The Hush Among the Hustle
Monday Morning Note: This post will be left up until 3:00 pm EST to give more of you the chance to enter. New post & winner announced then. :-)
Merry Christmas to you who’ve clicked here by way of my Encouragement for Today devotion. If you haven’t read it yet, click here so you’ll be on the same page as the rest of us. Don’t forget to come back for the giveaway!
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A hush among the hustle.
Could we find it this year at Christmas?
Could we model it for the children in our lives?
Here are some ideas to try!
(Be sure to read to the end for a Christmas sale on signed copies of my books and the holiday hush giveaway too!)
Making the Nativity Real & Remembered
The nativity scene and story of Jesus’s birth ay be the most dramatized, reenacted, painted, composed about, and otherwise depicted event in history. But how can you write the story on your loved ones’ hearts, not just plant it in their heads? These ideas help, and the moments experienced with the nativity can be living memories.
~ Tell the Story Over & Over
For a keepsake to treasure in years to come, record your children each year telling the nativity story into a tape recorder. Toddlers will be able to articulate just the basics about the Christ child, the manger, the angels and the shepherds. As they grow, more details will be added to their narration. Once they are old enough to read, let them read the story from Luke 2 out loud to be recorded. It will be fun to hear how their voice changes from year to year. A great present to give grandparents!
~ Give the Nativity
When each of your children are young, purchase a nativity set for them to have when they are grown and leave your home. Figure out how many pieces are in the set. Then, each year, give them one piece in their stocking, timing it so that they get the last piece the year they are 18.
~ Live the Nativity
Take in a living nativity experience. Many churches reenact the first Christmas by having church members dress up like the characters found in Luke chapter 2. Children especially love to drive by and see the holy family, the angels, shepherds and wise men. Return home for some hot spiced cider or hot chocolate.
~ Go on the Hunt for Jesus
Hide a baby boy doll and on Christmas morning crank up a yuletide tune to awaken the kids. Then hunt for baby Jesus, just like the Wisemen of old. After He’s placed in a makeshift manger, read the Christmas story from Luke 2, before opening your presents. Reiterate the point you’re illustrating: Jesus before ourselves!
~ Build Suspense Along with the Story
Place your nativity set out piece by piece, telling the Christmas story as it is found in scripture.
The first night, place Mary out all alone, as you come to the part of the Bible where she is mentioned. The next night comes the angel who appears to her. The following night, Joseph appears and so on.
You’ll soon be placing the animals, shepherds, baby Jesus, and finally the wise men, who arrived a few years after Christ was born. This is a great way to make the Christmas story last over several days and the kids will look forward to the new character put out each night.
~ Light the Way
Many cultures place a candle in the window from dusk to dawn on Christmas Eve signifying the star that guided the wise men to Jesus. For fire safety reasons, I’d suggest using an electric candle.
~ Trekking for a Tree
For a unique family outing after Christmas, get a hold of a copy of the wonderfully illustrated book The Night Tree by Eve Bunting. It tells of a family’s annual outing to decorate a tree in the forest with popcorn strings and fruits and other treasures that the animals will be delighted to find and eat.
After reading the book, your family too can trek out to the woods to decorate your own night tree. Then return home for a round of hot cocoa, just like the family in the story.
NOTE: If you’d like to get any of my books (with no tax & free shipping!) personalized for Christmas gifts, click here for more info.
Now for the giveaway! It includes:
~ A composition book to use as a journal, recording thoughts, musings & ideas.
~ A set of my favorite writing pens–Sharpie fine tip.
~ Some note cards with whimsical decals for you to record favorite verses to memorize or quotes to inspire you. Place them where you’ll see them throughout the day to ponder.
~ Two heart-shaped Post It notepads for jotting down those “to dos” that are sure to pop in your mind when you are trying to contemplate or meditate on God. Write those thoughts on the sticky note and get your focus back. When you are through, the notes will remind you what you need to take care of.
~ A notecard & envelope set to write an old-fashioned note of encouragement to a friend, family member or even a stranger!
~ A box of Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride Tea by Celestial Seasonings. Herbal & caffeine free!! Sip, savor and slow down.
~ An assortment of Lindt chocolate truffles. To enjoy with your tea. :-)
~ A tube of Bath & Body Works Vanilla Noel body creme. Well……just because!!
Okay—leave a comment today letting us know what you will be up to this weekend. Shopping? Wrapping? Parties? Do you have any ideas for how you can take a moment to slow down and hush, instead of rush? If time is tight, simply say, “I’m in!”
The winner will be announced Monday when we’ll have another giveaway and a special guest! Oh, and speaking of winners…..the winner of the decorating giveaway is:
Courtney: timestamp: December 16th at 8:39 pm.
Congrats! Send your mailing address to me at [email protected]. :-)
Hushing-not-rushing Blessings,
I will be getting a manicure and pedicure. I am sooo looking forward to it.
Karen-I really enjoyed your devotion today. I have so much going on in my life that I needed the reminder to slow down. This weekend is going to be rainy and I plan to wrap presents and watch Christmas movies. God Bless you and your family. Merry Christmas.
I will be catching up with my son is who coming home from college today! Then the office Christmas party. Sunday will probably be relaxing in order to gear up for the rest of the week. I intentionally take the week of Christmas off so I do NOT have to rush with the cookie baking and wrapping and last minute gift buying. Merry Christmas everyone! And God’s blessing on you all. Thank you so much for such a wonderful devotional today. I have had more peace this Christmas than I have in a long time. God is good.
We are actually taking it easy this weekend. After a busy month of getting ready for the holiday celebrations, we are slowing down as a family to focus on Jesus. Then, we are having a birthday party for Jesus at AWANA on Sunday for the kids. How fun. THank you so much for your ideas.
Finishing a 20 page paper for school, getting ready for the trip to Georgia to spend Christmas with my daughter, son-in-law and grandkids (haven’t been together for Christmas since 2006).
This weekend will be busy for me. Shopping, wrapping and partying. Merry Christmas!!!
Love these ideas!
We’re going to a free showing of ‘The Polar Express’ Saturday morning and a family party that afternoon, and my daughter’s church Christmas play Sunday night. She has to rehearse all day Sunday, so while the little one naps, I’m planning to hang out in front of the tree and the TV, watching movies and wrapping. :-)
So excited to share something our family is participating in this weekend. A friend of ours has organized an event called Project Presents. We are gathering and wrapping a trailer full (we hope) of gifts for kids that live in a nearby inner city housing project. I hope we can also join them on Christmas Eve morning when we deliver the gifts to these needy families. We are really trying to focus as a family on giving away rather than the receiving – which is a challenge for all of us – I love buying presents as much as my kids love receiving them. We are doing the Three Gifts idea (from you Karen) this year. I am having a hard time reducing my spending, but we are trying to change the focus slowly off of ourselves and onto giving to others in need. Thanks for the great suggestions on refocusing and slowing down. It was exactly what my heart needed to hear today!
We have a Christmas party to go to tonight followed by a late night trip to visit friends 3.5 hours away. Then…we’ll have an early Christmas with them tomorrow and return home tomorrow night. Whew! I definitely need a little “hush” right now. :-)
This weekend I’ll be enjoying my family as we make a trip to take the kids to see Santa and shop for Christmas dinner together and of course, a little wrapping :)
My plans this weekend tonight dinner at a neighbors, tomorrow night 14 of us are going to Mt Hope Winery DIckens of a Christmas where they are dressed up and do skits from Charles Dickens stories in different rooms of the mansion. Sunday church and rest :)
This weekend I plan to finish up some last minute shopping and get some cookies baked with my teen daughter. I have also decided to cut some things from my to do list for Christmas to slow down & enjoy the celebration of Jesus! We tend to put too much expectations on ourselves to do it all & make things perfect. Thank you for the reminder that we need to stop & reflect on what we are really celebrating! Merry Christmas!
My weekends are take it as they come. Don’t much planned. I know what needs done but there is no real set in stone. Daughters and hubby work on Sat. and Sunday is Church only day
I’d never turn down a chance to win Chocolate though. And I love Sugar cookie tea. thanks
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
An exciting week-end starting today with wrapping gifts. Sat we will attend a family members 60th anniversary dinner(WOW) then attend a Christmas cantada. Sunday we will be with family for a granddaughters bday, then to our church youth Christmas play. Yes it will be busy, but the best time with family & time to focus on Jesus.
Merry Christmas everyone.
This weekend I’ll be moving my mom in with me and my family. She’s sick with cancer, still doing well, but needs a bit of extra help. I’ve been begging her to move in with us for a couple months and she’s finally decided to just go with it. :) She’ll be able to get into the Christmas spirit now with the tree and the lights. I’m very excited. I am just now learning the story of Christmas and Baby Jesus–it’s enlightening to say the least. I can’t even express how much having His love and support means to me right now.
I’m taking a day off next week to spend with my kids before the hustle of the big family gatherings. A day just for us to enjoy together. I love the idea of giving a piece of the nativity scene each year until they have a full set for them selves. Cool idea. I’m in. Your give aways are so much fun.
This weekend I will be relaxing which will be nice after a stressful week.
Thank you for great devotion! You have a beautiful way with words. I’m enjoying my Husband & Daughter this weekend: Breakfast with Santa, Brownie Girl Scout outing to see the Nutcracker, and also movie. If the snow/ice isn’t too bad in our area, we’ll make it to church on Sunday; otherwise, our Pastor will cancel the service for safely precautions due to the rural areas people travel from to make it downtown. We’re really excited for the weekend & officially on Christmas Break! My shopping is complete thanks to all the school fundraisers we’ve had so far this year – great gifts! I feel so blessed to have taken a slower approach to our Christmas this year (online shopping certainly helps & free shipping), and I am truly enjoying every moment. Merry Christmas Karen!
Wrapping presents. Done shopping except for stocking stuff. Spending the day tomorrow sewing with friends.
This weekend I’m baking Snicker bars (yummy) and going to our first family Christmas with extended family. I still need to wrap the gifts! Merry Christmas!
I am in a play at my church called “The Christmas Post”. It’s a musical set in the 40s with a message about the manger. It’s our gift to the community surrounding the church. Pray for people to make decisions for Christ. Friday’s performance is full and Saturday’s is getting there. Our desire is to present the real meaning of Christmas to those who may have never heard it.
My husband and I will be shopping this weekend. Christmas is only 8 days away. That makes this mama want to yell AHHHHH!!! However, in the midst of all the hustle and bustle and last minute details I must pause a moment and focus on the reason for the season. Mary certainly had much to be anxious about that first Christmas, but she chose to focus on who she was with that first Christmas morn – JESUS. There is much pulling at me all around, but I choose to take a moment each day and focus on JESUS – my Prince of Peace.
Christmas blessings,
Pam
Today, I am going to finish shopping. The mall is 90 miles away from home one-way! Tomorrow, I will put the Christmas tree up and decorate, tidy house, wrap presents. Sunday is a day of rest at church and our Christmas Program Sunday evening with our precious children. Your ideas in this devotion are precious. I plan to share your ideas with a young couple at church with a newborn baby.
May you have a blessed CHRISTmas.
This weekend I am mailing gifts to far away family and friends, going on a date with my husband, and going to our church’s Cantata on Sunday morning!
I have a very busy weekend…kids homeschool coop party this morning,ladies bible study party (at my house) tonight, homeschool coop MOMS lunch tomorrow, Christmas program at church Sunday morning and evening!!