Simple and fun things I want to try with my kids this advent

Eek! It's been another year of blogging and I'm excited to share this last post! 

So I mentioned that I am taking December off. I did this last year on the advice of another business owner and it was such a blessing. We need the time to rest and fully celebrate this great thing that God has done for us (and all of humanity). 

I am not a baker and I don't go all-out with Christmas decorating. My son is in the throw-everything-on-the-floor stage, so just keeping him out of the Christmas tree is going to occupy my next month. But when I'm not doing damage control, here are a few simple activities I'd like to try with my kids (links below):

A. Bitty beanie ornaments (from Pinterest)

B. Glue gun snowflakes

C. Simple reindeer gift tags

D. Fun Xmas coloring page

E. Hillsong (Holiday) Radio with a pinch of Pentatonix (Holiday) Radio on Pandora 

F. Three-ingredient hot chocolate. We make it this way with Almond or lactose-free milk because the packets have milk in them (and 3/5 of us are lactose-intolerant). Add some peppermint if you want to change it up!

G. Cinnamon spice + glitter ornaments 

H. The greatest gifts printable under-the-tree box (from me!)

I.  Counting the Days, Lighting the Candles:  A Christmas Advent Devotional by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson (a mother-daughter team). We're trying this one out this year, but there are a lot of options our there for advent devotionals like The Truth in Tinsel, or this free printable one that coordinates with the Jesus Storybook Bible (and uses pictures from that story Bible). And here's a pretty free printable advent calendar with Bible verses.

Can I leave with something encouraging? These are the "4 G's"  in "Everyday Church" by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis. Here they are:

1. God is great – so we don’t have to be in control

2. God is glorious – so we don’t have to fear others

3. God is good – so we don’t have to look elsewhere

4. God is gracious – so we don’t have to prove ourselves

Does someone in your life need to be encouraged in one of these areas? Can your load be lightened today by believing one of these truths?

The good news of Jesus is good news for us, and good news for everyone, but Chester and Timmis argue in their book that we have to ask God to show us how Jesus is good news. 

Is she anxious? She need to know that God is in control. 

Is he looking for the perfect relationship? He needs to know that God is the only one who fills and only He is unfailingly good.

Are they working hard to prove that they've got it together? They need to know that God's grace has already been offered to them, so there's nothing to prove to Him (and His opinion is what matters).

Let's slow down and ask the Holy Spirit to speak the truth to our own pain points and to the pain points of others. Let's ask God to empower us to speak words that are both sweet and salty (Colossians 4:5-6). 

these cards are from the "MISSION" set in the shop

Happy advent!