I found a new perspective this week just by putting my hands in dirt.

My friend, Christine, came over to help me plant bulbs. I have wanted daffodils and tulips in my front yard for years but, as with so many things in life, those require planning ahead. If one wants daffodils in spring, one must plant bulbs in the fall. So, this year, we planted bulbs with the wild expectation that they will produce bright colors during the blandest part of the year. This was a rebellious act on my part. In my conversation with Marissa about survivorship, I shared that since my surgery, it is difficult for me to get excited about future events. Who am I too think I will still be here in the spring to enjoy the fruit of my labor? Planting bulbs was my way of pushing Fear to the side and choosing to look at my future through the lens of hope.

Have you experienced the kind of shift that comes from choosing to look at your circumstances with a new perspective?

As we head into the busiest time of year, I want to head into it with a different perspective. We hear often about slowing down and savoring the season for what it truly is, a celebration of God with us, Immanuel. But how? How do we savor something we have tasted for years or decades of years? I think, we do it by finding a new perspective. Just seeing it from a different perspective makes it fresh in a whole new way.

When Chris and I brought our Littles home from Ethiopia, they had never experienced Christmas before. Even though they were 2 and 4 years old, it was their first time putting up a tree, their first time singing carols and their first time hearing the story of Light entering the darkness. In ways that surprised me, it felt like I was experiencing Christmas for the first time too. I want to keep that feeling if I can. I want to look for a new perspective this Advent season.

And so, I am grateful that my friend Shauna wrote a new Advent book, Remarkable Advent. Her retellings of familiar Biblical stories always feel like hearing the story anew. They give me perspectives I had not seen or thought of. I am looking forward to reading these stories with my children this year, giving us all a new perspective on a beautiful but familiar story.

Below, you will find my official book review of Remarkable Advent.

But first, I want to share with you my Top 5 Favorite Advent Activities.

My TOP 5 FAVORITE ADVENT ACTIVITIES

This list is for you, friend. I made it because I remember when I needed advent ideas and could have used a list like this.

When we were first married, we lived in Texas, FAR from home. For the first time, it was our responsibility to “make Christmas happen,” and honestly, I had no idea how to do that. Growing up, my family had a few traditions like making a paper chain to countdown to Christmas. We opened one present on Christmas Eve. We often went to Christmas Eve services at church where we lit real candles with little paper rings to catch the dripping wax. On Christmas morning, we opened presents in pajamas and meandered our way to Grandma’s house to play with cousins. At least, that’s what we did when I was a child. Over the years, we did some but not all of the above. As newlyweds, Chris and I had to decide what our Christmas traditions would be, especially since we couldn’t join our families for the traditions that led up to Christmas Day. Looking back, I’d say we fumbled our way through those first few years. Then, we had a baby and the nesting urge hit strong. I wanted traditions and it was serious. I just didn’t know where to start.

Are you looking to start an Advent tradition?

During my unexpected health crisis, our traditions had to shift. I’m so thankful for the friend who put up our Christmas tree last year so we could keep our tradition of hanging ornaments together as a family. True, instead of helping hang ornaments I sat and watched (eh-hem, directed), which is how we shifted and went on. Sometimes we start anew. Sometimes we shift. I understand.

Are you in a place where your traditions need to shift?

If you are looking for advent tradition ideas, be it new ones or shifting ones, this list is for you. Consider it my Christmas gift to you.

1. Christmas Countdown Candle (ages 0-100 yrs old) - We started this tradition when my oldest was in kindergarten. You can buy these candles but it’s much cheaper (and extremely easy) to make one yourself. I even made instructions for you… click the button below. Light your candle each night during your advent reading or while you sing a Christmas carol. When our children were very little, we lit the candle and read a short Christmas bedtime story. Some of my favorites are still: Room for a Little One, The Tale of Three Trees, and The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey. The kids still look forward to this tradition, so I need to buy a candle soon.
   

2. Truth in the Tinsel (ages 2-6 years old) - This craft-driven activity can be bought as an eBook so you only have to download and print the coloring pages. Hint: Are you reading this on December 1st and you still need an activity? … GO download Truth in the Tinsel now and no-one will know. :) You could simplify this activity by ONLY coloring the ornaments, but the suggested activities often included more art supplies. My artsy kid loved that! Each day, I read a bit of scripture while they colored, glued, glittered, etc. This one can take a little longer, so it may be difficult on a busy school night to get it done. We often started while I was making dinner to give them extra time to finish the coloring. I cut a tall Christmas Tree out of green construction paper and taped it to the wall. The kids added their ornaments each day.
   

3. The Advent Event (ages 2-6 years or a little older) - This is another printable advent activity that involved coloring. I liked the simplicity of this activity. We tied our paper ornaments onto a string that spread across our dining room so it was easy to see the events that led to Christ’s birth lined up in chronological order. I especially love that this advent activity shows how the birth of Jesus was foretold from the very beginning of time. This one definitely shows the scarlet thread that is woven throughout scripture. The artwork by Janet Wylie is superb. This was our first advent activity and is still one of my favorites.
   

4. Jotham’s Journey (8-12 years old) - This is a completely fictional story about a Jewish boy who gets separated from his family. His journey back to his family has him run across some good characters and some bad characters and along the way he meets the Baby Jesus. It is a wonderfully imaginative story and really makes you feel you are in first-century Jerusalem. Read one chapter each night and many of the chapters end with a cliffhanger so this advent activity had my kids begging me to read. However, many of the chapters were long so, plan ahead. There are four books in this series so if you love it, you could potentially be set for four years of advents. Hint: The author wrote a similar story that leads up to Easter. Warning: Some stories are scary so it would not be appropriate for very young children. I would even caution a parent of a sensitive 8-10 year old.
   

5. Remarkable Advent (all ages) - Ok, we haven’t read it yet, but I’ve read the first few days and I already know, this will be a favorite.

Book Review: Remarkable Advent

Shauna Letellier, author of Remarkable Hope, which I shared with you earlier this year, just released her newest book, Remarkable Advent. I bought it and here’s why.

My kids have outgrown the advent activities and books I have used for the past ten years. What I need this year is:

• something story-driven

• something that can be read aloud even on busy school nights (ie. not too long)

• something that will bring the Christmas story to us in a new way, giving us a new perspective

In Remarkable Advent, Shauna tells the Christmas story blanketed in imagination but with gentle care given to historical and biblical accuracy. In 25 devotional readings, each just 4-5 pages, we will visit each of the main characters on the path to the birth of our Savior. Shauna’s stories always start with a scriptural reading, then an imaginative reading, and then a short prayer. Just the right stories with just the right pacing. Perfect.

You can buy Remarkable Advent now and be ready for the first day of Advent. Check it off your list, friend. Check it off.

What are your favorite advent traditions?

*Some of the links to these resources are affiliate links. Just so you know. :)

Would you like to make your own Christmas Countdown Candle? I made EASY DIY Instructions just for you. It’s so easy!

For more book reviews and encouragement and a playlist to boot…