Advent Waiting

Sunday, december 23

*materials for a nest (can be shredded paper or yarn or Christmas tree needles), and one fresh egg

lesson: god's dwelling place

psalm 84

How lovely is your dwelling place,
   O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, indeed it faints
   for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
   to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home,
   and the swallow a nest for herself,
   where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
   my King and my God.
Happy are those who live in your house,
   ever singing your praise.

activity
build a nest and talk about what a nest is for: staying warm and safe. Did you know that God is keeping us safe and warm?  Who can you think of that God is keeping warm (list friends and family, think of strangers and even enemies-the bad people- how is God making a nest for them?)?

Saturday, december 22

*think of the gift you made on the 20th.  You may even what to give it to someone

lesson: helping others

matthew 25: 35-40

35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 37Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” 40And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,* you did it to me.”

god made everyone and we are all a little bit like god, just like you are like your mom and dad.  when we help eachother, we help god and make him happy and proud.

activity
find ways to help others by giving time, money, food, or toys.  decide which thing to give and then give it away to someone who might need it.

Thursday, December 20 Being Ready

* get materials to make a present for Jesus, or prepare for a shopping trip where you could buy something like a coat or gloves- you might use this gift on December 22.

matthew 25: 1-13

‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids* took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.* Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those bridesmaids* got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids* came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.*

larkin and vivian were excited to be going on a owl-watching walk at night in the woods.  they had flash lights and hiking boots.  however, when it came time to go find the owls, vivian realized that her flash light didn't have any batteries!  vivian asked larkin if she could borrow some of his batteries.  larkin explained that if he gave vivian some of his batteries, then his flashlight wouldn't work either and no one would be able to see the owls.

so, vivian went back to the campsite to get more batteries from her tent.  while vivian was off getting batteries, larkin saw many owls!  and by the time vivian got back to the owl-watching group, everyone was ready to go back.  she missed all the owls!

if you aren't ready, it's easy to miss out on something you want to do.

activity
be ready for jesus's birthday by making a present for him. Where can you put that present so that he can see it?  (you might want to think of a gift that a hungry or thirsty person might use and buy or make it for the Dec 22 day)

Wednesday December 19, 2007

*the map from Dec 17

isaiah 61:1-4 (paraphrased from the Message)

The Spirit of God, the Master,
is on me because God has picked and blessed me.

He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
   heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives,
   pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace—
   a celebration of God's destruction of our enemies—
   and to comfort all who mourn…
   give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes from house fires,
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
   a praising heart instead of a sad and depressed spirit.

Rename them "Huge Trees of Justice"
   planted by God to display his glory.

How can you tell if the wind is blowing the leaves of the tree? The Spirit of God is like the wind. You can’t see her but you can see what she’s doing.  Listen again to the verses and see if you can tell when the Spirit is near.

Now, who do you think is renamed “huge trees of justice”?  We are. Look at the map.  Do you remember who planted us here?  Have you ever thought of yourself planted here to be a tree of God?

Do you know anyone who is sick or depressed or in jail?  How do you think Jesus wants us to help those people or how is the Spirit of God helping these people?  God has planted us here in our neighborhood to join the Spirit in helping these people. 

Tuesday December 18, 2007

*tape measurer, paper, crayons or something to draw with.  (afterwards, put this picture in the dec 24 pocket)

zechariah 2:1-13

Zechariah had a dream and this is what he saw…

I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line (a tape measurer)  in his hand. Then I asked him, ‘Where are you going?’ He answered me, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.’ Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him, and said to him, ‘Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls, because of all the people and animals in it. For I will be a wall of fire all round it, says the Lord, and I will be the glory within it.’…

Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord. Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in your midst. And you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.

Draw a house with your family in it.  Now draw the houses of your friends and/or families. 

Zechariah had a dream of a construction worker measuring Israel’s house.  God promise that Jesus will renovate and add on to Israel’s house making it big enough to fit all kinds of people from all over.

Each year we wait for Christmas when we remember that Jesus lives in our midst.  Now draw a house around all of the houses you drew. Jesus is making a house big enough for all of them.  Put this picture in December 24th’s pocket. 

a note and a quick head's up

just a quick heads up for parents that you'll need to be ready for making or buying a present for jesus on dec 19th  (there is an opportunity to give that gift to a homeless or needy person on the 22nd).

And here's an update from Michael about the Johnston family advent rituals thusfar...

Larkin is responding really well to the time each evening we are dedicating to talking about Advent. And  Lucy gets that we are expecting something to be in the mailboxes. (we got mailboxes for the kids a while back so we could give them messages) Amy and I learned quickly though that we had to improvise some and lean on a simple theme for Larkin and Lucy. The first activity about sending a message to someone really sunk in with Larkin and he surprised us with who he wanted to receive his message. He thought of friends that live far away that we don't get to see and that he has only met once.   Larkin is four and already answers, " Jesus & God", to many questions once he sees the bible opened. I think it's funny, but I'm glad that he simply accepts what we teach him. The other stand out so far was talking about the King and his Kingdom. Of course a boy likes the idea of being a Knight who helps and serves the King. And he accepted the fact that a Kingdom needs farmers and shop keepers and even musicians.

The thing that I like the most about our experience so far is that it feels like a habit that will become a tradition and also help pave the way for an intimacy in our family in later years. I can really see how our kids value time we intentionally set aside and treat as special.

Travis found this link to another cool advent pocket idea, as well!

if your discovering stuff in your family by using/adapting this, please, share the love!

troy

Monday December 17, 2007

*you will need a paper & pencil, and a Google Earth map of your neighborhood (move it to dec 19 after this lesson)

amos 9

The time is surely coming, says the Lord,
   when the one who plows will overtake the one who reaps,
   and the treader of grapes the one who sows the seed…

Make a list of all the things you ate today.  Where did they come from?  Who do you think planted and picked them?

I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel,
   and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine,
   and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.
I will plant them upon their land,
   and they shall never again be plucked up
   out of the land that I have given them,
says the Lord your God.

Like bananas are best grown in places like Costa Rica or peanuts are best grown in Georgia God promises to plant you where you grow best. We’ve been planted in Capitol View in Atlanta, Georgia. Print out from Google Earth a map of where you live.  Look at the map and ask what else do you think Jesus is planting here? Put the map in the December 19th space.  I wonder how our neighborhood will grow to fit God’s promise?

Sunday December 16, 2007

*you need a bulb (paperwhite narcissus are the easiest to force, they do not have to be kept in dark or chilled before being potted) and glass and rocks to "force" winter bloom.  You also need paper and crayons for drawing.

isaiah 35:1-10

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
   the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,
   and rejoice with joy and singing…
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
   the majesty of our God.

Strengthen the weak hands,
   and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
   ‘Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God…

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
   and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then the lame shall leap like a deer,
   and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
   and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool,
   and the thirsty ground springs of water…

A highway shall be there,
   and it shall be called Holy Way highway;
the unclean shall not travel on it,
   but it shall be for God’s people;
   no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.

Have you ever been away from home for a long time and couldn’t wait to get back?
What do you miss from home when you are away?

The family of Israel was a long way from home and thought they would never get back. There didn’t seem to be any roads leading home.  God promises to make a highway home.  This is a poem of what it looks like on that highway home.

Let’s read it again and draw the promises God describes for the Holy Way Highway.

In Advent some people are still waiting for these promises to grow.  Plant this bulb and wait for it to bloom.  Let it remind you that we are all waiting for God’s promises to come true.  I wonder how Jesus will make that happen?

Friday, December 7

*If you can, plan this for the exact sunrise or sunset time of day
by research the sunrise and sunset times (you can do this quickly by searching your zip-code on weather.com and scrolling down to the 36hr forecast- there they list the sunrise and sunset times).
*Also print out pictures of the two consultations, Pleiades and Orion.

Amos 5:8

Seek the Lord and live…

The one who made the Pleiades and Orion,
   and turns deep darkness into the morning,
   and darkens the day into night,
who calls for the waters of the sea,
   and pours them out on the surface of the earth,
the Lord is his name…

Talk about the stars or read excerpts about them on Wiki or elsewhere.  And talk about the time it will turn dark or light. Did you know that the secret hands putting those starts there and moving the earth around the sun, is named Yahweh, our Lord? He is our God? Let’s keep looking for him to do more and more around us…

Thursday, December 6 Life on the Vine

*bunch of grapes still on the vine, crayons and paper (possibly a pic of vineyards from Wikipedia)

Matthew 21:33-46

set out a bunch of grapes. ask kids where grapes come from.  Have them take it off the stem/vine.  Now ask them to get out a crayon and to draw what they think the vine that connects to grapes looks like (you may want to Wiki grape vineyard, for them to get an image in their heads).

Now, listen to this story that Jesus tells a crowd on the street about growing grapes. Parents, read the following story ahead of time and retell it from memory (of course you can take out some of the PG13 things as needed). To help kids track the story, ask them to draw these five characters first:

An owner of a grape vineyard (farmer).
The renters of the farm
his messengers
The farmer’s son
the new renters

There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’…

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.

Talk about how grapes grow.  Review who took care of the grapes in the story. At the end of the story, who gets to taste the good things that the farmer grows?  What kind of farmer makes a “good harvest?” 

Grapes grow big and strong because they stay connected to their vine, and the farmers help God by making the connections strong. We get to grow big and strong like these grapes because we are connected to the vine.  God connects us and makes us grow.