Advent

This Christmas season our family is making a Jesse Tree. It is a kind of advent calendar where each day highlights a different Old Testament story leading up to the New Testament birth of Christ (Isaiah 11:1-3, hence the term “Jesse Tree”). Instead of strictly following Catholic and Lutheran models, we are using The Jesus Storybook Bible.
Even though Olivia won’t grasp the entire concept of redemptive history this year, hopefully she’ll understand that Christmas is about Jesus. Kids are capable of understanding a lot more than we think.
Olivia helped me paint a tree (which looks more like a bush) on poster board. Then I attached the words “Happy Birthday Jesus” to the top. Each day we will read a Bible story and hang/ tape a paper ornament symbolizing that story on our tree.



Also, it’s probably very obvious at this point that art is not my strength. At least Olivia got a kick out of it!

8 (and a half) Months Old

Here are the overdue pictures! We had a wonderful Christmas with the family. A special thank you to Sara's parents, Keith and Linda, for hosting all of us during the holidays!

She's a daddy's girl.

Olivia loves to grab glasses.

We didn't forget the ducky picture!

Ready for Christmas

All of our Christmas shopping is finally done. Woohoo! Now I just need to wrap the presents and pack for our trip. We splurged and bought Olivia a festive holiday hat.

Peter and Olivia's favorite book right now is the one with mirrors on every page. And of course, Bob's theatrical talents are always a hit.

Merry Christmas and a Day in Italy

We were able to celebrate Christmas a little early. Olivia enjoyed the paper ripping as much as the toys.
We also spent a day in Italy. The drive was gorgeous. We also had quite possibly the best cup of coffee of our lives at Cafe Piccolo. Mmmmm.

Christmas Pictures

We had a wonderful Christmas with my parents, Dan, Sara, and Peter, Sara's parents, and her brother. The star of the show was definitely Peter, although he did fall sound asleep about 20 minutes into the festivities. I took this picture while he snored through Dan opening his gifts for him...



We spent Christmas Eve at our place and opened presents. Then on Christmas Day we had a fabulous meal at Dan and Sara's.

Merry Christmas

Our Christmas Tree

Adding To My Two Cents

This is sad. First they take the trees down, then they put them back up. It's not like the airport employees have other very important things to do during the busiest travel season of the year...

My Two Cents on Holiday Greetings

It seems to be the buzz in Christian circles today. Don’t settle for “Happy Holidays,” insist on “Merry Christmas!” Outside our circles we note the obsession with political correctness in holiday greetings. One of my favorite holiday ads wishes everyone a “Happy Chrismakuh!” Stores decorate with noncommittal snowmen and snowflakes while a few brave establishments still dare to display Santa and his reindeer.

To be honest, I am not offended the least little bit when a stressed out, over worked, bleary-eyed store clerk wishes me a simple, “Happy Holidays.”

Why? Well, I suppose it has to do with what I believe a Merry Christmas is. A Merry Christmas means celebrating the fact that God was most glorified to set into motion at that moment in time a series of unfathomable events that would secure the eternal salvation of His people. A Merry Christmas means reflecting and meditating on the Truth. Do we really wish people would just flippantly throw that phrase around?

If the extent of what the world at large is celebrating is family, love, and presents, then please- stick to Happy Holidays! If they are reflecting on mental peace and well being, then once again, Happy Holidays!

Let the greeting match the celebration.

“Christmas hath a beauty/ Lovelier than the world can show” – from “Christmas Eve” by Christina Rosetti