Welcome to the 25 Days of Simple Christmas! Each day I will be posting an idea of keeping the holidays simple- so that we can focus on Christ and the real meaning of Christmas!
While Christmas is such a special day, so much of the joy gets lost in the busyness.
Each day I will be writing about a simple way to celebrate the season. To focus on family, joy, and memories, without the elaborate extras that can bring added stress. Simple can be more meaningful if it gives us more time to focus on the huge GIFT we are awaiting-Jesus Christ, our Savior.
There are certain books that we pull out every year to enjoy as a family and read aloud together. It has become another tradition that is such a simple way to remind of us the biggest event for all of mankind that is about to occur- Jesus’ birth.
It is so fun to cuddle on the couch, beneath the glow of the Christmas tree, sip hot cocoa, and read together. I encourage you to make this a part of your family time.
The Tale of Three Trees is a beautiful story about three trees who dreamed up big plans for their lives. When each tree was cut down, there was sadness that the big plans were not happening. One was made into a simple feeding trough, when it really wanted to hold treasure. Yet it held the world’s greatest treasure…baby Jesus. One wanted to be a mighty ship, and it ended up as a stinky fishing boat. The boat ended up having the mightiest fisher of men sail on it….Jesus….The other wanted to point people to God, yet was chopped down into lumber…yet eventually it was made into the wooden cross that held Jesus. {I can hardly type through my tears!}
This book is such a beautiful example of how God uses everyone for purpose, how we works ALL things for good for those who live Him, and how he has big plans for all of us` even when we don’t see them at first.
I promise you there will be no dry eyes as you read through this beautiful and poignant story of what God can use such simple things for.
Jacob’s Gift is a similar type of book, in that it is a story about a boy who was learning to be a carpenter. One day be builds a feeding trough, which he hopes will win a “contest” of the best woodwork and go on to help build a synagogue. Instead he finds a baby
born in a manger with nowhere to sleep. So he uses his feeding trough as a gift to the baby. That trough is indeed fit for a
King.
Reading stories like these are a special tradition in our family. It is something we look forward to and enjoy each year.
Both of these books can be found by clicking the links below!
Please Join These Bloggers in
their 25 Days of Christmas Series:
25 Days of Christmas: Home for the Holidays @ Graceful Abandon
25 Days of Easy Christmas Crafts for Toddlers & Preschoolers @ Sidetracked Sarah
25 Days of Christmas Traditions @ Sharing the Journey
*Although I am an affiliate with Amazon.com, my opinions about these products were in no way affected by it. I 100% recommend them , yet will receive a small compensation if they are purchased through my site.
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Join me on my journey to clear the clutter as I am simply living...for Him! I am a homeschooling mom sharing about my faith, family, hobby-farm life, and Jesus. I am also an author and speaker and love sharing my journey with others- and I am all about keeping it real and authentic! Join me as I seek less of this world and more of Jesus!
Karen DeBeus is a homeschooling mom learning to live more simply and keep God at the center of it all. She is the author of three best-selling homeschooling books and writes at Simply Living for Him. She speaks nationally at homeschooling conventions and recently was a speaker at the Family Bible Conference in Washington, DC. Her passion is to help others clear the clutter from their lives, seek God first, and to encourage women and families to get in the Word every day.
In 2016, she founded the Simply Living for Him Retreat, which is a time of rest and renewal for all women seeking Jesus. She enjoys life on her hobby farm with her husband and four children. Together they are a work-at-home family pursuing a simple life with purpose and, above all, seeking to glorify God in all they do.
and Jacob’s Gift
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