Day 1 - God, Creator of All

"Whatever happened, whatever it cost Him, He would always love them." (JSB 27)

Ornament: Earth

Scripture Readings:

Gen 1

John 1:1-14

Col 1:15-20

Verse:

Genesis 1:1

John 1:1

Christmas Song: Joy Has Dawned

Hymn: All Creatures of Our God and King

Jesus Storybook Bible: The Beginning (18-27)

Big Picture Story Bible: The Very Good Beginning (15-35)

The Ology: God Created Everything out of Nothing at All (18-21)

I love to garden, yes, even the process of gardening.  I have always loved choosing and ordering the seeds. Days go by as I impatiently await their arrival in the mail and then carefully read the instructions for each cute little bag.  I do the yucky weeding.  I get blisters on my hands and dirt on my face and stains on my clothes and bugs in my hair (ewww!).  Some seeds are planted indoors and others are planted directly in the ground.  I water and wait ... and wait ... at last! The seeds sprout! I water, weed, and watch with joy as my plants grow.  As Advent begins, I am faced with a choice - an opportunity to plant the seeds of the Greatest Story within the hearts and minds of my children.  They are never too young and are never too old to hear this story. I cannot make my children believe this wonderful story, but I can sow the seeds.  I can show them how the greatest of all stories has rescued me and is changing me. And I don't even have to get bugs in my hair!  There are other verses, songs, and stories that could be included, but hopefully, this will be a place to make it easier to be a faithful planter of the seed of the Best Story ever told.  

• Be purposeful - plan to do this every day. For my family, this means we read and talk during meals, because they are my captive audience (haha!) at the table. 
• Be creative - ornaments don't have to be pretty, and it's a good thing! Have you seen mine?? I am NOT crafty at all. Use whatever you have to make ornaments, or go buy some, or look at pictures of some. Have fun using whatever you can find to reiterate the message, especially for the young ones. 
• Be available - ask questions of your children and let them ask you questions. Talk to them as you walk, eat, sit, and play. 
• Be faithful - Be faithful. Period. I have to remind myself that knowledge of God is the best gift I could ever give my children ... or anyone for that matter. 

The beginning of December is here already,  and there is no better place to begin the Advent season than in Genesis 1 with the best of beginnings.