last year as i began looking into doing some kind of advent calendar with the kids in preparation for Christmas, i realized that many of them are mostly about Santa and candy. i also began to realize that in its familiarity, the nativity was cute but not all that exciting or meaningful to me. i desired to see afresh why that baby in the manger was such a big deal.
somewhere in the course of all of this, i believe it was Sara H. who first introduced me to the Jesse Tree, which was exactly what i had been looking for! we will be trying it, in a very simplified form, for the first time this year. what excites me about it is that it weaves Bible stories together into the "big picture" story of the Bible which from the beginning points to our need for a Savior... and leads up to, then, why Jesus' birth WAS such a big deal. each day we will focus on a different part of the story and add a symbol to our Jesse Tree to represent each new aspect of the story leading up to His birth.
from what i have gathered thus far, the idea was inspired by this stained glass window at the Chartres Cathedral in France, which so intricately pictures the story of Jesus as it unfolds from the root of Jesse (father of King David). i am almost ashamed to admit, next to this masterpiece, that our Jesse Tree takes the form of a green felt-covered piece of cardboard this year! :)
1 comment:
Hi Val,
That window is gorgeous! I have never seen it or even heard of it and it's connection to the Jesse tree.
Don't be ashamed of your felt tree - our version doesn't even include a tree! It took FOUR YEARS, but I finally finished making 25 felt magnets for our Jesse Tree devotions. They decorate our fridge, giving my kitchen a more Preschooler version of the Chartes window. :)
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