Worship into the Week-Give Thanks and Be Ready

Worship into the Week

December 30, 2018

Luke 2:30-31

"My eyes have seen your Salvation

 that you have prepared

 in the presence of ALL people."
The story of Simeon and Anna-
and the fulfillment of waiting.

New Year Eve's

December 31, 2018

Keep your lamps burning, 

keep watch and be ready

 for the Son of Man is Coming soon!
And blessed are those servants
 who have kept watch!
Finishing out the year of 2018-
 full of blessings among the challenges.
He is faithful.
Welcome to 2019!
  

Scripture Doodles- December

Finishing up the year- 2018 

with Tiny Scripture Doodles.

They go with the Portals of Prayers devotions.

Concordia Publishing House supplied the calendar.

This month of December

 had a definite HOPE theme.

It was fun because I know the author

 of this month's devotions-

Rev. David Stecholz.

My devotions are formatted to fit a Traveler's journal 

so the calendar page is cut into thirds

 and put on a two page layout 

and one more page to make it fit.

I choose 4 colored pencils for the month.

 It fits in my backpack for traveling

 and works well to pull out in a car, 

airplane or the airport.

That makes it very user friendly. 

I keep the colored pencils and Fine-point Sharpie

 in a zipper pouch right in the journal carrier.

So the evaluation for this experiment

 that I started in the month of August?

It stays for 2019.

 I have my journal prepped for 2019- Jan- April.

Calendar pages provided by 

Concordia  Publishing House.
Here they are- Jan-April 2019
CPH calendar pages
Thanks to Elizabeth Pittman for sharing 
and uploading the Files 
in the Visual Faith Ministry FB group.
The devotions this month were written by 
Rev. David Stechholtz of Livonia, Michigan.

Best Nine- Grandloves

 The Best NINE for 2018

 for the Grandloves.

Oldest to Youngest.

Mr. Griffin 

 Mr. Levi

Mr. Jack

Mr. Gordon

 Mr. Isaiah

Mr. Charlie

So blessed by this bunch.

True joy.

Thank you Lord.

Gordon is Two

Yes, this guy.

 ON the counter 

and would take apart 

the coffee pot if you let him.

"I fic it."  (fix)

Seriously, into putting things together.

Big Brother Griffin helped 

with finishing up the cupcakes.

Frosting and sprinkles?

Oh yea.

A balloon wreath centerpiece

 and a favorite car made up 

the rest of the party finishes.

 Aunt Sara and Levi helped with the meal prep.

Levi was supervisor.

 Time to blow out some candles.

Open some gifts-

a guitar and a Duplo set.

 A sweet little guy and his daddy.

  The Schu family celebrating.

 After dinner fun playing-

 Greedy Granny.

How wonderful to celebrate 

Mr. Gordon as TWO.

Soul- Tending Reading List 2018

The Reading Stack for 2018-

Soul-Tending Reading

Much to learn, think about, piece together,

and synthesize.

Still reading a lot about technology

 and spiritual formation.

The connection of Faith to Social Media

 and faith development.

Prayer, missional communities,

worship, raising Faith-filled children-

all reading topics for this year.

Always looking for new books 

to enhance the spiritual pilgrimages we lead to Israel.

Next trip coming up is Dec 2019.

I always have my mysteries and other books too,

 but love

setting up my stack of soul-tending books

 to read for 2019.

What are you gonna read?

Christmas 2018

+ Snippets of Christmas 2018+

Beautiful flowers from John. 

The big pine cone on the ironstone platter.

The Traveling Wisemen 

and seeing where they would wonder around.

 The Wilson crew- Sara and Joshua 

with Levi and Isaiah.

Laura and Joshua

with Griffin and Gordon.

Missing part of our family-

who are with their Minnesota loves this year.

Christmas Day Worship 

with the Schumacher Clan.

Celebrating with 4 of the Grandlove boys

 here in Virginia.

We sang hymns before gift opening.

We had fun meals together.
Using paper plates this year
 with the sink on the blink.

The garbage disposal quit working-
and thus the sink.
  We were out of a kitchen sink 
till the stores opened up on the 26th.
John had plenty of helpers.

Papa found matching hats with blinking lights.
Cute even when they are turned off.
Or not worn at all.

 Grabbing Hawaiian vistas

 shared by Jess and Dan.
Though it may not be calm in the house this year-
it certainly is BRIGHT.

I loved hanging out in Canton, Michigan

 the week before Christmas 

with Jack and Charlie

 while mom and dad traveled to Hawaii

 with the CUAA men's basketball team.

You can tell that the boys are back in town.

Though we miss these two little guys-
we know they are very blessed
 with their Minnesota family.

The lovely reminder that the cross and Jesus
 is the center of all the Christmas celebrations
 for this family.
We give thanks!

2018 Advent Calendars

 Advent 2018 Calendars

Using the Patricia Maier Design

 from Visual Faith Ministry
advent-calendar-2018
Used the Henri J.M. Nouwen Devotional- 
The Father's Love
This simple way of adding one word or phrase a day-
helps to keep me focused, centered, and in HIS WORD.

I choose 4 colored pencils to use for the month

 with my fine-point Sharpie marker.

For Advent this year I also used the 

Advent Calendar design by Bev Wicher.

Also from Visual Faith Ministry.
2018-advent-calendar-by-bev-wicher
I used this design to spend specific prayer time
 for people on my prayer list.
Once again- 4 colored pencils for the month.
I find that this simple practice
 allows me to recall them to my mind
 throughout the day and thus lift them in prayer.
The Lord has blessed this way
 to color and pray- for ME.

Christmas Day 2018

 Devotions for Christmas

Using the Visual Church Year Project
luke-2:18-christmas-day

The Life was the Light

john-1:4-5-christmas-day

Worship into the Week

Christmas Blessings!

Supplies;

Printables from the Visual Church Year-

Lectionary C

Colored pencils

Junk Mail

Magazine cut outs

Christmas Eve 2018

             Christmas Eve 2018

The Visual Church Year Resources
Matthew 1:18-25


Where Christmas Shines Brightest
because Jesus comes
to the world for me and for YOU
this Christmas Eve.


Supplies:
Visual Church Year printables
matthew-1:18-25
christmas-eve-2018
Christmas Greeting card
Junk Mail
Used Christmas stamp
Colored pencils

Advent 4- Joy to the World

Advent 4- Joy to the World

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women,and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

There is so much I love in this section of Scripture. 

The importance of family and the cousins- Mary and Elizabeth.  

We don't really know much about how they were related.

Those details must not enhance the story.

 Mary had recently had a rough patch of days when the word got out

 about her pregnancy and she was yet unmarried. 

Sometimes it is good to be in the warmth of the unconditional love of family. 

Elizabeth was living out her own unlikely pregnancy.

 I am sure they had much to talk about

 when they finally got together. 

But. the amazing affirmation of supernatural 

was the "silent conversation" between mother to be- Mary 

and Elizabeth's babe in the womb.

The Messiah has come!

In these last hours of Advent, it is good to be reminded that 

Joy to the World has certainly come.

Let us be surprised by Joy- 

and not fall into the jaded repetition of tradition only.

May we receive this gift, 

and acknowledge that HE is the one

 who has overcome the world.

Pax Domini-

 Peace of the Lord to you!

Supplies:

 Printable resources from the Visual Church Year-
visual-church-year

Gelato

Colored Pencils 

Washi Tape 

Junk mail and household magazines

Enduring Word Bible- Ah, Dearest Jesus

Enduring Word Bible- #37

Matthew 1:18-25
The Birth of Jesus is told rather simply
 in the account of Matthew.
This section is more the story
 from the viewpoint of Joseph.
The defeat and blow to hear
 that Mary was pregnant,
and he knew he wasn't the father.
Culturally- this was devastating news.
And then the supernatural intervention
 of a visit from an angel.
Things were following a normal path
 for this engaged to be married couple.
But, the obedience of Joseph 
clearly showed the kind of father
 he was going to be to Jesus.
And he named his son Jesus-
 just as the angel told him to do.

This margin has the words from a favorite
 Christmas hymn written by Martin Luther.

It was written in 1535 by Luther
 and translated by Catherine Winkworth in 1855.
These words are from the longer hymn-
 From Heaven Above to Earth I come.
It is #85 in The Lutheran Hymnal.
Here are 3 stanzas from that hymn.

Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child,

Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled

Within my heart, that it may be

A quiet chamber kept for Thee.

My heart for very joy doth leap,

My lips no more can silence keep;

I, too, must sing with joyful tongue

That sweetest ancient cradle song.

Glory to God in highest Heaven,

Who unto man His Son hath given;

While angels sing with tender mirth,

A glad new year to all the earth.

Supplies:

Pat Maier Margin

Colored pencils

  Magazine page

Advent 3-Good News

Advent 3- Good News

Luke 7:22-23

Worship into the Week-

This story has hope and good news.

There is the unbelievable

 and the unexpected.
The disciples of John the Baptist 
had been seeing Jesus perform many miracles.
  There was much to report back to John.
It was not normal days
 around Nain and the Galilee.
The dead were coming back to life.
Yes- just Good News all around.
And on the week we light a pink Advent candle,
we are reminded that when Jesus is in the house-
 It is Good News all around.

Supplies-
Printables from the Visual Church Year-
www.visualfaithmin.org
Household junk mail 
Colored pencils

Bible Marginalia- Traveling Wisemen

Bible Marginalia- #299

Matthew 2:10

Focusing a bit on the journey right now.

Traveling... on the way to Bethlehem.

Joining in with Chelsea Wojcik and her book

The Traveling Wisemen.

Getting ready for Christmas

 is always a movement of the heart.

Thinking about those men of old-

who rejoiced exceedingly with great JOY.
Chelsea was recently 
sharing about her book on Instagram-
check out @travelingwisemen.
She asked who might join in the fun-
and I was in.
She sent a page right from her book
 and that went right into
my Interleaved Journaling bible.
You have a full page in this Bible and
that was just the right space.
this is similar to mine:
Journaling-Bible-Interleaved

As I continue to move through Advent,
 I pray that my days are woven 
with exceedingly great Joy.
In the midst of the busy and the hustle
 and the "getting ready,"
may there also be rejoicing.

Perhaps the Traveling Wisemen
 is in contrast to all the drama of the Elf on the Shelf,
 Though that can be very fun, is that the 
Main Thing for the Main Thing of Christmas?
Finding the "journey spots" can be just as fun
 for your household as with the Wisemen.
Maybe your family is ready to add
 in this very good thing-
 for your Advent preparations.

Check out the book right here:
Traveling-Wise-Men-Christmas-ADVENTure

Advent 2- Prepare the Way

Advent Two
 Luke 3
Prepare the Way of the Lord

The story of John the Baptist as the way-maker.
Calling out to those who long for a changed world.
And John tells about the one who changes eternity.
Changing the world and our lives now.
That's a promise.
He will baptize You 
with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Worship into the week.
Using Worship into the week resources 
from the Visual Church Year project.
childrens-bulletin-Luke-3

sermon-worship-notes- Luke 3
from Visual Faith Ministry.

Other Resources:
Household junk mail

Enduring Word Bible- A Righteous Branch

Enduring Word Bible - #36

Jeremiah 33:15
Advent Week One.

A righteous branch will spring up.

Part of the Lord's eternal convenant with David.

 The hope and promise of the plan

 worked out for Israel and for all of us.

Printed margin from: 
sermon-worship-notes-jeremiah-3313

Luke 21:28
" Now when these things begin to take place,
 straighten up and raise your heads,
 because your redemption is drawing near."
Sermon notes- Posture, Promise and Presence.

I added some of the rest of the printables

 in my Worship into the Week journal.
childrens-bulletin- Dec 2
I can hear my dad's voice saying-"straighten up."
Think it was also used with my own children.
And here in Luke- 
Jesus used these words as he tried to help
 His disciples makes sense of His second coming.
And for the beginning of our Advent---
I move in with straighten up, raise your head,
God has a plan, your redemption is drawing near,
watch yourselves.

Supplies:
Visual Faith Ministry printables
assorted junk mail
vintage papers