Day 6: Hot Chocolate!

Today was a challenge.

For some people Saturday is a day of rest. A day of lazing about doing whatever you like. Or nothing, if you like. If this is you, you are blessed!

Our Saturdays are kind of hectic.

• We do some cleaning in the morning; things we cannot necessarily get to during the week (laundry, futons).
• We try to get to the library by 10:30 or 11:00 (sometimes there is storytime).
• In the afternoon Dan will teach 1 or 2 English classes at Starbucks.
• Then it's a quick dinner before Japanese Choir practice at 6:00.
• Finally a rush to clean up for Debe's English class (at our home) at 8:00.

On this particular day, Debe's class was cancelled, however, Dan was filling in for Andrew (Bible Study).

Since the schedule gets kind of tight we decided to do something that was, well, do-able.


A cup of hot chocolate at Starbucks it was!

Day 5: Fruits and Veggies

Today's activity was to "Watch a Christmas Movie."


We decided on Veggietales.

We were able to borrow a DVD that had 2 Christmas stories on it.

We also splurged on some fresh fruit.
Hey, when it costs a buck and a half or two dollars, you can't get apples all the time.
It was a nice evening.

Day 4: The Manger

Today was about the manger. We have this manger ornament.




We thought we would mention the "True Reason" for Christmas before decorating the tree.

Well, this year Mika was able to help decorate. It was a lot of fun!

Day 3: The Angel

We've always had an angel for our tree topper.


So tonight we talked about what angels are: messengers of God.


Of course, it was an angel that announced the birth of Christ.

We talked about the different ways that God speaks to us (prayer, the Bible, through others).

Day 2：光 (Light)

Day 2:
２番の日：

Uh oh, trouble on day 2.
Mika was not cooperating.
美花は協力しません！

The girls are supposed to take turns moving the snowman and taking cards.
娘達が交替でカレンダーをします。


Fortunately the understudy was ready to step in and take over.


Well, Day 2 was "Lights", meaning put the lights on the tree.
今日は光です。

We discussed how Jesus is the "Light of the world." How the world can be a very dark, unhappy place at times. Jesus, being the light, gives us all hope. He also wants us to be lights in the world.
イエスは世界の光です。　世界がとても闇の所です。
私達がイエスの光のために望みを受けます。　

Day 1: The Tree

Well, this being the first day, we introduced the idea of a calendar (and days and months) to Emi and Mika.
最初の日はカレンダーを説明します。

Emi knows that the days have names thanks to the "Days of the week" song.
恵美も日の名前を分かりました。

She also knows that her birthday is in December. I think she suspects this is all for her...
１２月で恵美の誕生日も分かります。　たぶん、クリスマスの祝いは「全部は私のために」恵美と思います。

Nah, just kidding, she knows that Jesus also has a birthday (observed) in December.
ちがいます、冗談です。　イエスの誕生日分かりました。

Well the first card instructed us to "Set up Tree".
第一のカードは　「クリスマスツリーを立てます」を指図しました。

This was not a surprise, since we had written the cards.
不思議じゃなかった。　私達はカードを書いた。


Setting up the tree was quick and easy; it was tempting to decorate it.
クリスマスツリーの立てるは簡単です。　もっとを飾りしたい。

However, today was to focus on just the tree.
しかし、今日は木だけです。

As a symbol of "life", since evergreens stay green all year long.
木が命の象徴します。　常緑樹はいつもみどりです。

So the tree is a reminder of life -- the life that God gives us, first physically and then spiritually as well.
クリスマスツリーは命思い出した。　
物質界の命は神様を貰いました。永遠の命も。

The 12, ur, make that 24 Days of Christmas!

I have always wanted to have/do an advent calendar. Maybe it is the German blood in me.

However, although we seem to talk about it every year, we still have never had/done one.

Well not this year! It's time to stop procrastinating and just do it already.

Instead of chocolates or pictures though, we decided to have 24 "events."

The 24 stockings each hold a piece of paper... whatever could be written on them?

We'll try to do a quick post each day!