Let’s Get Ready for Jesus Birthday! Advent is the four weeks before Christmas. This is a time of waiting…for Jesus to be born on Christmas. (And all the other things that demand our attention.) It’s hard to wait. So we offer you a guide to use with your family while you wait…to have fun, to bring you closer to each other and to remind us what we are really waiting for. It can get pretty crazy-busy this time of the year; we hope this helps! Use in what ever way works for you – at the dinner table, in the car, at bedtime. You decide. These are suggestions – you make them fit your family. You can shorten or make longer, depending on everyone’s interest. If the conversation goes in another direction that is meaningful to you all – go with it. This is only a guide. Happy Advent! Let me know how this is working for you. Ruth Ann

2 Let there be light! “Let there be light!” was the very first thing God said, in the beginning. “And there was light, and God saw that it was good.” It is good. This is a season of light, moving toward the bright celebration of our Lord’s birth. In the next weeks, we’ll be thinking about all kinds of lights…and all kinds of light. And it will be good…because it will help us understand God’s great love for us, love so bright that you could even say it glows. Make a list of all the kinds of light you can see in your home, starting in this room…and then all the other kinds you can think of. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus; then everything will be very good.

2 Advent Candle This is the season of ADVENT. Besides being the weeks before Christmas, it’s a time of waiting…it’s a season of lights…of light getting brighter. You could even say it GLOWS. If you haven’t done it yet, light your candle. Just look at it then. Enjoy the glow. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus; and shine in my home as well.

3 Traffic Lights “Look, even the traffic lights are red and green for Christmas,” a child once cried excitedly. Well, stop-and-go light are always red and green, we know (usually with a yellow one in between)…but at Christmas almost everything seems to be celebrating the Saviors’ birth. Traffic light are important, of course. They are there to help people move about safely without getting hurt. Pretty? Yes, but more. There’s an important message there. Just like Christmas. There’s an important message there, too. You could almost say it glows. Where is the nearest traffic light to your home? Do people always obey it? Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus;, and keep me safe wherever I go.

4 The Burning Bush Imagine how surprised Moses was when he saw a bush that was burning but not being burnt up! It certainly got Moses attention, just the way bright Christmas lights might get yours. “That wasn’t there yesterday, was it?” Do you know why God put on the glowing display for Moses? Because God had a special message for Moses – about how God was going to save his people from their problems. That’s why Jesus came too, isn’t it No wonder things are beginning to glow. Look around. Is there anything in this room that wasn’t here yesterday? That wasn’t there last week? Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus, that I may never loose sight of you.

5 The Answer is “Yes” The angel appeared to Mary and told her that God had chosen her to have his Son. She was frightened, she was confused, but more than that, she was faithful. God gave her a choice: she could say “yes” or “no”. We also have a choice. God offers us his blessing and the love of his Son. It’s up to us to say yes or no to God’s great goodness. No one else can do that for us. How can we say “yes” to Jesus? How about spending time in prayer or let’s think of ways we could do something kind for a friend out of love for Jesus. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. I say “yes” to you. Teach me your ways. Read Luke 1:26-38

6 Sing your JOY! You know Christmas is coming when you hear carols on the radio or in stores. Hearing them and singing them makes us excited because we are joining in the celebration! When we sing it makes others excited because Jesus is coming and we are so glad! What is your favorite Christmas song about Jesus? Talk about the message of the song. Then sing it! Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. Let my song lead others to you and your love.

7 Jesus is God’s best gift to us. God loves us so much that God sent Jesus to live on earth to share in all our good time an bad times. Jesus came to teach us and to help us know God in new and special ways. Most of all Jesus wants us to know that GOD IS LOVE! What is the best gift you have ever received? Why? What is the best gift you have ever given? Why? Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. Thank you for loving me. Help me spread your love. God is Love!!!

8 At church we talk about sharing our “3Ts”: time, talent & treasure. God gives us all different talents, that is, different skills or abilities. Have you ever been given a gift you never opened? You never would have enjoyed or shared what was inside that gift! What a waste! If we hide our talents, don’t develop our talents, or don’t share our talents, that would be a waste too. Great skills and talents are sitting right at your dinner table! Start with one person and name what gifts and talents you think they have, especially that they don’t see themselves. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. Show me how to use my talents to spread your love. Our Gifts

8 What sounds most like Christmas to you: the jingle of bells: the singing of carols? The chatter of commercials? The cha-ching of a cash register? Sometimes we can forget the sound of silence. That usually means we need to be quiet to hear and remember what’s really important. God can speak through anything, but god usually whispers in the quiet of our hearts. It’s up to us to be still and listen. Share a time that god spoke to your heart in a gentle way. How did you know it was god speaking to you? Tomorrow, look for signs of God’s gentle presence in your day. Later, tell your family. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. Remind me to be quiet & still to listen for you. Listening to God

8 Christmas is a busy time. We have lists of things to buy, bake, make and do. People to see, gifts to wrap and on and on. Sometimes we forget the reason for all of this work. As in the Bible story of Mary and Martha, Jesus reminds us it is the TIME spent with him that’s important. Christmas is HIS birthday. Let’s make sure that we aren’t so busy that we miss the party! Talk about what is on your to-do list and see if there are ways you can help each other out or work on it together. Share the “Martha load” [work] so you all have time to be “Mary” [being present] during this season. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. Help me stay focused on you and your birthday rather than on all the preparations. Priorities

8 Remember the story? It was too foggy for the reindeer to find their way and get the job done when - BINGO - Rudolph’s nose ends up being the light to guide all of them. His glowing snozola saves the day! God’s word is like Rudolph’s nose because it helps us find our way. When we get confused or lost, it points us in the right direction again. Turn out all the lights and take turns waling across the room. How did you feel? Afraid? Nervous? Lost? Now have someone shine a flashlight in front of you. How does it feel walking in that light? Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. Help me to walk in your light always. Rudolph & God?

8 Have you noticed the way your neighbors have decorated their homes for the season? Most of those decorations involve lights, maybe a spotlight or hundreds with music! In some towns, folks use “luminaries” to light their walkway. It’s all a way to say “Welcome Jesus!” Are there any special lights on your home? Which are your favorites? Whenever you are out in your car at night, notice the decorations and lights. Maybe you can make a special time to do this. Just as the cold nights feel warmer with our Christmas lights, the world feels warmer when the light of Jesus shines through us. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. You are always welcome there! Welcome Jesus!

8 We love to give each other gifts at Christmas, but do you know why we do this? Maybe it’s because there were three gifts brought to Baby Jesus when he was born by the Magi. Some people give gifts to show their love, in the same way that God sent us Jesus to show us God’s love. Are there gifts of love that you could give to someone in your family? It’s something that doesn’t cost you money, but comes from your heart, and uses your time & talent. Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. Help me give the best gift – my heart. Gifts of Love

8 Is there snow on the ground now? There will be! No two snow flakes are alike. Each one is unique, one of a kind, and there are millions of them! Wow! One snowflake might not make much of a difference, but think what they do when they stick together. They change the world overnight! God’s children are like snowflakes: each is unique. We can change the world. We sparkle when Jesus shines in us. How do you think we could change the world if we stuck together? Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. Open our eyes to see your beautiful creation and your power all around us. Unique & United

8 Are you ready to burst with excitement? We have been waiting SO long to celebrate Jesus birth. Take a deep breath and enjoy each moment on this Christmas Eve! Jesus brings us the news of God’s love and the promise of peace. But it doesn’t happen like magic; we have to do our part. After all the presents are open and the pie is all gone – that’s when the real work of Christmas begins -- BEING love and bringing hope where ever we can. In what ways can our family BE love? To whom can we bring hope? Start by saying “Thank you” for the blessings in your life. Can you name two or three? Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. Help me to BE love and BRING hope to other people & places in my life. It’s almost here!

5 Birthday Candles Do you know someone who has a birthday during the Christmas season? Sometimes they feel cheated because all the attention is on Jesus. You might say to them, “You must be very special, since we celebrate the birthday of the Son of God so close to yours. You get to be a part of his great celebration!” But light some birthday candles anyway…and make sure you make that person’s birthday special too. Let’s sing “Happy Birthday, Dear Jesus!” Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus. Be part of every celebration.