I can’t believe that tomorrow is December 1!
How can it be so close to Christmas and a brand new year?
I have thought a lot about our month of December and what I really desire for our family.
Part of the plan has been built upon two of my three that fight and pick at each other all. day. long (at least it feels like it).
I know that siblings do this.
I did it and I was really good at it:-) but….
We have a rule in our home.
If you can’t be kind to the people in our home then you don’t get to go out and be nice to your friends outside the home.
Pretty simple.
You can’t be nice…you don’t play with friends.
If you can think of your friends before yourself…maybe you could think of your little brother before yourself.
Just saying.
So, that brings me to advent and Christmas.
I want this season to be full of cookie making, present wrapping, story times, Christmas music and ice skating.
But what I really want is to prepare our hearts for the amazing gift of Christ’s birth and all that it means.
I want my children to serve this season and for their hearts to be tender to others.
I want them to see and feel their abundance.
I want them to really know that giving is better than receiving.
My husband and I want our advent time to be about contentment and giving so for the next 24 days they will be given one thing per day to do to bless others.
Some are big and some are small.
Some things will require our whole family and some they can do on their own.
So, tomorrow morning when they go to open the first door of our advent calendar they will have a prompt of how they can bless another person in this world.
I am actually really excited about it and I hope they will be too.
This year I bought a new advent book to read as a family each night.
We have really (really) loved this book but we have read it the past few years and wanted to try something new.
All of my children have loved this interactive story.
Jack still talks about when we did this.
I think it has been his most special Christmas memory and I hope we try it again this year.
Do you do something special for advent?
This is absolutely one of the most near and dear posts to my heart. Thank you, Jeanne, for sharing!!!
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
So lovely. We loose track of time when things start to get busy during the month of December and I find that the focus becomes more about Christmas lists–than Christmas with our kids. I don’t have time to order a book from the US so I am hoping to find some readings on line that we can share during advent. Thanks so much for the reminder to make everyday special! Merci-beau. xx. Cat
If you ever need me to send you a special book let me know. Have a wonderful Christmas.
Thinking of others is a beautiful desire to instill in our children (as well as ourselves). I know you and your family will have many meaningful experiences in the weeks to come as you spend time together blessing others. Keep us posted:)
you hit the nail on the head .. it gets harder and harder to step out of the harried pace we live and step into His abundant peace..love and joy..and grace;)
we have to be intentional..thank you for your example..your heart and desire and sharing it…
xo
We all need a little more intentional in our lives:-) Thank you.
we have the exact same kindness rule in our home. 🙂
i pray that our family will shine the light of Jesus to others this blessed season.
xo
That is nice to know. Have a wonderful night.
Such a lovely photo Jeanne!
I realized that in my busyness early this morning…which I said wasn’t going to happen….that I almost forgot today is the first day of advent. And then God spoke “Emanuel” to my heart this morning….
May your advent be extraordinarily meaningful.
What a beautiful word to be spoken into your heart!
That is a wonderful idea, Jeanne. Have a beautiful advent season.
Laura
What a beautiful post! I love the idea of giving inspirational notes at the mall! I’m always trying to think of ways that my family can reach out to others. I think this would be perfect! Would you share the link where I can find them? I looked and didn’t have any luck. Thank you! You are a blessing! Merry Christmas, Kenda