hurry, hurry call the fireman...

i've been thinking a great deal lately about advent. up until this year, we haven't really done anything to conceptualize Christmas into the expanding mind of our five and almost two year old. sure, we sing Christmas carols, we talk about baby Jesus, we deck the halls, we go to church, and we don't focus on the big man in the red suit. but i think there is so much more to do.


i've just had some trouble getting started. and i want it to be special... i want to capture the beauty of Father God sending His Son into the world to be flesh. i want to make real meaning out of the sacrifice that He gave us. i want it to linger in their minds for months to come, so that when we celebrate the Son of God dying for our sins in a few months from now, they cling to how HUGE that is.

and so this year i am being more intentional. we set out advent candles... that have been questioned by several visitors into our home. we have 8, not 4. it looks a little strange, but i decided that i couldn't deal with the fighting that would ensue so i gave each girl their own set. every sunday evening the girls light their candles and then sit on the couch. they listen to the message version of the Christmas story (a cd given to them by a friend of mine last Christmas). ellie reads along in the book and d bops around causing mischief. she usually grabs a doll out of the toy bin and says, "baby Jesus, momma!" e is getting really good with the book- she is identifying words that she knows and is intent on knowing when to turn the page without any help.

at the end of the book we sing a few Christmas songs. the girls don't really know the words, and truth be told are just plain old ready for bed. at the end of the weekend it is usually a chaotic experience. after they sing, they blow out their candles. this weekend, while blowing out her candles, d lit her hair on fire. e thought that her sister with crispy fried strands of baby fine hair was a huge hoot (as did her momma and daddy). by the end of it, each week, scott and i are ready for our girlies to be in bed.

i've given some thought about throwing in the towel and trying again when they are older, but i think that is way off track. you see, although they are little, it is sinking in. we are starting traditions that route this holiday in Christ. and that is what it is about.

in a chat about santa this week with e's teacher she made an interesting statement... when i told her we didn't really emphasize santa she said, "are you Christian?" why yes, we are. however, last time i checked Jesus was the reason we celebrate CHRISTmas. santa was just a guy that came along several hundred years later (in a european country that is disputed) and was a generous dude. he just didn't happen to be the Son of God, born to a virgin, to bring God's love to the world in flesh, to save us from our sins, to offer us eternal life... (i didn't say all of that, in those words) but was a little taken aback.

and so we are going to continue our new advent ritual and i'm already thinking about new things that i can add next year. because for me, it is pretty important that my girls get the right message about this season.

any suggestions? you all sure are a quiet bunch of readers, but i'm pretty sure you have pretty wonderful ideas. do share!

train up a child in the way he should go, and he will not depart from it. (proverbs 22:6)