Nativity Adventures

“O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.” -hymn 31, in your Blue Hymnal.

We had an Advent Fair after church yesterday where families constructed their own Advent wreaths to take home. I have to say, I am now in the Christmas spirit. Yes, I know, it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet, but I’m ready to break out the tree, hang a wreath on the door, and get out the nativity set. And in my house, that means it is time for… another installment of…

The Adventures of Baby Jesus!

Our resin nativity set has a tiny baby Jesus who comes out of his manger. He’s about an inch and a half long and is torpedo shaped from all his swaddling clothes. My kids like to play with the nativity set and you just never know where baby Jesus might turn up.

He’s been in the kitchen, stuck in the couch, rescued from the bathroom, adored by the Super Friends, and has even taken a few train rides.

So, as we prepare for Advent – which I think may be short for Adventures – this holiday season, I hope you invite Jesus into your home. Let him have the run of the house, and I’ll bet you’ll find him in every room.

“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:12

Surprise Chicken

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit!

We’ve told these words to our children numerous times since their birth. The daycare used them, then we started using them, now the school uses them. It is part of their psyche, I suppose, by now.

A few months ago, I told you about hatching my first egg. (Read: Something Egg-citing!)

Betty has been doing just clucky and has turned into a very unusual looking chicken, taking mostly after her polish crested father. We eventually got Betty a buddy at the sale barn, whom the kids named Bommy. Betty and Bommy are inseparable… mostly because the rest of the flock never fully accepted them because they are the young ones.

Well, Betty is now about 6 months old, and guess what SHE did last week?

She crowed.

You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit… even with chickens.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11