Advent: Making Room in the Inn

Each year we try to pay more attention to Advent and not focus so much on Christmas, until it's actually Christmas!  Making more time and more room in our hearts for Jesus. 

Each year I'm more convinced that less is more.  It works better for us to add a few simple things to our routine rather than elaborate things that we start and never finish.  The simple acts that work for us are adding in an extra decade of the rosary, the Advent calendar, the Advent wreath, and the Jesse Tree.  We did add in one activity this year, we had the kids draw a prayer buddy for the Advent season.

Jonah made up a slip of paper with the kids names on each one, and then they each drew a slip of paper.  The point isn't to do anything elaborate for that sibling during Advent, but simply get into the habit of praying for a sibling.  

Our school routine becomes more simple during Advent, I have written in the past about how we homeschool through the holidays.  This year we are schooling a bit more into December because we are taking a family vacation at the end of December and into January.

We have also made a list of some areas of our home that contain too much clutter.  Cleaning out some physical space usually helps clear out mental space and therefore spiritual space.  I feel more at peace when my space is somewhat orderly.  So far we have gone through our family closet and gotten rid of 2+ garbage bags of clothes.  The kids have gone through and organized and de-cluttered their rooms.  We have a few other "hot spots" to tackle in the next couple of weeks.  Christmas is less than two weeks away!

A few well chosen devotions and clearing the physical clutter leaves time and space in which to welcome the most important person to our Christmas celebration.

Great minds think alike, Tiffany and I were on the same wavelength this week!  Please go check out her post about Advent.

I love this idea that Jennifer had for her Advent Tree, so beautiful.

Happy Advent!