie's windowsill nativity set. (Brantley has managed to de-head most of the figures. I'll have to find a different set for next year.) I also wrapped all our Christmas books. The kids will open one book each night to read before Christmas.