Advent Candle: Day 2
Light the first candle--the Prophecy candle--on your Advent wreath today.
Bible VersesA king is coming! In today's verses, we read about how God describes the birth of Christ through his prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. Both of these men prophecied to the stubborn people of Judah, often carrying messages of warning and judgment for their sinful ways. The verses we read today are among the many sparks of hope and restoration which God speaks to Judah about their coming King.
Isaiah's prophetic ministry spans the reign of four kings and he counseled them in affairs of both war and peace. It seems quite deliberate that God would speak to a nation in conflict with news of Messiah who demonstrates the kingly attributes of strength, wisdom and justice. Notice that in each of these passages--repeated many times throughout the Old and New Testament--Christ is referred to as a shoot of the stem of Jesse (David's father) and again as a Branch of David. The word "stem" can also be translated as "stump"! In other words, a mighty tree, cut down.
During the time just prior to Christ's birth, the house of David was falling dramatically in power and influence. These prophecies symbolize that 1) God would sustain the family line of David, 2) the Messiah would come as a king to rule in righteousness, and 3) although He was "royalty", He would be scorned--but HIS kingdom would not be of this world!
Isaiah 11:1-2
Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. (NASB)
Jeremiah 23:5-6
"Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD,
"When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.
"In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely;
And this is His name by which He will be called,
'The LORD our righteousness.'" (NASB)
Jesse Tree Verse: Genesis 1:26-31 Symbol: The Earth, to illustrate creation. Example
Chrismon:Star of David (Advent Day 1 contains some great links for finding Chrismon patterns if you'd like to choose your own!)
Preparing For Christmas from Gateway to Joy with Elisabeth Elliot. I love the "get to the heart of the matter" approach of Elisabeth Elliot! Although these are transcripts of radio broadcasts, I like to include Elisabeth's wisdom and encouragement during the holidays. She is someone who knows life and I'm blessed to hear her take on it!
Dinnertime (or anytime!) Discussion
Our Advent verses--and Elisabeth Elliot's article--were about getting ready for Someone very important. Think about how you get ready for special company. What do you prepare? Do you change anything about how you look or act? Are you anxious or excited...or both?! Discuss some of the ways that we can get ready for both Christmas and Christ's second coming. While we can make all kinds of practical and material preparations, God is most concerned with how we prepare our hearts!
Word to Know Righteousness:
1. Purity of heart and rectitude of life; conformity of heart and life to the divine law. Righteousness, as used in Scripture and theology, in which it is chiefly used, is nearly equivalent to holiness, comprehending holy principles and affections of heart, and conformity of life to the divine law. It includes all we call justice, honesty and virtue, with holy affections; in short, it is true religion.
2. Applied to God, the perfection or holiness of his nature; exact rectitude; faithfulness.
3. The active and passive obedience of Christ, by which the law of God is fulfilled. Daniel 9.
4. Justice; equity between man and man. Luke 1.
5. The cause of our justification.
The Lord our righteousness. Jer. 23. (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)
*In the second verse we read today, Jesus was referred to as "righteous" or "righteousness" three times! It means that He is perfect, just and "is righteous in that he speaks and Acts in accordance with the purity of his own holy nature". (Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology) Righteousness is not something that we can attain by good deeds; it is our faith in Christ which makes us righteous in God's sight.
Book Suggestions
Advent Extras
Art The beautiful painting at the right is of the prophet Isaiah. Michelangelo painted it on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1509 among many other frescoes of Biblical figures. Michelangelo studied painting, sculpture and antiquities in his teens and completed his first relief sculpture at 16.
When he was commissioned by Pope Julius II to paint the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo was not familiar with the technique. But instead of using many assistants in his work, as was the norm, he learned to do frescoes--painting on both wet and dry plaster so that the paint is absorbed and becomes part of the wall or ceiling--and then continued to start and complete the Sistine Chapel with little help. He even convinced the Pope to completely alter his plans for the ceilings and was given nearly free reign with his designs.
Frescoes of the Sistine Chapel See more of Michelangelo's work here. (At the bottom are links to specific groupings of paintings, for example, the prophets and ancestors of Christ.) *Note* There is a link to a section on nudes.
In his old age, Michelangelo is said to have become a very devout and religious man. He is well-known for the works of his youth, which ushered in the Italian Renaissance, for his portrayal of strong, robust men--even those who were elderly prophets! But as he grew old, Michelangelo spent time writing poetry as well. I was surprised to read some of his work after skimming through biographies which called him a perfectionist and a snob! Here is a sonnet by Michelangelo:
The prayers I make will then be sweet indeed,
If Thou the spirit give by which I pray:
My unassisted heart is barren clay,
Which of its native self can nothing feed:
Of good and pious works Thou art the seed,
Which quickens only where Thou say'st it may;
Unless Thou show to us Thine own true way,
No man can find it: Father! Thou must lead.
Do Thou, then, breathe those thoughts into my mind
By which such virtue may in me be bred
That in Thy holy footsteps I may tread;
The fetters of my tongue do Thou unbind,
That I may have the power to sing of Thee,
And sound Thy praises everlastingly.
(This poem was translated into English by the poet William Wordsworth.)
Christmas Carol or Hymn It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (Am I the only one who thought this was called "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear"? Hehe.) Like many of the Christmas carols we sing, "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" is a song which came to be known as it is today through a series of interesting events that involve not one, but two contributors. Unitarian minister Dr. Edmund Sears was trying to create an uplifting Christmas sermon for his congregation in 1849. Sears was a man who served the poor and needy and urged his fellow Christians to do the same, yet he wanted to pen a message that would share the "light of the world" with both his flock and those they served.
Inspired by Luke 2:8-9, he wrote the rough draft of a Christmas poem. Then, he combined it with a poem he had written years earlier. Sears presented the finished poem to his congregation and also had it published in a magazine (of which he was also editor), hoping to spur the community on to good works in the name of Christ.
The second part of the story belongs to a composer and music critic by the name of Richard Storrs Willis. How he came across the poem is unknown, but Willis combined the words with a song he had composed earlier called, simply, "Carol". This adaptation became the Christmas carol we know today. In both World War I and II, American soldiers sang this song during the holidays--as much for its celebration of Christ's birth as for its message of peace on earth and service among mankind.
Holiday Tradition & History
The Christmas Tree, which is one of the most loved symbols of Christmas, has its roots in the vikings of Scandinavia and later, throughout Europe. Before Christian missionaries arrived, the viking people were fascinated with the evergreen trees which would stay green and alive throughout the harsh winters. They believed evergreens held a special strength and would bring boughs of the greenery into their homes as a sign of hope and anticipation of spring. After many of these vikings accepted Christ, they continued the practice of bringing evergreens inside and used them as a reminder of God's unchanging love and their own faith that they wanted to remain strong even under the difficult circumstances of wintertime.
In the 17th century, an English monk named St. Boniface traveled throughout Europe as a missionary. According to legend (Boniface was real, the stories of his travels have been passed down for so long that embellishment is expected!), Boniface came upon a group of pagan men who were preparing to make a sacrifice to the god Thor. Boniface stormed in to stop their ritual and when they refused, he struck a large oak tree that the men encircled. Miraculously, the oak tree fell and nearby a small evergreen tree stood. Boniface explained that the green tree represented the eternal life that Christ offers. He said that the 3 points of the tree's triangular shape stand for the Holy Trinity. After Boniface came home to tell of the pagans' conversions, the story became legend and its influence took hold in France and Germany. Though no one knows for sure why, many Europeans cut down fir trees and hung them upside-down from the ceiling in their homes at Christmas as a Christian symbol.
In other areas of Europe, evergreen trees were cut down and placed in and around Catholic churches with apples hanging upon them. These were used to illustrate the Genesis story of Adam and Eve and that fateful bite of fruit. Children would act out the drama of this story as well, although this was not yet a tradition for Christmas.
Finally, the most popular story of how we came to put decorated trees in our homes at Christmas comes from Germany and the Protestant Reformer, Martin Luther. The story goes that as Luther was walking home one beautiful, star-filled night, he was so enthralled by the sight of the lights sparkling off of the evergreen tree branches that he brought one home! To imitate the light of the starlight in the branches, Luther attached small candles in wooden holders on the tree. As the neighbors passed by their home in the coming weeks, many stopped to ask about the beautiful tree. Martin Luther and his family shared about how the evergreen represented God's everlasting love and the lights illustrated Christ, the light of the world. The practice soon spread throughout Germany and other parts of Europe.
But the Christmas tree did not catch hold in America until 2 historical events took place. First, Germans who settled in Pennsylvania brought the tradition to America. And then, in 1841 when Germany's Prince Albert married England's Queen Victoria, he introduced the Christmas tree to the Royal Family and thus, England. The engraving of the Royal Family (at right) with their tree was published in American newspapers and the rest is history!
'Round the World at Christmas
Canada shares many holiday traditions with both its Southern neighbor, the United States, and the French who explored and settled there. In different areas of Canada, Christmas trees are grown and exported to America and South America. But many Canadians choose to purchase potted Christmas trees for their homes and then plant them after the holidays. Christmas in Canada
Coloring Pages, Cooking and Crafts
Today, our Bible readings referred to Jesus as a "Branch of David", so here are some evergreen and tree-themed crafts for you to try!
Pine Cone Ornaments: Pine cones make very pretty and inexpensive decorations for your Christmas tree. Spray with fake snow, dab with white, gold or silver paint, add glitter. Or, wind pretty ribbon through the tips and add a nice bow on top. There are many possibilities with pine cones so use your imagination! Check out these other great pine cone creations, too: About.com Pine Cone Crafts
Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree Recipe You can use your own recipe and follow the directions for making them into "trees", too.
Ice Cream Cone Christmas Trees: Use sugar cones with green frosting or whipped topping and candies to decorate a forest of edible trees. Eat with or without ice cream!
Christmas Fun! Trim Your Own Christmas Tree Did you have fun making your own snowman yesterday? Today, the same site offers another fun little time-killer!
Home Holiday Preparations
Today's Tips:
-No, you don't have to get your Christmas tree this early, but why not? Here is a link for How Christmas Trees Work! Be sure that you read up on how to care for your tree to keep it fresh--and safe.
-Start making your Christmas card mailing list!
-Every year as the calendar turns the page to December, I start seeing the links that people share of charts and lists for getting your house organized and under control for the holidays. I don't know what kind of holiday those people have planned, but I'm always ready with this helpful list to share how seriously I take cleaning when I'm trying to celebrate Christmas!! LOL
Martha Stewart Holiday Calendar
December 1
Blanch carcass from Thanksgiving turkey. Spray paint gold, turn upside
down and use as a sleigh to hold Christmas Cards. December 2
Have Mormon Tabernacle Choir record outgoing Christmas message for
answering machine. December 3
Using candlewick and handgilded miniature pine cones, fashion
cat-o-nine-tails. Flog Gardener. December 4
Repaint Sistine Chapel ceiling in ecru, with mocha trim. December 5
Get new eyeglasses. Grind lenses myself. December 6
Fax family Christmas newsletter to Pulitzer committee for consideration. December 7
Debug Windows XP December 10
Align carpets to adjust for curvature of Earth. December 11
Lay Faberge egg. December 12
Take Dog apart. Disinfect. Reassemble. December 13
Collect Dentures. They make excellent pastry cutters, particularly for
decorative pie crusts. December 14
Install plumbing in gingerbread house. December 15
Replace air in mini-van tires with Glade "holiday scents" in case tires
are shot out at mall. December 17
Child proof the Christmas tree with garland of razor wire. December 19
Adjust legs of chairs so each Christmas dinner guest will be same height
when sitting at his or her assigned seat. December 20
Dip sheep and cows in egg whites and roll in confectioner's sugar to add
a festive sparkle to the pasture. December 21
Drain city reservoir; refill with mulled cider, orange slices and
cinnamon sticks. December 22
Float votive candles in toilet tank. December 23
Seed clouds for white Christmas. December 24
Do my annual good deed. Go to several stores. Be seen engaged in last
minute Christmas shopping, thus making many people feel less inadequate
than they really are. December 25
Bear son. Swaddle. Lay in color coordinated manger scented with
homemade potpourri. December 26
Organize spice racks by genus and phylum. December 27
Build snowman in exact likeness of God. December 31
New Year's Eve! Give staff their resolutions. Call a friend in each
time zone of the world as the clock strikes midnight in that country.
Movie Time The Snowman and The Bear by Raymond Briggs, based on his books of the same titles are 2 of my all-time favorite Christmas movies! They are short and sweet and best of all, without words! We love to get the books--also wordless--to look through as we watch the videos. These are so gentle and pretty to watch. Love them!
Advent Candle:
Bible Verses
A king is coming! In today's verses, we read about how God describes the birth of Christ through his prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. Both of these men prophecied to the stubborn people of Judah, often carrying messages of warning and judgment for their sinful ways. The verses we read today are among the many sparks of hope and restoration which God speaks to Judah about their coming King.
The beautiful painting at the right is of the prophet Isaiah. Michelangelo painted it on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1509 among many other frescoes of Biblical figures. Michelangelo studied painting, sculpture and antiquities in his teens and completed his first relief sculpture at 16.
Finally, the most popular story of how we came to put decorated trees in our homes at Christmas comes from Germany and the Protestant Reformer, Martin Luther. The story goes that as Luther was walking home one beautiful, star-filled night, he was so enthralled by the sight of the lights sparkling off of the evergreen tree branches that he brought one home! To imitate the light of the starlight in the branches, Luther attached small candles in wooden holders on the tree. As the neighbors passed by their home in the coming weeks, many stopped to ask about the beautiful tree. Martin Luther and his family shared about how the evergreen represented God's everlasting love and the lights illustrated Christ, the light of the world. The practice soon spread throughout Germany and other parts of Europe.