My Advent week 3 prayer is one of true joy.

God always gives me the message of joy when I am encountering difficulty. Is it just me or does He do this with you as well? The weekend was a hard one for me. This is precisely why I love the liturgy. It’s what the church prays and it doesn’t matter how I feel, the message is still the message. And this week it is joy. I used to think I wasn’t very joyful when I was younger and it was because I misunderstood joy. I thought it simply meant being happy. Now I realize that joy isn’t a feeling like happiness, but a gift from God.

Light two purple candles and one pink if you have an Advent wreath. My Advent week 3 prayer is: “Lord, you are the Light that came into the world to help us see.”
Read Isaiah 9:1-7

The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light.

If you’re falling a bit behind on Jesse Tree Ornaments and Activities for Advent Week 3…

don’t worry about that, just do what you can. Maybe all you can do some days are the scripture and ornament. Christmas is a busy time so it’s not how much we can scurry to get accomplished but the joy that we have in out hearts as we do so.

I’ll leave you with that thought. Featuring this week:

Chocolate Coconut Muffins

These are healthy and still delicious. They are not sugar free but are a lower / natural sugar alternative to store bought chocolate muffins!

Have a joyful week!

The post Advent Week 3 Prayer : The Gift of Joy appeared first on Dymphna's Song.

Advent Week 2 Theme is Peace. Justice. Hope.

This week in our house the  Advent week 2 theme is peace, justice, and hope. Yesterday’s readings were amazing. There is so much hope in them! That’s precisely why I love the season of Advent. It isn’t just the anticipation of Christmas- yes it is that, of course- but it is the feeling that hope brings. Isaiah dared to hope. He didn’t let the times or the darkness of the world hinder him for seeing that …

A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. ~Isaiah 11:1

Light two purple candles if you have an Advent wreath for week 2 and pray:

Lord we hope in you.

Discuss– What brings you hope this week? Why is hope so important? When has hope seen you through a difficult time? When it is easy to be discouraged hope keeps us from despair.

This is the verse that the Jesse Tree is based on. You can find  Jesse Tree Ornaments and Activities for Advent Week 2 HERE on Harrington Harmonies.

Featuring this week:

Grandma Moses Art Lesson.

You can make a fun winter scene with this art lesson on Grandma Moses. The lesson focuses on perspective, overlapping, and drawing a 3D house. There is also a copywork or  notebooking page on Grandma Moses which you can download for free!

Have a great week!

The post Advent Week 2 Theme: Peace. Justice. Hope. appeared first on Dymphna's Song.

Advent Week 4: Light All Candles Except the Christmas Candle (White)

These Jesse Tree Ornaments finish up the last week of Advent. It’s very short and sweet this year. As I am posting this, it’s not Advent yet and tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  I am hoping that posting these resources early will give you time to plan and prepare your Advent with peace, free from unwanted stress and anxiety. These post are not to overwhelm you , or make you feel burden by the devotion. Choose what you want to do, do what you can and just be present to those you love. Keep it simple. Enjoy your homeschool days with your child/children as you prepare for Christmas this year.

You can find the entire series for these  Jesse Tree ornaments, readings and reflections as follow:

Jesse Tree Ornaments: Advent Week 1

Jesse Tree Ornaments: Advent Week 2

Jesse Tree Ornaments: Advent Week 3

*Disclaimer: Parents please note that not all the resources listed are Catholic sources and therefore may have varied doctrinal interpretations and need adaptation. My intent is to make this a resource for all Christians which they can then use and modify according to their tradition.*

And NOW:

Jesse Tree Ornaments: Advent Week 4

Day 22: St. Joseph’s Dream

• Light all four candles if you have an Advent wreath for week 4 and pray: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”
• Read Matthew 1: 18-25
• Honor St. Joseph today by hosting a St. Joseph’s Tea and play date. I love this idea as it is not another lapbook or printable ( not that those are bad) but a way to gather together, honor St. Joseph and spend time with friends! Keep this simple and stress free. Let your children and your friends help you with putting it together.
• Or do a simple St. Joseph Study
• Read this Christmas Story Poem from Adventures in Mommydom and make a Christmas bracelet or necklace to go with it!

Day 23: Bethlehem

• Light all four candles if you have an Advent wreath for week 4 and pray: “O Jesus, you are with us always and we praise you.”
• Read Luke 2: 1-5.
• The Birds of Bethlehem by Tomie de Paola. And here is an idea…A Birds of Bethlehem felt Board Story.
• Research a bit about Bethlehem and find it on a map. What is the climate like there? How many people live there today? What types of industry and economy is there? What is it’s history?
• Make a Star of Bethlehem with this free, simple and easy Pastel Tutorial from Hodgepodge! Find even more Christmas Pastel lessons in:

Day 24: Mary and Child

• Light all four candles if you have an Advent wreath for week 4 and pray: “Lord Jesus, we welcome you into our hearts as Mary welcomed you into her arms. Be with us always.”
• Read Luke 2: 6-21 and Have a Merry Christmas! Light the Christmas candle after 4 p.m.
• You may like this subscriber download from Raising Arrows to use with your family, parish, or children’s ministry: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Moms need prayer time and nourishment for our souls too! Here is an Advent Resources just for your prayer life:

The Living in the Word Book Study for busy moms over at Managing your Blessings .

This is an online community that is designed for busy moms to be able to do book studies with other Christian women. The next one starts Nov. 30th and runs till Dec. 25th. It’s using an Advent/Christmas book: The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas. So if you are looking for a good study for you this sounds like a wonderful opportunity to me!

The post Jesse Tree Ornaments: Advent Week 4 appeared first on Dymphna's Song.