Selah's Advent- Day 25

Today's Bible verse is:

    And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
(Matthew 2:11 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 24

Today is Christmas Eve! Tonight we will put out milk and cookies (or perhaps cheese and Diet Coke, as my mom told me Santa liked when I was a little girl), get some warm, cozy PJs on and read THE story of Christmas.



Today's Bible verse is:

    And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
(Matthew 2:8-10 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 23

Tonight is my family's annual Family Reunion/Christmas party. Two years ago, I was on the verge of tears because of my recent miscarriage. Last year, I may have had sore, swollen feet, but I was overjoyed to have my Selah in my stomach, happily kicking away. This year? This year, I have my almost walking joy of a 9.5 month old to show off. Without Selah this year, it would be an emotional repeat of two years ago. Hopefully it won't be. We'll see.

But that's our Christmas activity for the day.

Today's Bible verse is:

    When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
    “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
        are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
    for from you shall come a ruler
        who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
    Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.
(Matthew 2:3-7 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 22

I was hoping to go look at Christmas lights tonight as Selah's Christmasy activity, but we'll see.

Today's Bible Verse is:

    Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
   
(Matthew 2:1-2 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 21

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Manley!

Today, we are (ok, I am.) making snowflakes for Sandy Hook. It's not enough, but nothing ever will be. Hopefully, the Winter Wonderland the Connecticut PTSA is creating for the makeshift Sandy Hook Elementary School will help the little ones.

Tonight's Bible verse is:

    And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
(Luke 2:18-20 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 20

Tonight we are reading The Legend of the Candy Cane.



Today's Bible Verse is:

    When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
(Luke 2:15-17 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 19

Tonight, we are watching Veggie Tales: The Story of St Nicholas.



Today's Bible verse is:

    And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
    “Glory to God in the highest,
        and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
(Luke 2:13-14 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 18

Tonight's activity is to watch The Polar Express and the drink a cup of hot cocoa. Yes. Even Selah. :)



Today's Bible verse is:

    And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
(Luke 2:12 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 16 and 17

Tonight, I am going to my women's bible study'd Christmas party. It's a pajama party, full of cookies, food and lovely ladies. And minus one baby girl. That's right. T is off so he's watching Selah! This is an item for momma's Advent.

Tomorrow, we are going to Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens to see their FABULOUS Christmas lights, thanks to a free ticket courtesy of my friend Jill (V). I'll post pictures on Tuesday.

Today's (and tomorrow's) Bible verses:

    And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
(Luke 2:8 ESV)

    And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
(Luke 2:9-11 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 15

Tonight is our annual Cookie party! This year T requested it to also be an ugly Christmas sweater party, yet his "Sweater" is super lame. Boo!

Anyways.... Going with tradition, we will be watching ELF! We have it on at our cookie party every year and every year it is requested. So this year we will play it and it will be day 15's Christmas movie.



Today's Bible verse is:

    And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
(Luke 2:7 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 14

Tonight we will watch Little Drummer Boy, the Veggietales version. Haven't seen it before so I hope it's decent.



Today's Bible verse is:

    And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
(Luke 2:6 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 13

Tonight, we read Mary's Happy Christmas Day.



Today's Bible Verse is:

    And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
   
(Luke 2:4-5 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 12

Tonight, we gave Selah a candy cane to eat. Girlfriend loves those things.

Picture from a week or so ago, but the emotion is still the same.

Today's Bible verse is:

    In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
   
(Luke 2:1-3 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 11

Today, we put up our (outdoor) Christmas lights!

And then, when we were done with that, Selah and T lit another candle on our menorah (don't ask).

She likes fire. So do I.

Today's Bible verse is:

    And Mary said,
    “My soul magnifies the Lord,
        and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
    for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
        For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
    for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
        and holy is his name.
    And his mercy is for those who fear him
        from generation to generation.
    He has shown strength with his arm;
        he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
    he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
        and exalted those of humble estate;
    he has filled the hungry with good things,
        and the rich he has sent away empty.
    He has helped his servant Israel,
        in remembrance of his mercy,
    as he spoke to our fathers,
        to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
    And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
   
(Luke 1:46-56 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 10

Tonight, Selah and her favorite man, T, are watching Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.



The Bible Verse of the day is:

    and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
   
(Luke 1:42-45 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 9

Tonight, Selah will be reading Hanukkah: A Counting Book with T when we get home from church and my ladies bible study/ life group.



Today's Bible verse is:

    And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
    In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
   
(Luke 1:38-41 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 8

Today is the first night of Hanukkah so Timmy lit the first candle on the menorah with Selah. Jesus was Jewish, you know. :)

Tonight's bible verse is:

"For nothing will be impossible with God."

(Luke 1:37 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 7

My husband T is always saying that it's a shame that they don't create/write new Christmas songs any more, but, wait! What's this? A new song by two super famous singer/actors? A new Christmas music video/song that's tonight's item on Selah's Advent calendar*?



Who knows? Maybe it'll be a hit and Selah will be singing this song to her kids some day.

Whoa. That'd mean I'm a grandmother...

Tonight's Bible verse is:

    And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
   
(Luke 1:35-36 ESV)


EDIT: Here's another video for you because, well, I like Christmas and Christmas things. :)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.nbc.com/assets/video/widget/widget.html?vid=1425973" frameborder="0"></iframe>

*I cheated and added this for today because of Wednesday's cancellation.

Selah's Advent- Day 6

Today, a certain little girl is NINE WHOLE MONTHS OLD! She's been in our arms longer than she was in my body, though she's always been in our hearts. :)

Moving on, tonight we are reading One Night in Bethlehem. T actually bought it for SFM last December when we visited the live Nativity at the Billy Graham Library.



Today's Bible verse is:

    For to us a child is born,
        to us a son is given;
    and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
        and his name shall be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
        Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6 ESV)

Selah's Advent- Day 5

Today we were supposed to go to McAdenville- Home of Christmas Town USA, but T didn't feel like it (though it was his idea). Oh well.

However, that means the day's activity/item was no longer. We did do Christmasy things, though. I wrapped 95% of our presents and we all went out and got things to decorate sweaters for an ugly Christmas sweater party. So there was that.

Today's Bible verse is:

    And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
(Luke 1:31-33 ESV)