Advent Calendar and Jesse Tree

Well we managed to finish our Advent Calendar in time for the 01 December and the children have made so many comments about how lovely they think it is, they are really pleased with the outcome. It was largely a joint effort between all of us, the girls did the sewing, I did most of the gluing because I used a glue gun for the first time, but the girls helped with the design and cutout. It is a Bethlehem scene, we really want to focus on Christ this Christmas.
Up on the wall.
All filled with the sweeties.

We have started making our Jesse Tree this year too. It is a wonderful way for us as a family to focus on the wonderful message of the bible, and the coming of the promised Messiah.

The Story of the Jesse Tree

The Jesse Tree is named from Isaiah 11:1: "A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots." It is a vehicle to tell the Story of God in the Old Testament, and to connect the Advent Season with the faithfulness of God across 4,000 years of history. The branch is a biblical sign of newness out of discouragement, which became a way to talk about the expected messiah (for example, Jer 23:5). It is therefore an appropriate symbol of Jesus the Christ, who is the revelation of the grace and faithfulness of God.

Our first day was learning about the creation together and reading:

Genesis 1:1-3, 27, 31
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The
earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face
of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the
waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he
created him; male and female he created them.
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was
very good.
John 1:1-5, 14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things
were made through him, and without him was not anything made

Each day the children will make a decoration relating to the reading of the day. Eden and Jude are making an earth to represent the creation.

Jude also wanted to do a creation picture.
Eden's finished decoration.
Placing it on the little tree in their bedroom.