Last week we cut down our Christmas tree and decorated the house. We weren't initially going to do this because we are planning to move before Christmas, but I eventually decided that if we didn't do our best to fill our home with the Christ of Christmas, we'd all miss out on this special time of the year. Not that the tree and the decorations and the cookies bring Christ into our home, but they do help us focus on the season and the reason we celebrate. Perhaps the biggest element that we have been enjoying is the nightly tradition of Advent reading. Each year we go through the book The Advent Jesse
Tree, which Isaiah understands more and more each year. We talk about an element of preparing our hearts and minds for the coming of the Christ child and then put an ornament on a little fir tree that we have. The ornament is a symbol of what we talked about during the devotion and helps to emphasize the ideas.We still plan to move before Christmas and it is still a very busy few weeks ahead, but I trust that the peace of Christ will richly rule over us as we seek to honor him with the days. Blessings on your Advent as you prepare your hearts and minds as well.
