"People look east, the time is near of the crowning of the year. Make your home fair as you are able, trim the hearth and set the table. People look east and sing today, 'Love, the Guest, is on the way.'" --Author unknown (to me)
As soon as the days grow shorter, our family takes dinner by candle light. In the season of Advent, besides the wreath, we light our Klockspel! I'm hoping, during this Advent season, to post and share with you our little Christmas doings every other day.
When we got married and had children, my husband and I were determined to create a joyful home, especially during the holidays. And because He made it possible, my gratitude will always be to Love, the guest, Who came to stay.
I think its wonderful you all eat by candle light! I think that would be something I would want to do with my own family someday. I loved seeing a peak into your home too. Yes I love how our home is joyful because of the Savior this time of year and all year long! What a blessing He was born and is risen indeed!
ReplyDeleteIn Christ,
Rebecca
Your quotation comes from a Christmas hymn/carol written in 1928 by Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965)[Details below]
ReplyDeleteI always liked how our family celebrated advent because of the variety of ways in which we kept it over the years. From wreaths and calendars, to reading from different selections before dinner, to cakes and Baby Jesus bread. I was remembering the other day the porcelain nativity set we had and how you and dad would move the wise men around the house during advent to simulate their journey (and later with the wooden nativity set after an incident involving the cat). Thank you for teaching usto keep the season well, we're striving to teach and inspire our own children in a similar vein.
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/people_look_east.htm
Oh! I really love your attitude. Maybe, just maybe, if I think along your lines...I'll find the energy I need to fold my laundry,wash my dishes, and, yes, decorate my tree...
ReplyDeleteContinued blessings to you, Friend...
We eat by candlelight also. Lovely post.
ReplyDeleteSmiles,Dottie
Thanks, Rebecca and Dottie.
ReplyDeleteDear Brandee, it's very hard to see the chores that need to be done in candle light. :) They'll keep.
ReplyDeleteZach, thanks so much. I had forgotten about Baby Jesus Bread. I'll have to pull that recipe out again. And by the way, I love the way you and Niamh are making the holidays special for the kids. Love you.
ReplyDeleteLove the post from Zach about all the ways you used to celebrate Christmas. The last few weeks, I've been feeling very blah, but you've inspired me.
ReplyDeleteI love your posts. We so enjoy this time of preparation and anticipation, and I hope your advent is such a lovely one. We have a twirly advent centerpiece as well, but ours is wooden, with a nativity scene. =)
ReplyDeleteI appreciated and enjoyed Zach's precious comment nearly more than I loved this post, and I dearly loved this post and it's telling of set apart sharings of firelight gatherings 'round and in honor of, *Love the guest*, who came to stay.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, all through~~and I was thankful, truly so, to have come upon it (though nearly "hot off the press", it seems, still) *after* Zach had written, so specially, all that he did. Thanks, for the sharing of the hymn, Zach, in addition to the treasure of your gift of rememberings *to* be thankful *to* remember (and how lovely that you, having taken all to heart, are, so very so).
Blessed to be coming to know you dear ones.
Blessed Season of Joy be yours, in Jesus~~dear Jodi and all (who gather there, and here, in this tucked away place of the Curious Acorn's sweet hospitality), as I too pray it will be for me and mine.
Celebrating alongside you, across the miles, and here in my heart. Thanks, {Goody Lenz}, for once again openly sharing yours~~your tender heart that is~~the so much of it that you're able to say in so few words (a marvel to me being me. A something to ponder and by God's grace emulate ;o) Love you for it all. xo
I've an on-paper-written letter in the making, that, Lord willing, I'll soon be sending your beautiful way.
Thank-you, Jodi, for being loving, caring, kind {His loving and caring kind, the very dearest and best}, and giving (as you do, freely of it all, in Him).
P.S. George, has always had a longing to have a Klockspel (and all here will enjoy the video clip chronicling the happy tinkling of it's candle lit spinning).
love love it, love it, love it. i'm coming over. i know i say that all the time, but really, this i can't miss. though i may go into labor while i'm there... you won't mind will you?
ReplyDeletebut really, peace just radiates from you and... i just love you dearly.
Julie, I hope the blahs will be gone for good. Happy Advent.
ReplyDeleteOlivia, I love your posts as well, and look forward to seeing your holiday doings.
ReplyDeleteJewels, I hold dear each and every one of your words, and envy the way you're able to express yourself. Please don't shorten; more is more.
ReplyDeleteAmy, good gracious girl, I'll be praying for you and a safe delivery. I love you bunches. God bless. Can't wait to hear about the new little. xox
ReplyDeleteOh and do come, Amy!!!!
ReplyDeleteoh...that sounds {and looks} very special!!!
ReplyDeletemountain mama
We love inviting over people from our church community that have no place to go on either Christmas eve, or the day, we love this part of celebrating, and such a good example to show our children that Christmas is about connecting and making others feel wanted not about all the rushing around to get to "other" family functions. Just wish we could do it every year, and forgo the extended gatherings more. Advent candles are a must too. Love it.
ReplyDeleteWe have a quartet in our church which sings acapella, and this is one of my favorite hymns they sing. They sang it last Sunday for the first Sunday in Advent, and I almost posted it as my Facebook status on Monday morning (but I forgot). Then I found it here. Of course I found it here.
ReplyDelete"Make your home fair as you are able." Yes.
We have a candle, on the table, for breakfast. Makes getting up in the dark, just that little bit easier! I love the tinkling of your candle holder. Makes me think of sleigh rides. Smiling.
ReplyDelete♥♥♥
ReplyDeleteThis Christmas, some children will be unable to spend the season with their parents, parents who either love them or do not. Parents who either did something to deserve separation from their children, or parents who lost the fellowship of their children through no fault of their own. Brings to light just how precious that fellowship is, and how limited. Because the time to raise and nurture children is limited certainly by time, and may be limited by outside entitites or factors, tradition and teaching is ever so important.
ReplyDeleteThough my mother and father forsake me, the Lord will take care of me. There is nothing so important as raising children to love and follow God is there? And when the parents' ability to protect, love and nurture, is restricted, the Lord will take care of them we hope. St. Patrick is a example of this. While he was kidnapped into slavery as a teenager, the faith of his parents guided him, first into adulthood, then to safety, and then to his life's purposes.
Tradition and making of them are becoming so important to me as I am daily faced with the reality that while I am not in control, other people may be, and God certainly is and that I alone cannot protect my children. The only thing I can do is help them be receptive to God's calling and to fellowship with him, otherwise all may be lost for the children.
The purpose of tradition being to make time, to make special, to teach, preserve, and to make part of daily life, I am digging for new ways of keeping the tradition of Christmas and other important religious holidays, not for the purpose of festive wandering, but so that my babies can learn and live as they grow up, God willing, with my presence and input.
In addition to adopting, from you, some of the traditions that you have mentioned, I believe that a new tradition will be started of having a breastfeeding Mother and Child as a certain two year old Little Miss cannot understand why a baby would be left to sit in a manger, hungry.
Niamh, ha ha, Zach told me how little miss can't stand for the baby Jesus in your creche not to be held by his mother, and that she keeps trying to put the baby in the figurine arms. That's sweet.
ReplyDeleteChristine, we try to do the same with inviting people. And you're right about what it teaches the children. Thanks.
ReplyDeletelove this season because I love Jesus. He is the reason. Love your blog.
ReplyDeleteI love that your family has dinner by candlelight during Advent --I may have to adopt that tradition!
ReplyDeleteAnd happy birthday to you...a couple days late!
oh i love dinners by candle light... especially at home :)
ReplyDeleteHello Jodi,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say how much I enjoy your blog and *you*, it is always such a pleasure to come by and share a bit of your life, both through your pictures, and your writings.
I know I never comment (I am, I believe, the very worst comment-leaver in the world ;), but I did want to say, I enjoy each and every post :)This one being no exception!
I hope you have a lovely day, and each one there that is enjoying it with you.
Warmly, Rosie
Rosie, thank you, thank you! I'm honored by your visit. I think the best thing about blogging is meeting so many interesting people, like yourself, who are able to make and find beauty in the every day of life.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful post. My grandmother had one of those Klockspeln, and your little video brought back some happy memories for me.
ReplyDeleteWelcome Love, the Guest!
Love that poem or song! Why Christmas is such a joy!
ReplyDeleteThat jingly sound just speaks joy into me. Happy you are sharing your Advent-ing, Jodi. You bless.
ReplyDelete"Love the guest." I like that.
ReplyDelete