Back in October, I started writing a nursery curriculem for our church. With each lesson I have been including a parent card that gives some reinforcements to the lesson. It has questions the parents can ask their toddler on the way home, a memory verse, a simple activity each day of the week, and a Bible reading. So this year while I was thinking of special handmade Christmas gifts, the Lord was strongly urging me to create an advent calendar for a bosom friend using the same model. As the Lord was helping me write the cards it made my heart leap with joy seeing how He orchestrated each day so perfectly! It all started first with these cards, I wanted to tell each little part of Jesus’ birth story and in my mind I planned on ending with His birth on the 25th. But I ended up on the 15th. So as I asked the Lord to help me write the rest He told me to keep following the story as I was doing by breaking it up in small bits. As I did, the story unfolded incredibly revealing more and more of His heart through the activities. Finally, the story “ended” two days before the 25th and once again I asked Him how to fill in those days. He gave me John 3:16, the reason He came and then 1 John for the following day, we love because He first loved. My heart leapt! The Holy Spirit had truly guided me in every step and He had written every part to tell His story and to show a piece of His heart!
From there I wanted a place to display it so I built the frame with my dad and made it chalkboard so kids could draw the manger scene or you could write verses or song lyrics. Then sewed and hand-painted the bags from fabric scraps and added some little things for the days that had a supply needed (only about 5 days) and screwed in tiny hooks for the bags to hang. I needed a way to mark each day as it went by so I rummaged through my crafts and found some wooden stars. Perfect! It was as if you were following the star to Jesus. I painted, drilled holes and tied twine in each so that you could pull it out of the bag when you got to that day and hang it on the hook. Finally, I realized I couldn’t find a nativity that had all the pieces perfectly the way it needed with baby Jesus separate from the manger or a cross and at the same time being child friendly.So, I started making a nativity set to go with it from whatever branches and wood I could find. The only thing I purchased was wooden peg dolls and then I used scrap fabric to make outfits for each. In the end, it became one of my favorite creations of 2019. I am so thankful for the opportunity the Lord gave me to glean from Him and to work on this project together! I so look forward to next year in starting this tradition in our home and celebrating Jesus’ birthday in an even more meaningful and bigger way!
It stirred my spirit up so much that I plan on creating cards to lead up to Easter since the bags and board are already made! I have longed to make Easter more meaningful as well since Christmas is such a big celebration. A one week or one day focus is just not how I want Christ’s greatest sacrifice to be reduced. So when I finish those cards, I will be more than happy to share them with you! You can purchase the Christmas advent cards here as a digital download and create your own special display! It works great in a box as well or any other creative way you want to display the cards!
So Merry Christmas and I pray that each year you celebrate Jesus as the greatest reason for the season!
