Day 3

Have you decorated your home yet for Christmas? If you have, you are a step ahead of our family this year. We aren't even going to get our tree until Sunday! I can't wait!!! I love decorating the tree while listening and singing along to our favorite Christmas songs. Ever since I was a wee little one, the first song we play when the tree goes up is Barbara Streisand's version of "Jingle Bells"! If you haven't heard it before... fasten your seat belt and prepare to... well... laugh at me, probably! You can listen to it here if you want to take a trip to the 1960's. 

Anyway, back to decorating... Today, I am going to challenge you to follow a pattern, decorate, and examine your heart! Can someone say, snowflakes? Wait..., what? It had been a long time since I had cut a snowflake out of folded paper, so I ran into some challenges before I finally went online to find a template. Once I had the template it was a breeze. It's amazing how instruction, better yet, detailed instruction can help guide us.... even if it is just cutting out snowflakes. So today, have fun decorating with some cut out snowflakes (you can always use your creativity here and of course let the kiddos make their own unique snowflakes). As you follow the pattern of the snowflake, consider God's detailed instruction, in Exodus 25, to the people of Israel to decorate the tabernacle. 

Personally, I love how the chapter begins in verse 1-2 "The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them." As you hang up your snowflakes, examine your Christmas decorations and how they signify your relationship with Jesus. Are our hearts moved to offer everything we have to Him? Are we moved to offer those things that are most sacred to us? God prefaced His instruction, in Exodus, of what would be accepted based on the condition of their hearts. He then gives detailed blueprints as to how to decorate. To conclude the chapter, God stresses the importance of remaining in accordance to the "pattern" shown to them. Just like staying within the pattern of the snowflake, God has given us the ultimate blueprint for our lives through His living Word! His word is something we should always have with us to help us navigate through life. After you hang them somewhere in your home, I hope each time you see your snowflakes, they are a reminder to you of the well thought out detail God has for your life, and the instruction manual He has given us. 

Here's how some of mine turned out!

Today, the cheer is for you, given through God and his amazing love!