This is our second year to "celebrate" the advent season in our home. It was not something that JM or I ever really did as children, so we never thought we were neglecting anything. Last year I stumbled across The Jesse Tree devotional series as I was reading a few homeschool blogs. We read the book of devotionals last year which recount the story of Jesus from Creation to Birth. We absolutely loved sitting down as a family for this devotional time...something we should be doing as a family all year long.
I ordered Jotham's Journey for us to use as our devotional guide this Advent season. It was a blessing to our family!
Jotham's Journey is the story of a boy who lives in the Holy Land around the time that Jesus is born. He experiences some really exciting, even scary, circumstances as it leads up to the birth of Christ. We were all enraptured by the story each night. It left us hanging each evening which brought us back the next night for more!
The book is arranged for a chapter to be read each night starting a few weeks before Christmas. The author even includes a page n the back where you can look up to see what day you need to start the reading, all the way to the year 2078! It begins with an explanation of Advent and different customs surrounding it.
Each night's reading also ends with a Scripture and a short devotional/questions to ask and ponder.
I have already order the rest of the trilogy, Tabitha's Travels and Bartholomew's Passage, to use in the next few years!
I think this was the first time we have ever had Advent candles in our house also. The kids enjoyed taking turns lighting the candles (and blowing them out)! We will definitely be doing all of this again!
One night we added our new initial Christmas ornaments to the tree during devotional time. I love how devotions bring us all to the same room for something other than food and TV!!
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