For the past several years I’ve wanted to do something special to intentionally focus our attention on Christ during the Christmas season.
In particular I’ve wanted to do a Jesse Tree. Ever since I heard of the tradition of using a Jesse Tree as a Christmas Advent, I’ve wanted to do it.
But I couldn’t just do it…no I had grand plans to make unique ornaments that, in reality, never got made.
So…my grand plans went unaccomplished.
Yes, we talked about Christmas and the Christmas story. We’ve read the story of the birth of Christ and sang Christmas carols, but the Jesse Tree didn’t happen.
Last year we did at least read trough The Jesse Tree picture book by Geraldine McCaughrean.
This year I realized my limitations at crafting during this season of the year and ordered a set of Jesse Tree ornaments from etsy.
I am so pleased with these ornaments and I’m so excited to use them along with the devotions during Advent this year!
I’ve learned that at least the first time I set out to do a new project I have to keep it as simple as possible. For me, this meant purchasing Jesse Tree ornaments rather than making my own.
We do not have a separate tree to put our ornaments on. They’re being placed one by one on our family Christmas tree. I like this because our worship of Christ at Christmas isn’t separate, it fits right along with how we live our lives. And…I don’t do well with compartmentalization. It’s all a part of the whole picture for me.
So, each day of this month, we’ll be reading a devotion and Bible verses telling the story of Jesus, from creation to the coming of the messiah.
And we’ll hang one of our Jesse Tree ornaments on our tree to remember and follow the story of God’s plan for the salvation of mankind.
That is…if Jenny doesn’t lose the ornaments before Christmas!