Jesse Tree Prep

I believe that we will get out our Christmas decorations this weekend! I have already seen a few houses decorated and of course all the stores are decked out.  With all the lights, decorations, shopping, parties, programs and more that we will be bombarded with over the next 6-8 weeks (not to sound like a scrooge) I want my kids to remember the REAL reason we are celebrating! That is why a few years ago we started the Jesse tree.

For a few weeks leading up to Christmas we hang a new ornament on our designated tree.  Each ornaments retells the greatest story ever told.  A TRUE Christmas story! It starts in the beginning and ends with the birth of our Savior! 

This tradition can be a relatively simple one.  There are sooooo many resources out there and fun ideas! 

How we do it…

I have all my ornaments pre made and ready to go.  I wrap each ornament in a bag with the Bible verses we will read, also a fun snack or candy treat for my kids.  I label each bag with a number based on when we will open them.  Each night leading up to Christmas we take turns opening a gift, reading the verses and talking about the story and how we are waiting on our Savior to be born.  

Ornaments can be pre made, bought, or made each day by your kids.  Do what works for you and your family! 

This year I plan on having a Jesse Tree Journal for the girls.  Each night they will record or draw what we discussed or something new they learned.  I think this will be a great keepsake and so much fun to look back over in the coming years!

The Bibles we will use this year:

The Jesus Storybook Bible

The Gospel Story Bible

The Big Picture Story Bible

The Ryrie Study Bible

We will implement some of the things for the lessons I planned last year on the days that we have time. My main goal is to simply sit and read the Bible with my family and discuss this Holy season!! 

You can see all of my Jesse Tree lessons from last year HERE. Or look under my archives from last Nov/Dec.

Our Ornament List:
1. Earth: Creation
2. Apple: Adam and Eve
3. Rainbow: Noah
4. Stars: God's Promise to Abe
5. Bundle of Sticks: Isaac
6. Ladder: Jacob
7. Coat: Joseph
8. Burning Bush: Moses
9. Lamb/Passover Door: Passover
10. 10 Commandments: Moses gives God's Commandemtns
11. Wheat: Ruth
12. Red Rope: Rahab
13. Trumpet/Ram Horn: Joshua
14. Male Crown: Samuel
15. Shepherds Crook: David
16. Stone Altar: Elijah
17. Sun: Isaiah
18. Tears: Jeremiah
19. Lion: Daniel
20. Whale: Jonah
21. Female Crown: Esther
22. Watch Tower: Habakkuk
23. Heart: Ezra: God's people turn their heart back to God
24. Pen/Tablet: Zachariah/John
25. Angel: Mary
26. Manger: Jesus' Birth
27. Star: Wise Men

My prayer is that you and your family will choose to make Jesus the center of your season even when the world is bombarding our children telling them it is not. 

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."  2 Timothy 3:14-15

"And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."  Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Sunday Scripture

This week In life group we are discussing reaching out to all of our areas of influence in order to spread the gospel.  My prayer is that this would be a reality in the lives of the girls in my class, myself, my family and all Christians!! 

Happy Sunday!!

Trust from a Tooth

Two weeks ago Molly Cate finally lost her second front tooth.  The first one came out a week before.  I didn't think this process of loosing teeth was such a big deal, but boy was I wrong! This girl had every intention of letting those teeth stay in until forever or until they fell out alone.  Thats exactly what happened with tooth #1...it fell out as she touched it with her tongue! 

Tooth two was another story.  It dangled for a week, it could even be pushed out horizontally....ewe...thats when you KNOW its time!! As Sunday went on we discussed with Molly Cate that she had to pull it, that it was time, and before she went to bed it was going to have to come out.  This tooth had now mostly detached from the root and was black from dried blood! Double ewe!!!

Bedtime came and the tooth had not come out yet.  We talked and talked and reasoned and talked and reasoned with her about this particular tooth.  Our main thing we said over and over was to "TRUST us!" "Don't you know we love you and we would NEVER do anything to harm or hurt you??"  "TRUST us and do what we ask...it will be so much better once you have done this." I must admit there was some weeping, wailing and some gnashing of teeth (no pun intended).  If you live within a 50 mile radius of our house you heard the drama. FINALLY after an hour of "talking" this whole thing out, Molly Cate let me pull it! Afterwards she realized, it didn't hurt (I mean at this point..how could it??), she realized it was silly for her to act the way she did, and that she should have listened to us from the get go! 

Looking back at this "Parenting Experience" it doesn't surprise me one bit that God was trying to teach me a big lesson in the process. TRUST AND OBEY! Just like Ken and I KNEW Molly Cate would be just fine if she would only trust us to get that tooth out....God expects us to trust Him in the same ways!   We always want to control the situation or know exactly how things may play out, but truly God wants our full and complete trust in him for every small and big detail of our lives.  I laughed out loud many times during this tooth pulling fiasco thinking how silly this all was.  How many times has God laughed at me saying, "Child, I've got this...just let it go!!!"

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight."  Proverbs 3:5-6

Sunday Scripture

This week I'm challenging my new class of high school girls to memorize this verse and applying it to their life.  Im challenging them to look deep at how this looks in their life and if this verse is true to who they are.  I have read and reread this verse over and over many many times, but its a good reminder of what is the most important.  

Sunday Scripture

Sunday Scripture

I was flipping through my chronological Bible at the upcoming passages for this week.  This verse was highlighted from another time when I had read it, so it stood out.  Honestly I'm not sure the exact reason I had highlighted before, I have no notes written beside it.  It stood out to me distinctly this time because God is really showing me lately that HE is HOLY and GREAT and WONDROUS!! He has shown His MIGHT and will continue to do so!! He is sufficient for all people, every person around us, no matter their past, no matter who they are related to, what they look like, no matter where they have come from.  He does this through Jesus.  Now those of us who have accepted Jesus have the responsibility to pass this wonderful news! We must proclaim HIS Might through the real life story of JESUS...the GOSPEL!

Happy Sunday!

Still Traveling on our Jesse Tree Journey....Are you??

We have really been enjoying Jesse Tree again this year! The girls look forward to opening each ornament each day! I have heard a lot of positive feedback from many of you who are also doing Jesse Tree.  One of my sweet friends Emily has been blogging about each day....wow...GO Emily!!! You can see all of her cuteness HERE.  Her pictures are beautiful!! (She is a professional!) Go visit her and be inspired, her love for writing and sharing the goodness of the Lord is so very evident!

Most of my pics have been iPhone photos, but here are a few that I have taken along our journey this year!

The Present in The Jesus Storybook Bible is probably one of my all time favorites in this children's Bible! It is just so sweetly written!

I came across these gigantic gingerbread man cookies at Wal-Mart, the girls LOVED making them into our Gingerbread Joseph and making him a beautiful coat! On this day we talked about how important forgiveness is and how Jesus is the ULTIMATE forgiver!!!

Are you adding anything else along with your Jesse tree? Have you come up with any fun activities, snacks, etc?? I would LOVE to hear and add to my stash of lessons!!

As promised here are a few more lessons to guide you on your way....

DAY 11

DAY 12

DAY 13

DAY 14

DAY 15

DAY 16

I am praying for each of those who will lay eyes on these posts about the Jesse Tree, praying that you will be able to disciple your children in this way and incorporate this into your Christmas traditions!

Kindergarten Rocks!

Yesterday we woke up bright and early to celebrate this....

The answers to some of the favorites above crack me up.  Peppa Pig....we don't have cable and haven't watched Peppa Pig in months, so I'm not sure how this could be considered a favorite...HA! I love "Go Tell it on the Mountain", its something I sang to her as I rocked her when she was a baby.  She originally picked Barnleby Finkleton (a VBS song that has been WAY overplayed in my car), but when we were listening to some songs on Spotify she decided the liked the version by Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors...and I really love that she loves that!!! Teriyaki chicken was one I was not surprised by...she begs to eat at Noodles every Sunday.  Also, American girl dolls and art....two favorite past times for sure! The verse took some time, I read many to her before she decided that this one was her favorite right now! He is good baby girl and He loves you!!  I pray that you will see this all the time!!!


We got to school bright and early to celebrate as a family with a Boo-Hoo breakfast...how cute is that!? (although I was enjoying breakfast too much to take pictures)

Molly Cate in front of her classroom.

Working hard on a puzzle.

Listening to a story read my Mrs. Jones.

Molly Cate asked me not to cry. I tried my best.  I got a little teary as Ken prayed over our breakfast in the classroom.  I held it together the rest of the time, until Mrs. Jones give the kids a sweet story for us to take home.  In the car I lost it when I read the end...pictured above.  Read it.  How true is that!?  

It's not that our kids go to kindergarten, or first or second grade...it's that we realize they are growing up.  We have to slowly begin that releasing process, this is important in parenting.  We have to slowly let go of things and let them be who God intended them to be, and with MUCH prayer, love, and guidance they will flourish beyond anything we could ever hope for them.  

As Molly Cate's favorite verses states: "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever".... I give thanks to Him for letting me raise this little girl, one more and my little guy.  HE is good....and His love for them will endure forever...through every Beanstalk!!!

Love Notes

Yesterday morning everyone woke up to a special love note from Ken.  We love finding these notes...especially the girls.  They were quick to find out which note belonged to them.  They were so excited to see their name written out and a hand written note from their daddy.

These notes from Ken remind me of how special I am to my heavenly Father and the love note He has written me through the Bible! Every morning His note waits for me!  How I yearn to see what He has written me!

I'm so thankful for my sweet husband who takes the time to write these simple little notes of love to each of us! What a sweet way to start the day! 

When the kiddos all sat down and got their notes, I told them to hold their notes and say cheese.  Look carefully at the picture....

Obviously Jack thought I said NOSE!! TOO CUTE!!

Living Outside our Comfort Zone!

Yesterday was "Wacky Wednesday" at school.  Molly Cate's class was learning about the letter "W" this week, so to add to the fun her teachers planned a fun filled "Wild" day at school.  Considering this is my child who has always liked to dress herself without regards to colors matching or latest styles I knew this would be right up her alley! I was very wrong! 

The first outfit of choice was particularly conservative compared to the "standards" of what I would consider wacky.  It was a summer dress with a long sleeve shirt over it.  I suggested everything from gymnastics outfits, ballerina tutus, wigs, gloves, lots of bows, two different shoes, crazy socks, etc.... I think I was having more fun coming up with ideas then her.  We finally decided on this outfit plus a few more accessories that are not pictured.  Why are they not pictured?  Well, after getting ready and looking at herself in the mirror,  I think she realized this was a seriously Wacky outfit.  She immediately felt uncomfortable and self conscious of what she looked like and started shedding bows, a necklace and finally changed shoes.  I encouraged her that she looked cute and that everyone would be looking silly.

As I thought about how she was feeling and how this was totally out of her comfort zone, it made me think about our Christian walk with Christ.  It made me realize that it is not always easy to stand out and to be different, or to do something with unknown outcomes.  For all Molly Cate knew she could have been the only one who dressed up.  When we walk with Christ we are called to die to ourselves, to be different and to act differently from the world...even when it is hard and outside of our comfort zone!

We left for school, but only after I did call to confirm with another mom that her little girl would also be dressed equally as wacky! She was then eager to get there to see her buddy.  Although it was tough to be different at first, it is also comforting to know that a friend is walking right along side you! Again, in our Christian walk it is so sweet to have friends who continually encourage you and build you up in God's Word and truth.  I feel so blessed to have many friends like this in my life.  I know Molly Cate was feeling pretty good to have Emma by her side yesterday to walk in and then to giggle so hard at all the other wacky attire of the day!

So, how are you living outside your comfort zone today?

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."  Romans 2:12

Easter Day!

He is Risen! Praise the Lord for a beautiful Easter day spent worshiping at church and with family and friends!

My three little joys!

After a beautiful morning at church we headed down to the river to picnic with friends.  The kids loved being on the banks on the Mississippi, playing and having fun! 

Jack man loved eating everyone's leftovers, I think he enjoyed this potato salad!!

The kiddos not only hunted eggs, but also had fun with some Easter crafts!

Jack chilled in this chair for a while...then when he had to get out he was VERY unhappy!

His new buddy Michael picked him up and he was happy again! How cute!

The day has been perfect, one that was fun and eventful! The most glorious news was that our friend Jon led a man to Christ!! What a sweet Easter treat.  

I was also recently introduced to this group...Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors...not sure if you have ever heard of them, but they are amazing!

Enjoy this song as Easter ends and we are given a new week.  Let's not forget the love that we have celebrated over this Easter weekend.

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4

Whatever you do...

...do it all for the glory of God.  Over the past few days I have been entertaining the girls, helping a sick boy feel better, trying to help myself feel better, and doing the many things that seem to pile up everyday around the house.  

 I made this little painting a few weeks ago.  I originally made it for the girls in my 11th grade life group in mind as we planned craft ideas for our DNOW weekend.  The verse has been a sweet reminder to me this week that what I do does matter, and matters to HIM most! 

I'm sure many of you have heard of Pinterest by now and the many products, ideas, recipes etc floating out there in the Pinterest world! This little painting idea came from this "pin" originally pinned here. The original artists work can be found here.

The original art had no words or verses, but in our house we love the BIBLE and we love to have scripture scattered throughout the house.  At the time I just wanted to use this verse, but the Lord knew I would need to see this when I was feeling a little bogged down in my mommy duties! This verse is found in 1 Corinthians 10:31...I still need some little number stamps!

Hopefully this little project will inspire you, but most important I hope this verse will encourage you!