Winter Bucket Lists

 

 

 

Spending some time evaluating 2014 goals and setting new ones for 2015. One of the goals I had last year was to celebrate the Holidays and Seasons. I started creating these picture Bucket Lists to help simplify that process yet have a visual, tangible way to remember to create some fun yet simple memories.  I love that these lists are not so overwhelming (usually my to do list go on and on).  Some of the ideas are very simple – like put our winter pillows and blankets.  This simple act just invites the cooler weather. There is nothing like cuddling up in a warm, fuzzy blanket.

Here are some links to some of our previous

Picture Bucket Lists.

 

Autumn Bucket Lists

Thanksgiving Bucket List

Seasonal Bucket Lists

I was able to be faithful on half of the Season lists (Autumn & Winter). I also created lists for most of the holidays and we completed anywhere from 80-90% of the items on these lists.  I was happy with our progress this year and I want to continue with celebrating the holidays, via our Picture Bucket Lists, this coming year.  I will be making the rest of the Season Bucket Lists for 2015 and continuing to update and celebrate with the Holiday Bucket Lists.  Above is our Winter Bucket List and below are our New Years and Valentine Bucket lists. You can click on the pictures and it will enlarge the list so you can see it better.

         

I love being able to look back on the progress we have made and the memories we are creating. 

keeping special moments alive~

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Advent–Christmas

  For a child has been born—for us!
the gift of a son—for us!
He’ll take over
the running of the world.
His names will be:

Amazing Counselor,
Strong God,
Eternal Father,
Prince of Wholeness.

  the Message

 

   Today we light the Christ Candle       

It was not suddenly and unannounced that Jesus came into the world. He came into a world that had been prepared for Him.  The whole Old Testament is the story of a special preparation… only when all was ready, only in the fullness of His time,  did Jesus come.    ~Phillips Brooks

Some Bible scholars suggest there are more than 300 prophetic Scriptures completed in the life of Jesus, foretelling of his coming, his life and his redemption.

He did not come into the world as a last ditch effort -

For us – He was born

     For us this gift of life was given.

“If your gifts don’t give relief…   you don’t get real life”     -Ann Voskamp

The gift of wholeness was given – for us…    

and He is called -

                                     WONDERFUL

                                              MIGHTY

                                                    EVERLASTING

                                                                PEACE

Relief  – Redemption – Real Life  given…

           Completeness wrapped up and place before us -

 

 

 

We want to wish all of our family and friends – old and new,

a glorious Christmas and a New Year

filled with moments and memories that bring

hope, peace, joy & love -

    moments that bring life ~ 

It is an honor and a joy to have you in our lives~

David, Kathey, Nick, Brittaney, Alex, Aaron, Jonathan,

Audriona, Angelina & Shekinah

 

Receiving and Resting in the greatest gift given,

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Advent–Week 4

  

 

      For to us a child is born…

   and His name shall be called,

      Wonderful Counselor,

           Almighty God…

     The Everlasting Father,

    Prince of Peace.   Isaiah 9:6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week of  as we celebrate the Advent Season,

            we light the 4tht candle –

                                the candle of Love.

 

It was because of love that the Everlasting Father came to Earth to dwell with his creation. 

                                        To live as one with his handiwork. 

He did not come as the anticipated,  the expected King – but as a newborn baby.

Through the very ones he made – he chose to redeem his family line,

Through  a family lineage marked with cheaters and robbers and harlots and murders.

                     He chose to come -  to dwell  - to live with us,

  all because of love.

The Everlasting Father provided a way for restoration – for wholeness – for reconciliation…

With strife all around us  in this broken, hurting, missed up, confused world – 

                          a world  - speaking accusations

                 - seeking justices  –settling  for the last word.

                       a world   - yearning for a word of hope - 

hope comes…  all because of love -

love is always the politically correct reply – love is always the best word – love is always  best…

We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!   But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

Because the word became flesh – on Christmas morning…

                                         ultimate, extravagant love was born -  and love is  always the last word.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

May you receive the Everlasting Fathers gift of love, may you love extravagantly this season~

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Advent–Week 3

  

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given,

           and the government will be on his shoulder,

         and he will be called,

     Wonderful – Counselor,

   Mighty God,

       Everlasting Father,

  Prince of Peace,     Isaiah 9:6

 

 

 

 

                           This week we light the 3rd candle –

                                          the candle of Joy.

 

 

                 I love of the Jubilee Bible describes the coming of the Messiah as the -

   the Wonderful One, 

The Counselor,

The God,                 The Mighty One,

The Eternal Father,                         The Prince of Peace.

In the midst of a dark world -  The God came to earth

He came not as a king – but as a humble baby – one full of awe and wonder…

We just celebrated our 3rd child’s birthday – he was born 4 days before Christmas.

His due date was January 4th – but I wanted so deeply to have him with us in the flesh at Christmas.

I so anticipated his birth – so yearned to be able to hold him, to experience the Joy of  having  him with us.

And after 2 false labors –

God honored that desire and he was born in time for Christmas.  

There is such an awe and wonder that surrounds the birth of a baby.

     Such a fullness of Joy that comes over you,

When you look into their face – All seems right with the world.

As I reflect upon the birth of Jesus – the promised Messiah I ponder…

how most of the world… clouded by its own expectations,

             hardened  by its own perceptions,

                    darkened by its own preconceived notions – missed him – they did not know he had arrived.

but Mary & Joseph, the Shepherds, the Angels, the Magi all looked into that babies face and saw -

         The Promised One, The One Who Would Save,  The One who who was The Wonderful One…

The One Who would one day Counsel and console many.

  Simeon knew  -

he had been waiting and waiting for the promised one…

Simeon’s overwhelming reply,

when he first saw and held that baby -

“for my eyes have seen your salvation”

Simeon’s soul felt his worth.

This weary old man felt  the thrill of hope,

and for the world he would soon leave behind – he rejoiced,

knowing that a new and glorious time was coming -

for the Wonderful One  had now arrived.

 

 

May Joy and gladness overwhelm you as you look into the eyes of your savior~

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Advent–Week 2

 

 

 

    For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:       

        and his name will be called -                         

              Wonderful  Counselor, 

                             The Mighty God,

                                           The Everlasting Father,

                                                        The Prince of Peace.

 

 

 

 

  Week two of the Advent Season, we light the 2nd candle –

                       the candle of Peace.

As I reflected upon Advent this week and what it means to have peace. I was reminded of the story of Joseph and the example he set for us.

He learned, while in prison, in the midst of circumstances beyond his control, about a peace that is internal -

       the kind of peace that hushes the voices in ones mind,

              the kind of peace that soothes ones raging emotions,

                      the kind of peace that quiets the doubts and fears of ones choices,

                              the kind of peace that runs deep and quenches the soul,

  He learned that this kind of peace can only come  from a peace that is internal -  from a peace that is in us -

He learned that this kind of peace comes from experiencing and living in the external Prince of Peace

this kind of peace comes from  dwelling and resting in the presence of his very essence.

Jesus said,

    "I am leaving you with a gift-

                                      peace of mind and heart,  and the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give”

…and he shall be called the Prince of Peace.

Resting in Him~ the essence of peace-

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Advent–Week 1

 

     

    For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…

            his name shall be called -                         

                    Wonderful Counselor, 

                           The Mighty God,

                                      The  Everlasting Father,

                                               The Prince of Peace.

 

 

 

 

Each year as I celebrate Christmas – the Advent Season,  I am struck with the beauty of Isaiah 9:6.

    This prophecy – these words spoken by God to Isaiah for all people, told of this time that we celebrate.

                            This time that we remember the birth of Jesus.

Isaiah's ministry occurred at a critical time in Judah's history. These words  were spoken at a time in history were darkness was overshadowing nations –  darkness not unlike today. Yet in the midst of this darkness Isaiah spoke of a bright future –

  one who would bring good news,

          one who would   heal the broken,

                 one who would set the captives free,

                       one who would bring forth hope in the midst of unrest.

   Week one of the Advent Season, we light the 1st candle –

                       the candle of Hope.

Since the beginning  of time –The Mighty God, by the the mention of  a few mere words -

              through the spoken words, “Let there be light” – brought life and light  into existence.

Creation had been given a promise.  A promise  that there would always be light –

       that there would always be Hope. 

A hope that would be needed in times of darkness -

         darkness in the world,

                  darkness in communities,

                               darkness in  homes,

                                          darkness with in ourselves.  

A promise was spoken out-

“Watch for this: A girl who is presently a virgin will get pregnant. She’ll bear a son and name him Immanuel, God-With-Us.      ~ Isaiah 7:14

A promise spoken to all,

        a promise of Hope  -  and His name would be called…

                 God with Us.  

The mighty God would come and enter all those dark places bringing the much needed light of Hope. 

 

       This Advent Season, as we prepare our hearts…  

    may we allow places and spaces for the Mighty God -

                       Immanuel - to fill

                                  to dwell

                                          to rest in us.

 

Hope is a person - Resting in Him~

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Autumn Bucket Lists

Autumn is definitely  my favorite season with all the beautiful colors, crisp weather, shorter days leading to more comfy evenings wrapping up with fuzzy blankets and sweater weather, sipping apple cider and pumpkin spice lattes. Making endless meals of soups and casseroles for my family.  I love lists, creating lists and checking off list – It really is a passion of mine. Last year I started creating bucket lists to help celebrate the holidays and this year, I though I would take it a step further and create bucket lists for each of the four seasons along with each of the holidays.  I wanted them to be simple, yet visually appealing. I created a basic template – one that could easily be changed each year to try new projects.  The one on the left was our 2013 Fall Bucket List.  I took that same format to create my template. 

        Our 2013 Fall Bucket List                                            Our 2014 Autumn Bucket List

    I

Here are some of the items we have included on our Autumn/Fall Bucket Lists: You can click on the picture of the Bucket List to see an enlarged version of the list.

Here is our Halloween Picture Bucket List.

  

List with Trick or Treat option                     List with Book “Too Many Pumpkins”

Some of the items that we have completed are:

Hang Fall Decorations and Wreath

Make Candles out of Candy Corn

Make Owl Cupcakes

Make paper pumpkins

Make Dinner in a Pumpkin

Read Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White

Make Fall Pretzel Treats

Make Fall and Pumpkin Shaped Muffins ( Recipe)

Make Ghoulish Delight Dessert

Make Peeps Hot Chocolate ( Recipe)

Make Candy Corn Fruit or Jello Cups (Recipe)

We love finding fun and simple ways to celebrate the seasons of life and those special days of celebration.  Having Bucket Lists helps to focus on these special memory making moments.

~Enjoying Autumn

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Merry Christmas - 2013

Christmas 2013

This year we have had the privilege and blessing of celebrating Christmas in our new house. 

                     When we moved into our house, the Lord gave me this word… Peaceful Dwelling

My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.

                                                                                      Isaiah 32:18

The word peaceful comes from the Hebrew word shalam

it means:  completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

1. completeness (in number)

2. safety, soundness (in body)

3. welfare, health, prosperity

4. peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment

5. peace, friendship

   1. of human relationships

   2. with God especially in covenant relationship

God made a covenant relationship with us…

          one of PEACE…  one of completeness…  one of safety…  one that would restore us to Him

one that would make us whole, one the would compensate for our lacking's… 

one that would  make an end to our unrest…       our searching…

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.      Isaiah 9:6-7

He will be called Prince of Peace…   of the greatness of His peace there will be no end…

peace came to us as a child,  a son…   one who would establish and uphold justice and righteousness…

one who would uphold us…   a person full of grace and peace…   so that our peace would be full…

Peace…    Peaceful Dwelling… 

                   My people will live in peaceful dwelling places…

The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.

                        because that peace….   that peaceful dwelling place is JESUS…

May your Christmas be one of PEACE,

Merry Christmas from the Chellsen Clan

David, Kathey, Nick, Brittaney, Alex, Aaron, Jonathan, Audriona, Angelina & Shekinah

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Stones of Remembrance

    Stones of Remembrance



In our front yard is this awesome, wonderful tree…

    that the Lord has been using to speak words of hope…

               words of promises fulfilled...
                         words of love…

   that simple say “I am listening…  I remember”

He hears and remembers every prayer…   every word spoken...    every word sent up to Him.

and…

around this tree…  this tree of life…      are 12 bricks…     
 
12 bricks that have become memorial stones of remembrance…

Joshua 4: 4 When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, ² “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, ³ and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” ⁴ Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. ⁵ And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, ⁶ that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ ⁷ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”
⁸ And the people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, just as the Lord told Joshua. And they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged and laid them down there. ⁹ And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.

Joshua 4:20-22
And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground."

12 stones that are a visual reminder of God’s love…
                of His provision…
                      of Him opening the way for us to cross…
                                  onto solid ground…
                                             into  His promises for us.

Stones of remembrance~


As a visual reminder…
we each took one brick…  
              one stone
   
and wrote our name on it.
because...
     He calls us all by name. 


We took our stone of remembrance…  
and gave Him praise…   thanks…  

for all He has done for us this year.

we flipped that heavy brick over weighted down with blessings - and wrote one  “hard thanks”…   


one area in our life that we struggle with giving thanks for…

Why?

           because giving thanks in all things is what He asks us to do…

                    and when we can give thanks in the hard things… 

we open His flood gates of heaven…
                                turning the hard things into praises… seeing the blessing…

                                                 a sacrifice of praise.

He becomes the cornerstone…    the center of all things…   
   in our life…  

     easy Thanks...
no brainer Thanks...   
   and those messy,

     hard Thanks…  

       

He becomes the beginning and the end...  
              Our starting and finishing place…
                                              Our Chief Cornerstone

reminding us that…

God is building a home.
 
He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using us, fitting us brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together.

We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.  Ephesians 2: 20-22



We can also "set up stones of remembrance” symbolizing times in our lives when God gave healing, perseverance, protection or encouragement—times when we were especially aware of God’s faithfulness.

Possibilities:

• Make a quilt with squares symbolizing "faith events."
• Create a display of items on a shelf as reminders.
• Draw, paint, or craft a collage.
• Decorate actual stones in your garden.
• Write your faith stories, tie them with a ribbon, and put them in a special box or bottle. (Then read them on special occasions.)

building stones…    of remembrance~ Pin It

The Giving Tree

 

For the past handful of years we have tried to find ways to give our Christmas away. To give instead of receive, to cultivate the habit of giving instead of receiving. This year we wanted to tie in our Devotion tree to our Giving, as a symbol or reminder of Christ – the true gift, to the gift given in His name. Our Devotion tree will be transformed into our Giving Tree for the season as we celebrate Him… His birth… God’s gift to us…

During the weeks leading up to Christmas – the celebration of His birth we will be reading from The Giving Tree Devotional, placing the ornament of His name on our Giving Tree… a reminder of who He is and reflect on Him as the gift… the giver, the one whose name means… anointed one… the one who was given to all mankind… the who was poured out for us. After taking time to prepare our hearts by receiving Him, we will become the gift by completing and giving the suggested gift in the Devotion, in His name…

He doesn’t give us gifts for our gain because a gift can never stop being a gift—

                     it is always meant to be given.” (from One Thousand Gifts)

The devotional has been  adopted from Worthy of the Prize. 

I have created a download PDF File with The Giving Tree Devotion

and The Giving Tree Devotional Journal and Ornaments

  

We print our ornaments on the back of Christmas Colored Scrapbook paper. I will be posting pictures later this week of our devotion tree, basket and the ornaments made.  You can check out other Devotions we have done using our Devotion Tree here:

Thanksgiving Devotion Tree

Pictures of our Devotion Tree and Basket

Here is an insert from Day 1:

The Giver: I am Emmanuel …

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Emmanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

Emmanuel happens to be one of my favorite names of Jesus, particularly at Christmastime. It means, "God with us." And that is exactly what Christmas is all about, the very essence of the season itself. The Son of God did not have to step down from his throne in Heaven, but He did it to save us (Philippians 2:5-8).

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

(Matthew 1:21)

The Gift: Make Nativity Ornaments for Elderly – Visit Convalescent Home

This ornament just needs wood clothes pins, twine, glue, craft wire and a saw. Check your local craft store for wood stars and you'll have everything you need to make these "nativity" ornaments! Glue the "Mary" and "Joseph" clothespins next to each other, tie some twine around the "baby Jesus" clothespin and glue him to "Mary's" "arms", add the star with a bit of craft wire, make a hanging loop from twine, glue together.

Share the gift of Emmanuel with the lonely … give them a reminder that God is with them.

We will also be taking pictures and recording our journey in an 8 x 8 scrapbook.

The Giving Tree

Giving CHRISTmas Away

Hear Jesus whispering it…

“When you give to the least of these — you give to Me.”

 

Giving to the one who is CHRISTmas

A Season of Giving Christ away…

­­­­­Cultivating the habit of giving-

Developing a life of giving…

Looking forward to growing and giving~

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Celebrating Thanksgiving

  Thanksgiving Bucket List

This is our Thanksgiving Bucket List.   I shared about wanting a fun way to celebrate the seasons and the holidays with Bucket Lists.  We made a new bucket list for Thanksgiving, after completing our Autumn Bucket List.  We have half of the items on the list completed.  We will be doing the Thanksgiving Tree Devotion this week and next (before we move into our Advent season.  We have completed the Thanksgiving Menu, The Subway Art the Thanksgiving Banner, and the Operation Christmas Child Shoe Boxes.  We are making the rolls for dinner on Thanksgiving Day and the reading our favorite Christmas Book, A Turkey for Thanksgiving.  My giving son loves this book (loved hearing it when he was a child) and reads it to the three silly sisters each year now.

As I am reflecting on some past thoughts of Thanksgiving. I am reminded of how important it is to not only give thanks but to live thanks.

Thanksgiving Reflections

Thanksgiving

Give Thanks

      

I love these two quotes.   They go beyond the words of Thanks…

Giving Thanks each and every day, not just on Thanksgiving, invites …

                                 cultivates an attitude of thanks living, but I do not want it to stop there…

        I want that attitude of Thanksgiving - of Thanks-living to  not only be a noun, (a state of being)
                      
                         but to be a verb,  expressed in action and service… 

                                        an expression a love and grace to those around me.

Living out those words of thanks in action~
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Too Many Pumpkins– paper Pumpkin Patch

We have had our own version of too many pumpkins around here…

                    

We got a little obsessive about making our own paper pumpkin patch.

Here are the directions for making these:

  Version 1

   Version 2

      Version 3

 

  Version 4

  Version 5

These are all easy to make and take little supplies.  Be careful…   they are addicting to make.

Happy Fall~

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