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.
I also received this beautiful camel! Thank you D. It is exactly what I wanted. I wanted a daily reminder that I am an 18th camel. It doesn't make sense to anyone but me. My kids thought it was CRAZY that Santa had given me a camel. I added the cute tag w/ my new scrap book adhesive. Another gift that my school kids did not understand. "Santa bought you tape. Why would Santa bring you tape?" I guess my gifts were me specific this year. Only I understood them. 
