Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room (Part 1): Advent Traditions Worth Repeating Again and Again

Stephanie: 00:00:01

They're the joyful agains our children shout on the swings, the

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exhausting agains of cooking and laundry,

and the difficult agains of discipline.

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So much of what we do

as mothers is on repeat.

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So what if we woke up with clarity,

knowing which agains we were called

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to, and went to bed believing we

are faithful in what matters most?

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We believe God's word is

the key to untangle from the

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confusion and overwhelm we feel.

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Let's look up together to embrace a

motherhood full of freedom and joy.

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Welcome to our very first Christmas

episode of again, this podcast is

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sponsored by interested ministries.

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And I'm your host, Stephanie Hickox.

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Today's conversation is part one of an

incredibly fun and helpful conversation.

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Betsy Corning, Emily deal,

Jen Frackman and I had,

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we're breaking it into several parts.

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Number one, because it was a, like

the, we just had so much fun talking

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about the different ways that we

celebrate the birth of our king.

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Secondly.

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We hope it'll be helpful for you to

listen on the parts that you need most.

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At any given time.

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Today's episode is about advent and

different books that we recommend.

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And the episodes to come.

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We're going to talk about decorating

tips, recipes, gift, giving principles.

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Our stance on Santa.

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And should he be celebrated?

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And all of these episodes are helpful,

whether you have very young children.

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Or whether your children are out of the

house and grown, and you're looking for.

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A creative way to celebrate that

doesn't interfere with in-laws

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schedules and getting everyone in

the same place at the same time.

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Thanks so much for listening.

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We hope you are inspired.

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Two.

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Bring joy and peace to your home.

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This Christmas season.

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my first question to kick us off on

Christmas traditions and the way we

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focus on celebrating the holiday is what

is a favorite gift you received as a

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child or a favorite childhood memory?

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I'm gonna start with Aunt Betsy.

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Can you think of one?

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Betsy: Well, I remember in fifth grade

that I really wanted stirrup pants.

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That's what they called them.

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I don't know.

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I think they had a different

name for 'em when they came

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back in style many years later.

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But I can't remember what they're called.

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They're, leg up,

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Emily: I know exactly

what you're talking about.

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Jen: Yeah.

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I know.

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Exactly.

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Yeah.

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I think they were called

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Betsy: And I really

wanted a pair of those.

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Unfortunately, my legs were so

long, they kept pulling down.

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They weren't really comfortable.

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Stephanie: Oh

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Betsy: that's been my story of my life.

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Finding pants long enough, right?

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But that was a really fun memory.

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Another time, my mom, who was a fantastic

seamstress, made Barbie doll colos.

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And I know some people have

a problem with Barbie, but...

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My older sister got the Barbie and my

younger sister and I got midges because

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they must have been less expensive.

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There must be way harder

to find now though.

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Anyway she made clothes for them that

were so beautiful because they, later

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on we, we said, Oh mom, this was the

best Christmas ever because we are so

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into design and creative things and

My mom said that was the year that

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they were so desperately broke that

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Stephanie: Aw.

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Betsy: just a sweet memory.

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We didn't know that until years

later that she said she didn't know

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what she was going to do that year.

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And it turned out to be just

one of our very favorites.

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But we always loved we always

lived in an area that was snowy.

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And always enjoyed the lights and going

to midnight service, midnight candlelight

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service at church, which was always

fun until we had little babies with us.

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Stephanie: Yeah.

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What's coming to mind for you, Jen?

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Jen: year, I was very little,

I think maybe five, six,

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seven, somewhere around there.

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And my dad had made all three

of us girls Dowel bassinets that

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were out of like wooden bassinets

for our cabbage patch dowels.

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it was so sweet because they

would rock back and forth.

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And I just remember, I,

we have a picture of us.

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Out on the back porch at my parents house

and it is like sunny and like 75 degrees.

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There was no snow and we all

had our matching little doll

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bassinets and it was really sweet.

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I still have it and both

of my girls have used it.

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Olivia used it for her baby doll and

Kaylee uses it for her stuffed animals,

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Stephanie: Aw,

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Jen: it's really sweet.

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So I liked that

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Stephanie: The homemade

gifts that are winning out.

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Jen: Yeah.

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Betsy: In fact, that did make me

think of when my dad was a teacher

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and he got the wood shop guys to

make a kitchen set for my sisters and

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I, and that was just, Unbelievable.

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We played with that for years and years.

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It was so fun.

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But it also makes me think of getting

new pajamas every year for Christmas.

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Probably ones that

matched with my sisters.

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And did anybody else

always get new pajamas?

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It's our tradition in our home.

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All the kids get new pajamas.

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Jen: No, we never did that.

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Emily: we never did that

but everybody does it now.

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It's definitely a thing now.

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Jen: it is.

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I

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Stephanie: close together.

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So to see them in three sets

of little matching plaid

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pajamas, it was just adorable.

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And we did that for a while.

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I didn't realize that was a story

behind the wooden kitchen because

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I played with that kitchen even.

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So those boys did a great job and I

played with those Barbie outfits as well.

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They were beautifully made.

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There's a turquoise one I

wish I had it in my size.

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yeah.

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Emily: That's the way

with all the doll clothes.

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Stephanie: Right, yep.

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Jen: I have another favorite gift,

but it wasn't from my childhood.

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It's from my adulthood.

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Eric surprised me on our Christmas

morning, and this lady drove

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up into the driveway, and...

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She had something in her hand.

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It was quite large.

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And he said, Oh, your gift is here.

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She walked in.

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And and I just remember it was

wrapped in a huge, large bag.

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And I was like, what is this?

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And I didn't know who the woman was.

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It was very confusing to me.

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And I started to.

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Unwrap it and I started to pull some of

the opening to the bag and I could see

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just a little tiny portion of the bottom

of it and it had my favorite parenting

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verse on it and I stopped and I went down

to my knees and I just started bawling.

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And Eric's Open it!

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And the kids are like, Open it!

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Open it!

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And I was like, I can't believe this.

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Oh my word.

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So finally I'm opening it more.

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And he had paid an artist to paint a

picture of me and the kids in nature

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and had I will, Most gladly spend

and be spent for the sake of your

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souls, verse written on the bottom.

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Oh my goodness.

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It was the best.

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I, in fact, to this day, now, if

we talk about if there's a fire in

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the house, you make sure all the

children get out, grab mom's Bible

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and someone grabbed the painting.

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Those three things in and in that order,

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Betsy: I have to see

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Emily: So was it the artist

that brought you the gift?

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Was the actual

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Jen: brought it Yes, so she wanted to

see my reaction and she did not meet

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me or the children He gave her past

Christmas cards and she just looked at

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them and he said see if you can figure

out Their personalities based on like how

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we describe them in the Christmas cards.

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And she did it fantastic.

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Stephanie: It's so beautiful.

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Emily: That's amazing.

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How

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Jen: it is.

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I love it.

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Stephanie: Major husband points,

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Jen: Yeah, yes, yep.

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Stephanie: like this.

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Emily: He'll never top that year.

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Stephanie: Emily, what's

coming to mind for you?

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Emily: When I was young I think I

remember the year that Jen, I think

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had brought up the cabbage patch dolls.

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My mom bought me a cabbage patch

doll and I got it for Christmas.

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And of course, I didn't

know it at the time.

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They were all the rage and I

loved my cabbage patch doll.

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But when I got a little older, I

think teenage years, my mom had bought

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me a a trunk, like an old trunk.

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And and I loved that trunk.

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And She just bought it for me to keep

in my room and put fun things in it.

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And so she had bought it off of this man.

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And anyway, I loved my

trunk that my mom got me.

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And I think I was a young

teenager at that point.

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those are the two that are

sticking out in my mind.

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Betsy: ha.

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Stephanie: And do you

still have that gift?

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Emily: I actually don't.

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My mom, I think actually got rid

of the trunk when I left home.

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Stephanie: Aww.

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Aww!

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Now she's going to listen to this

and realize how special it was.

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I think Christmas Eve service

has always been It's my favorite

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moment of the whole year.

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And so when I look back and

think about Christmas, that

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really is my favorite part.

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More than the gifts, more than...

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Anything else?

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That's just what stands out to me,

like the stillness and the crisp air of

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the night with the candle lit worship.

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I love that.

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But on a less holy note, the gift that's

standing out to me right now is When

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I was little, I must have been about

third grade, my parents got me a karaoke

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machine and I loved to sing and so I would

get home from school and I would turn

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my music up really loud and I would be

singing with the microphone very loud and

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then I, this happened on a regular basis

or my dad would come around the corner

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and I didn't realize he had gotten home

from work and I would I didn't realize

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he was home, but I was just so into it.

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But I think that was one that I

definitely got some good use out of.

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Betsy: Well, Stephanie, you

and I would have been at some

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of those same events together.

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And I certainly remember those.

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And my mom, your grandma, would

have made every year, what did she

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make for dinner, a Christmas dinner?

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Stephanie: Oyster stew.

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Betsy: Often had a,

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Stephanie: yes, every

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Betsy: I should have, but

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but it was I don't know where the

tradition came from, but it, without

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fail, every single year, oyster stew.

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Of course, we had some other

things, but that was a have to have.

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And the other thing was a

birthday cake for Jesus.

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She would make that pretty often.

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Emily: oh, so sweet.

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Stephanie: That is one of my

favorite traditions now that I have

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to do with my kids, to show this

is who it's really about and my

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grandma always made angel food cake,

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Jen: Oh, cute.

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I like that idea.

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Stephanie: I lean more towards chocolate

just because that's what I like,

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Jen: well, I just want to

go back to the oyster stew.

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Did any of the children

revolt against oyster

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Betsy: No, in fact, there's a lot

of the boys actually liked it.

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The oysters are cooked and

but the broth is really good.

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It's almost like a clam

chowder, only it's oysters.

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.

Emily: so did this carry over into, and is it carrying on with any of the grandkids?

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Betsy: made anything with

oysters actually, but maybe,

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Stephanie: I like seafood a lot,

but it just wasn't my favorite.

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I think, I'm trying to remember

the year I finally felt the

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courage to say, Grandma, I'm sorry.

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It's just not my favorite.

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Maybe I was 14 or something.

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I've been thinking it for Long time and

I, but it's like you knew she worked

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so hard and she, my grandma, she was

a home ec major and a chemistry major.

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So she's just a very intelligent woman

but with such a gift of hospitality.

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So even the vegetable tray, It was

pea pods with, in the shape of a

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Christmas tree, with pomegranates

on them, with little stars made

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out of cheese, and grapes, and

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Betsy: Very

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Stephanie: was lovely and beautiful,

and you saw how hard she was working, so

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you didn't want to say anything, but I

remember when I said to her, I'm sorry,

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Grandma, it's just not my favorite.

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Is it okay if I eat the other things?

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And she said to me,

What's not your favorite?

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The oysters or the broth?

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I was like both, because they

both taste like the oysters,

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Betsy: But every year she made it no

matter what she always made it to her it

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was very important there were people that

liked it, but it was an acquired taste.

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Stephanie: My grandma was such a

sacrificial person, and the other sides

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of the families, Christmas morning was

really important to them, and so my

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grandma made Christmas Eve a very special

time and her trees were always absolutely

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gorgeous she seized the opportunity

to make special memories for all of

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us, and especially, I think, with that

midnight service, like you were saying.

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Sometimes we were almost falling asleep

as we were opening the gifts, and it

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did feel like a long night, but it

was really special to be together.

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Let's get into Advent traditions

then, or any book recommendations that

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you have for the Christmas season.

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Emily: Take it jen, I know you have books.

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I know you do.

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Jen: I know.

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I was trying to be so patient, but I was

like eager, just biting at the bit to go.

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I love it.

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I do.

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I had to pare down, but I picked

out like my best that I love.

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Okay.

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So the first one.

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It's called The Advent Book by Jack

and Kathy Stockman, and we actually

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were gifted this, but it is beautiful.

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It has a bright, shimmery gold

cover that says The Advent Book,

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and then each page is very thick.

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Thick gold lined page.

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So it's what it's meant to be like

a keepsake and there are beautiful

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doors on each page and you open

the door and it tells a story.

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So on the first page, door number

one, it says, his name shall be called

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Emmanuel, which means God with us.

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And you open the door and there's

like a picture behind each door and

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it tells, God sent the angel Gabriel

to Mary in the village of Nazareth.

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The angel said, Greetings, the Lord

has blessed you and is with you, and

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then you Close that door and you go

on to the next door for the next day.

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And it is so precious and so

pretty and just beautiful.

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All the doors are so ornate and

Detailed and it's just really neat.

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So this one is one of my favorites.

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Betsy: that's a great one.

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Emily: Is this good for families

with young children or older also?

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Jen: Yes, it's for anyone.

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Because It's brief, I think young

children can understand it as

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well but the beauty of it, older

children appreciate it even more.

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Emily: Yes.

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Jen: Okay, so there's that and then

another of my favorites is Christmas

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Day in the Morning by Pearl S.

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Buck.

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And it just is a sweet story of a

little I would say a young boy who

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lives on a farm and he wanted to

surprise his dad and give him a gift.

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And so he went up before his dad.

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was awake and did all of the chores in

the morning for him so that his dad could

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be there in the morning when everyone

woke up and his dad was never around.

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In the morning on Christmas morning to see

the children come down and to see their

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gifts and to enjoy Christmas morning.

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Cause he was always doing the chores.

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And so he did it as a gift to his father.

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And just the whole story

of it is really sweet.

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Like the family being together

and realizing that the gifts don't

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have to be worth a bunch of money,

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The meaning behind it

and the love behind it.

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It's just a really good, it's a good read.

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Then.

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This is my absolute favorite.

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It's The First Christmas Night,

written by Keith Christopher, and the

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paintings in this are absolutely unreal.

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They look like they are live

people jumping off the page.

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But it is set...

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To the night before Christmas,

that poem, Twas the night before

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Christmas and all through the house.

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But this is the first Christmas night.

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So it starts off and it says, twas the

very first Christmas when all through

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the town not a creature was stirring.

324

: 00:17:00

There was not a sound.

325

: 00:17:02

The moon shining bright in the

heavens so high gave the luster

326

: 00:17:05

of midday to the Bethlehem sky.

327

: 00:17:08

So it goes through the

whole Christmas story.

328

: 00:17:11

But set to the night before Christmas.

329

: 00:17:13

So that one is one of my favorites.

330

: 00:17:15

And then I love the Christmas

miracle of Jonathan Toomey.

331

: 00:17:20

This is a special one.

332

: 00:17:22

We, I tried to make molasses

cookies and then we read this

333

: 00:17:26

story, Sitting by the Fire.

334

: 00:17:28

But it's just about an old

harsh man who lost his wife and

335

: 00:17:32

child and he's, pretty gruff.

336

: 00:17:36

And a widow and her son move to

the town and they ask him to make

337

: 00:17:43

little, a manger scene out of wood.

338

: 00:17:46

And he teaches the child how to make

them and He describes no, the cow is

339

: 00:17:53

very interested in looking at Jesus

this way and just the thought that goes

340

: 00:17:57

into making the manger scene out of

wood is just really, it's really sweet.

341

: 00:18:03

So we like that one.

342

: 00:18:04

And then another one is An Orange

for Frankie by Patricia Polico.

343

: 00:18:10

And this one is Again, about

family basically it's about their

344

: 00:18:17

family feeding homeless people.

345

: 00:18:20

And this little boy gives a sweater

that his sister had given him to a

346

: 00:18:24

homeless man because he was so cold.

347

: 00:18:27

And then there's a.

348

: 00:18:29

A special portion about how the

family gets an orange every Christmas.

349

: 00:18:34

It's very special.

350

: 00:18:35

And the boy lost his orange.

351

: 00:18:37

And so the whole family gave

a slice of their orange, a

352

: 00:18:42

wedge of their orange to him.

353

: 00:18:44

And the way that they show it and

illustrate it in the book, and

354

: 00:18:47

the way that they come together as

a family it's just really sweet.

355

: 00:18:51

It's just a nice

heartwarming story as well.

356

: 00:18:55

And this last book is very different, and

I wouldn't recommend it for younger kids.

357

: 00:19:01

But for older kids, it's

actually a really neat story.

358

: 00:19:04

It's called Shooting at the Stars, and

about the Christmas truce of: 1914

359

: 00:19:11

It's written by John Hendricks,

and how in the middle of the

360

: 00:19:15

war, there was a Christmas truce.

361

: 00:19:17

where they stopped fighting and

they sang Silent Night and so

362

: 00:19:21

it's a true Christmas story in the

battle, in the midst of a battle.

363

: 00:19:26

And so it does talk about war, so

that's why I wouldn't recommend

364

: 00:19:30

it for the younger ages, but

just the Christmas spirit.

365

: 00:19:34

Of being in the middle of a war and

knowing it's Christmas back home

366

: 00:19:39

and everyone is celebrating family

and what they got to do this one

367

: 00:19:43

Christmas was pretty remarkable.

368

: 00:19:46

Those are some of my favorites.

369

: 00:19:48

And then we, I have a whole basket full

of books that anytime that I find one

370

: 00:19:53

that talks about the Christmas story

in a different perspective, I will.

371

: 00:19:57

Put it in the basket.

372

: 00:19:58

And so we probably have a good 30

different books that we read through

373

: 00:20:02

all of December that are just

different ways to tell the story.

374

: 00:20:06

One is from the perspective of an animal.

375

: 00:20:09

One is from the perspective of baby Jesus

looking out at everybody coming to visit.

376

: 00:20:14

One is from the perspective of the

shepherds and just all different ways

377

: 00:20:19

that we can talk about think about this.

378

: 00:20:21

Just think of how.

379

: 00:20:23

Amazingness is that Christ

came down to be a baby born in

380

: 00:20:29

a manger and all other Kings.

381

: 00:20:33

Are so royal and majestic and get the

best, but our Savior came and was born

382

: 00:20:41

where animals eat from a trough of hay.

383

: 00:20:45

As many ways that we can just show them

and put that in front of them that this is

384

: 00:20:48

such a moment to treasure and to remember

each year is a good book to, in my book.

385

: 00:20:56

Stephanie: Yes, because we want

it to stay fresh and new to them,

386

: 00:21:00

right, to, to have that be so magical

each year, to not let it get old.

387

: 00:21:06

And I think no matter how old I get,

I find the Lord does that for me and

388

: 00:21:10

gives me a new perspective or someone

in the Christmas story to really,

389

: 00:21:16

connect with and empathize with.

390

: 00:21:18

There's so much richness there.

391

: 00:21:20

So thank you for all of

those recommendations.

392

: 00:21:23

I've read a couple and they were

beautiful, but some definite

393

: 00:21:26

new ones for me, so I'm excited.

394

: 00:21:28

Thank you.

395

: 00:21:28

Jen: Yes, there's one more

that I have to mention.

396

: 00:21:31

It's not technically Christmas.

397

: 00:21:33

It's called Thanksgiving Graces, but

we read it at Thanksgiving, but then

398

: 00:21:39

we also read it at Christmas because it

talks about how families come together

399

: 00:21:44

and there's a little boy who's nervous

because his grandma and his mom are

400

: 00:21:48

in the kitchen cooking for everybody

and more people keep showing up.

401

: 00:21:51

This aunt and uncle came and they didn't

know they were coming and then this niece

402

: 00:21:56

and nephew show up home from college

and they didn't know they were coming.

403

: 00:22:00

And so the little boy goes into the

kitchen and is worried for the grandma

404

: 00:22:03

and the mom and says, What do we do?

405

: 00:22:07

You didn't know they were coming

and the grandma stops what she does

406

: 00:22:11

and it's doing and takes the child

upon her knee and says, Do you

407

: 00:22:15

remember how Jesus fed the 5, 000?

408

: 00:22:18

And all it took were two loaves

and Five fish but do you remember

409

: 00:22:23

how Jesus fed the 5, 000?

410

: 00:22:24

And so she just goes through

how there's always enough.

411

: 00:22:27

God always makes it be enough.

412

: 00:22:29

And she says, we've never gone.

413

: 00:22:32

Hungry people, God just makes

it happen and makes it work.

414

: 00:22:36

And so the whole family then

sits around at the table and sure

415

: 00:22:40

enough, at the end of the story,

there's enough for everybody.

416

: 00:22:44

Everybody is filled.

417

: 00:22:45

Everybody's hearts are filled

as well as their bellies.

418

: 00:22:48

And so we read that at Christmas time

because that's when we're all together.

419

: 00:22:53

The most is during Christmas

as well as our extended family.

420

: 00:22:57

Emily: That's so good, and couldn't

that just apply all year round when

421

: 00:23:01

we take time to open our homes and

it takes financial it takes financial

422

: 00:23:07

resources and time resources and

and so that's good all year round.

423

: 00:23:14

Jen: Yeah, I know.

424

: 00:23:15

I just told my oldest, I said, just

remember this when you're in college.

425

: 00:23:20

Just come.

426

: 00:23:21

I don't care.

427

: 00:23:22

Bring your roommate.

428

: 00:23:23

I don't care.

429

: 00:23:24

Surprise me if you need to.

430

: 00:23:25

I don't care.

431

: 00:23:26

Just come.

432

: 00:23:26

Don't think that I'm going to

worry about having enough food.

433

: 00:23:29

If we don't have enough

food, we'll order pizza.

434

: 00:23:31

Emily: Of course.

435

: 00:23:34

Stephanie: books or advent traditions

you'd like to share with us?

436

: 00:23:36

Recommend.

437

: 00:23:37

Emily: like we're so far removed

from when they were small.

438

: 00:23:40

Jen covered absolutely

every base and then some.

439

: 00:23:44

It was all so

440

: 00:23:45

Stephanie: Yes.

441

: 00:23:46

Love it.

442

: 00:23:47

Yeah.

443

: 00:23:48

Emily: I actually ordered a book

and it hasn't come in yet, but

444

: 00:23:51

we're going to go through it.

445

: 00:23:53

As a family this year,

it's actually there.

446

: 00:23:56

Some of the writings of Spurgeon,

written for Advent, the Advent season.

447

: 00:24:01

one will be a new one for us.

448

: 00:24:04

So the verdict is not, in on that one yet,

but it looks like it will be phenomenal.

449

: 00:24:08

So I'm excited to try that

this year with the family.

450

: 00:24:12

They're just little short writings.

451

: 00:24:15

It said about five minutes long,

so I'm excited the kids this year.

452

: 00:24:19

Betsy: Have lots of

things to check into here

453

: 00:24:21

Stephanie: My kids are at an age where

454

: 00:24:22

The advent calendars and things like

that are still really special to them.

455

: 00:24:27

And we've done different ideas

where I've taken little gift bags.

456

: 00:24:33

They were at Ikea one year, but

it was like 25 little gift bags.

457

: 00:24:38

And I put a Um, maybe I'd put

a chocolate in there for each

458

: 00:24:42

of them and then an idea.

459

: 00:24:44

So I have to say, I did not put the

Christmas idea in the bag beforehand.

460

: 00:24:51

I waited till the night

before and thought, okay,

461

: 00:24:53

what's feasible for tomorrow?

462

: 00:24:55

Because this is when they were

pretty little and I would know,

463

: 00:24:58

okay, tomorrow's the day that we're

going to do our gingerbread house.

464

: 00:25:03

So I would put a little note in

there that says, you know, today

465

: 00:25:06

we're making a gingerbread house.

466

: 00:25:09

they loved that surprise of

it wasn't just a chocolate.

467

: 00:25:13

It was, what are we going to

do together that's special?

468

: 00:25:17

I didn't just have it be

activities or fun things.

469

: 00:25:22

It's, there are service projects in there.

470

: 00:25:24

So it might be write a thank you

note to the librarians or, um, give

471

: 00:25:30

Christmas cookies to the neighbors.

472

: 00:25:32

Different service projects that they can

do, you know, shovel snow for a neighbor.

473

: 00:25:37

For me, that's really important.

474

: 00:25:41

As you were saying, Betsy,

with Thanksgiving kind of being

475

: 00:25:43

lost in the commercialism and

everything, it feels like, okay,

476

: 00:25:46

let's be thankful this one day.

477

: 00:25:48

And then the next day gimme,

gimme, gimme and what can I have?

478

: 00:25:53

And I want to be careful that.

479

: 00:25:56

in celebrating Christ that I'm

not making my kids think that

480

: 00:25:59

December is all about them.

481

: 00:26:01

It's, it's not.

482

: 00:26:02

And so how can we delight in the

joys and make these fun memories,

483

: 00:26:07

but also keep it centered on others.

484

: 00:26:10

So that's a way with the Advent

traditions that I've done that.

485

: 00:26:14

One of my favorites is One year we

built a manger at church together, and

486

: 00:26:22

it came with its own devotional, but

just having that manger, and we have it

487

: 00:26:27

empty in front of the tree, and, you

can put a piece of hay every day, just

488

: 00:26:33

preparing the way for Jesus to come.

489

: 00:26:36

And we have that honestly,

it was a sweet story.

490

: 00:26:41

Maybe five years back

and I had decorated my.

491

: 00:26:43

My house for the first time

where I felt good about it.

492

: 00:26:46

You know, when you have toddlers and

you're like, it's just so much work.

493

: 00:26:50

And it.

494

: 00:26:50

was the first time where

my house looks beautiful.

495

: 00:26:53

And, I felt like I had some advent

systems in place where in traditions that

496

: 00:26:58

I was excited to begin with my kids and

I felt like I've really prepared well.

497

: 00:27:02

This is exciting to head

into December like this.

498

: 00:27:05

And, and then I went to my friend's

house who she has her own design company.

499

: 00:27:10

And so I went to her house and her kids

are older and it just, it was amazing.

500

: 00:27:15

And, in the front of her

house, she had this manger.

501

: 00:27:19

And I looked at it and I just had

to fight Oh no, like I'm not, I'm

502

: 00:27:24

not doing it right because clearly

that's the most beautiful tradition,

503

: 00:27:28

but I didn't even know about it.

504

: 00:27:30

And I went home and I looked it.

505

: 00:27:32

up and okay, number one, it's

not going to be here on time.

506

: 00:27:35

And then number two, I can't

afford to buy it right now.

507

: 00:27:38

And I had to fight that battle of

someone's doing it differently And that

508

: 00:27:41

seems better than what I'm doing , I'm

mentioning that because there are so

509

: 00:27:46

many different traditions you can do.

510

: 00:27:48

So many different books you can read

it's good for me to remember we don't

511

: 00:27:53

have to do every idea on Pinterest.

512

: 00:27:55

We don't have to embrace every tradition.

513

: 00:27:58

It's about keeping peace in the

home and focusing on Christ.

514

: 00:28:03

And often that means doing less.

515

: 00:28:06

What was so sweet about it is then

the next week at church, our church

516

: 00:28:12

announced that they were having

this workshop where families were

517

: 00:28:15

going to build majors together.

518

: 00:28:17

Jen: Aw,

519

: 00:28:19

Stephanie: it was only 10.

520

: 00:28:20

And.

521

: 00:28:21

That was just another way.

522

: 00:28:23

where I felt like, Lord, you saw

my heart in that and you provided.

523

: 00:28:26

And so now we have the memory of building

it together and it was even better.

524

: 00:28:29

So we love having our manger and then

my daughter loves putting her baby

525

: 00:28:33

doll in there on Christmas night.

526

: 00:28:37

One year, we did something that was

completely my husband's idea, and he said,

527

: 00:28:43

Well, there's 24 days in December, before

Christmas, there's 24 chapters in Luke.

528

: 00:28:48

Let's just read a chapter

of Luke every night.

529

: 00:28:50

Jen: That's cool.

530

: 00:28:51

Stephanie: This was, the first,

year, , he had wanted to lead

531

: 00:28:54

that, and I thought That's great.

532

: 00:28:55

And so you start with Luke

one and Luke two, and this

533

: 00:28:58

seems like such a great idea.

534

: 00:29:00

And then you continue on this is

great to read about, but it feels

535

: 00:29:06

different reading it at Christmas time.

536

: 00:29:09

And then you're a couple of

days before Christmas and you're

537

: 00:29:12

reading about the crucifixion and

everything Jesus went through for us.

538

: 00:29:17

And it was almost like this is,

this is too hard, you're wanting

539

: 00:29:21

to enter in the joy of Christmas

and it's the pain of good Friday.

540

: 00:29:26

But I, I realized though, this is so

beautiful we understand why Jesus came

541

: 00:29:33

so much because we've been meditating

on everything he's going to do.

542

: 00:29:38

So when we wake up tomorrow morning.

543

: 00:29:41

We're waking up with that story of

his death and resurrection so fresh in

544

: 00:29:46

our minds and it ended up to be such a

beautiful way to meditate on on why Christ

545

: 00:29:54

came and all we all have Bibles, right?

546

: 00:29:57

That's a free option.

547

: 00:29:59

and I mentioned that because sometimes

we do overcomplicate it one of our more

548

: 00:30:06

recent Advent Books is Unwrapping the

Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp, and it

549

: 00:30:13

goes along with the Jesse tree idea.

550

: 00:30:16

So you can, I think, buy ornaments

to go with it, but I make my own.

551

: 00:30:21

I just bought some plain ones

at Hobby Lobby and then wrote

552

: 00:30:24

numbers on them or names and then

decorate them with paint markers.

553

: 00:30:30

And then the kids hang them on the

tree and, we started, I think a

554

: 00:30:35

couple years ago, I would put tea

lights around the room and then

555

: 00:30:39

we would take the time to light.

556

: 00:30:42

If it's the 10th of December, then

we would light 10 candles and that

557

: 00:30:46

anticipation of building the moment for

the devotional, they really loved that.

558

: 00:30:51

For little ones, having them maybe color a

picture or something While you're reading

559

: 00:30:56

can always help their attention span.

560

: 00:31:00

And we really love the best Christmas

pageant ever by Barbara Robinson.

561

: 00:31:05

I will warn you, there's

some sassy moments in here.

562

: 00:31:08

But it shows how these naughty

children learn about the Christmas

563

: 00:31:12

story and their fresh eyes to see

what Jesus did for us and what Mary

564

: 00:31:18

and Joseph went through in the story.

565

: 00:31:20

We just laugh so hard at it.

566

: 00:31:22

and I Dallas Jenkins, the creator

of, of the chosen is going to

567

: 00:31:26

be making a movie of this it's

going to come out next Christmas.

568

: 00:31:30

Emily: Oh,

569

: 00:31:30

Jen: Oh, that's so fun.

570

: 00:31:32

We listened to the audio book of

that and it was an old grandma with

571

: 00:31:36

a really raspy voice that read it.

572

: 00:31:38

Oh, it was so good.

573

: 00:31:40

I was laughing so hard.

574

: 00:31:41

I had to stop the audio because

they couldn't, we couldn't

575

: 00:31:44

hear what was happening and

I was laughing so hard at it.

576

: 00:31:47

Like it, that is, it's a good.

577

: 00:31:50

Good book.

578

: 00:31:50

Stephanie: It's just so funny

for them to think, what?

579

: 00:31:54

That's what they said?

580

: 00:31:55

And the little girl saying,

I would say, Shazam!

581

: 00:31:57

He's here!

582

: 00:31:58

And it's just really, really sweet.

583

: 00:32:04

Jen: So true.

584

: 00:32:04

Aww.

585

: 00:32:08

Betsy: Unsolicited comments.

586

: 00:32:09

I love what you said.

587

: 00:32:10

Shazam, he's here.

588

: 00:32:11

teaching Sunday school one time.

589

: 00:32:13

This little girl, we asked her,

Jesus was going to Zacchaeus house

590

: 00:32:17

and we asked her, Jesus was coming

to your house what would you do?

591

: 00:32:22

and she raised her, hand right

away and said, I would decorate a

592

: 00:32:25

little bit and practice my bowing.

593

: 00:32:28

It was so

594

: 00:32:29

cute.

595

: 00:32:30

Just right

596

: 00:32:30

immediately.

597

: 00:32:32

She

598

: 00:32:33

Emily: her

599

: 00:32:33

heart!

600

: 00:32:35

Betsy: Yeah, a little five year old.

601

: 00:32:38

I always remember that.

602

: 00:32:40

just so sweet.

603

: 00:32:42

We hope that was inspiring

and not overwhelming.

604

: 00:32:45

I love to hear all the different

ways that people focus on Christ.

605

: 00:32:49

And the Christmas season.

606

: 00:32:50

And I hope you didn't do.

607

: 00:32:52

If you haven't heard the news in

trusted is having its best sale ever.

608

: 00:32:58

On the book for a couples

interested with the child's heart.

609

: 00:33:01

So often women have taken the

class and say, how do I get

610

: 00:33:06

this information to my husband?

611

: 00:33:08

Betsy and David wrote the book together

so that couples could read it at home

612

: 00:33:12

or that individuals could read it.

613

: 00:33:14

And.

614

: 00:33:15

It is on sale for $15.

615

: 00:33:18

On our entrusted ministries website,

that's www dot entrusted, ministries.com.

616

: 00:33:24

That is the lowest price ever.

617

: 00:33:26

And it'll be going through mid December

618

: 00:33:29

just to make sure you have time to get

that And Jen personally gives a copy

619

: 00:33:34

of entrusted at every baby shower.

620

: 00:33:36

She goes to.

621

: 00:33:37

We are also having the chart for

sale packets of the every day.

622

: 00:33:43

Before you say chart are

on sale for a limited time.

623

: 00:33:47

We have a limited amount.

624

: 00:33:49

And so we may sell out.

625

: 00:33:51

So I would say, get your

copy as soon as possible.

626

: 00:33:54

Those packs effort, $20 and

it includes 25, 11 by 17.

627

: 00:34:00

Copies with thick paper, so you

can decorate your own and get

628

: 00:34:05

that system down in your home.

629

: 00:34:07

I am so grateful to have

this on my fridge right now.

630

: 00:34:11

And my kids just love it.

631

: 00:34:13

Make sure you get your copy.

632

: 00:34:15

And maybe buy a pack for a friend.

633

: 00:34:17

it turns out to it.

634

: 00:34:18

It'll be a two year supply which works

out to less than a dollar a month.

635

: 00:34:23

As always, I'm going to encourage

you to support the ministry,

636

: 00:34:26

however, you may be able to whether

it's leaving a review, sending us a

637

: 00:34:30

comment, liking us on social media.

638

: 00:34:33

Are perhaps a year in a position

to bless the ministry financially.

639

: 00:34:38

Most of the work that we do

640

: 00:34:40

As provided for by donors who

just want to see God glorified

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: 00:34:44

in the family and in the church.

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: 00:34:46

It would be such a blessing if you

would consider becoming a monthly

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: 00:34:50

donor or giving a one-time donation.

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: 00:34:53

You can head to our

website to do that as well.

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: 00:34:57

And don't forget that we've got several

more Christmas episodes coming your way.

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: 00:35:01

So stay tuned.

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: 00:35:04

We know you're busy, Mama, so

we are truly grateful you joined

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: 00:35:07

us for this episode of Again.

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: 00:35:10

If you're looking for more information

about building your home on the

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: 00:35:13

foundation of Jesus Christ, head to www.

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: 00:35:16

EntrustedMinistries.

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: 00:35:19

com to learn more about our study for

moms, Entrusted with a Child's Heart.

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: 00:35:24

This scripture saturated study

has blessed families around the

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: 00:35:27

world, and we want it for you, too.

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: 00:35:29

Before you go, I want to pray

this benediction over you

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: 00:35:33

from 2 Thessalonians 1, 11 12.

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: 00:35:37

We're rooting for you.

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: 00:35:39

To this end, we always pray for you,

that our God may make you worthy of His

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: 00:35:44

calling, and may fulfill every resolve

for good, and every work of faith by

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: 00:35:50

His power, so that the name of our Lord

Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in

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: 00:35:56

Him, according to the grace of our God.

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: 00:35:59

And the Lord Jesus Christ.

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: 00:36:01

Amen.

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: 00:36:03

Until we meet again.