Advent-day 1

Advent Calendar 2009, originally uploaded by *nichole*.

This is our Advent calendar. A couple of weeks ago I was in the thrift store and found this large quilting hoop. It had a small crack in it, but I wanted to buy it nevertheless. I got up to the register (determined to pay cash on this particular day) and once everything was added up-well, the sales total was over my cash budget. I told the cashier to keep the hoop and then I proceeded to purchase the rest of my items, but when I got to the car I still wanted the hoop. So I began looking around my car for loose change and I came up with enough to go back in the store to purchase the hoop, yay!
So for this calendar I simply took some fabric placed it on the hoop along with some ribbon material, tightened the hoop up (I had to use my glue gun to fix the cracked area of the hoop). Then from the ribbon I hung the cardstock numbers (which are from last years calendar) with small clothespins.
For our first night of Advent we read Luke 1, Mary's Song-in which Mary reflects about the Lord's goodness for she is chosen to give birth to Christ. What I like so much about this passage is that it shows how God can use everyday people to serve His purpose-the only requirement is that one just has to be willing.
After our reading the girls got a small lollipop and a tiny tree growing kit. We will water the seeds nightly and maybe we can grow our own Christmas tree (:


To be perfectly honest, it has been a bit of a struggle for me to get in the holiday mood. Yet when it comes down to it I know that beyond the tree, the lights, the many decorations (which I do immensely enjoy) that the reason to be full of cheer this season is that daily I see God's grace and mercy in action, and for this I remain both hopeful and thankful.