Christ in Christmas

Mom 2 Mom

Prepare

Inspire

Encourage

I always look forward to M2M.  I attend the evening session to get inspired, and then help with babysitting/story telling for the morning session.

 
Kelli did a GREAT job of decorating!

 These sweet mamas were the speakers for this month's M2M.

They shared about keeping Christ as the most important part of the season, beginning with spending time each day with Him.  This prepares your heart and will help keep one thinking about what really is important about the season.  It was just calming listening to them and I already felt less frazzled about the upcoming holidays! One resource they shared was Noel Piper's "TreasuringGod in Our Traditions".

They shared really neat ideas for keeping Christ 

the center of Christmas for your children.  

It is not all about Santa and getting gifts for themselves.  

They gave ideas like taking cookies to a widow or singing at an old folks' home.

And how to decorate the home with Christ-centered decorations.

This is a Jesse Tree.  What is a Jesse Tree?

 "The Jesse Tree represents the family tree, or genealogy of Jesus Christ.  It tells the story of God's plan of Salvation, beginning with creation and continuing through the Old Testament, to the coming of the Messiah. The name comes from Isaiah 11:1, "Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit." 

Each day of Advent a homemade ornament is added to the Jesse Tree, a small tree made of evergreen branches. (or as in this case, a felt one) These symbolic ornaments can each represent a prophecy foretelling of Christ. Other variations include creating ornaments that represent the ancestors in the lineage of Christ, or using the various monogram symbols of Christianity as handmade ornaments."  Check out this link!

There are several sites on-line that you can either print out the ornaments or you can even purchase one on-line if you want.

Thank you Jess, Julie and Kendall!!!

Next month.....

Random fall photos

Claire likes to get into her sissies things when they are at school!

I go see the grandchildren whenever I am able.  Is there anyone else who feels that the 13 mile road seems a LOT longer than 13 miles?

Fall colors

Last week it rained 4 1/2 inches one night and 3 inches the next.  Our creek out back which is usually nearly dry was overflowing.

Sky pics

And since it is November, remember:

 "Let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe."  Hebrews 12:28

Fun family

This past week my uncles from Ohio came to visit.

Mom and her 2 brothers, Wally and Mahlon

Uncle Wally is a retired missionary to Paris and Uncle Mahlon has lived on the family farm property outside of Pandora for all these years.  

 My brother and wife from KC came along with their dog, Gracie.  Mindy and also Jill and the girls.

 

Claire loved the doggy and chased her and wanted to give her kisses!

Jill got Claire ready for bed.  Here she is saying goodbye to her great-grandpa Pete.

 The uncles wanted our family picture.

Mahlon and Anne stayed with us while Uncle Wally's went to Mom's place.

After most everyone left, Mahlon and Anne showed us a new game.
Mahlon learned this game in Africa on a missions trip.  He calls it Frizbo and you use Skipbo cards.

On Tuesday, we took a trip to Hutch.

 All aboard!

 

We ate at Anchor Inn, downtown Hutch.

 Authentic Mexican - mmmm!

We stopped at the Cosmosphere - here we are at the planetarium.  I think some of us might have taken a little nap in the dark!!

Of course, all this is from a world view, but how can one not see God in this??

"Lift your eyes and look to the heaven:  Who created all these?  He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls them each by name."  Isaiah 40:26

We saw the special on Jerusalem.  What fun to see such great filming of the city we visited last March!

When we got home, we took them to Braum's.  They don't have Braum's in Ohio.  We picked Dad up from the home and took him too.  He LOVES ice-cream!

On Wednesday we ate at the college.

 Jim and Shirley joined us.  They left for China on tour the following day.

Mahlon, Dad's cousin, Myron Voran, and Wally were in the folk's wedding.  Myron was the best man and my uncles were groomsmen.

On Thursday, Uncle Wally and Aunt Wanda and Mom met with college friends and had such a wonderful time.  In the evening, we had supper together.  A couple trick-or-treaters joined in!!

a kitty

a gymnast

and a pastor! 

Jill stayed home with a sick little baby.  We missed them! 

We sat around until 11:00 and listened to stories of their days growing up.  

  How we laughed and laughed. 

They have gone home now and hopefully we will be able to make a trip out to Ohio in the near future!