The Suede Sofa Blog

Day 8 – Advent Calendar

Advent Day #8 – Put a surprise voucher in the Advent Calendar that says, “Cash this surprise in after dark and after you have your pajamas on.” When its time to cash in the voucher, load up the family in the car (yes, in their pajamas!), grab some hot cocoa and candy canes, and drive around looking at lights. {This is something Robynn did with her dad (minus the pajamas) as an adult, except with cappuccino, so feel to stop by the convenience store for your favorite warm drink!}

{You may choose to simplify the process big-time and do something as easy as pick one person a day from now ’til Christmas and pray for them. It doesn’t need to be time-consuming, stressful, or cost you anything. Do what works for you and enjoy the season with the ones you love!!}

Alternate Activity: Strike up a pleasant conversation with a stranger (such as a clerk, mailman, or crossing guard) and when you finish the conversation, tell them to have a wonderful day/Christmas/etc with a big smile.

Day 7 – Advent Calendar

Advent Day #7 – Put movie tickets in your Advent Calendar. It could either be real tickets to a movie threater or handmade tickets to watch a family favorite such as “Frosty the Snowman”, “Polar Express”, or “It’s a Wonderful Life”. If you don’t have children or are single, you get to pick your favorite!!

{You may choose to simplify the process big-time and do something as easy as pick one person a day from now to Christmas and pray for them. It doesn’t need to be time-consuming, stressful, or cost you anything. Do what works for you and enjoy the season with the ones you love!!}

Alternative Activity: At night sit with only the Christmas lights on and gaze at the Christmas Tree while you reflect on the blessings you have in your life.

Day 6 – Advent Calendar

Advent Day #6 – Sleep by the Christmas Tree.

Alternate Activity: Pray for God’s blessing on someone who has wronged you.

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:27-29

Day 5 – Advent Calendar

Advent Day #5 – Relive a tradition with your kids (if you have any) that you did when you were a kid OR start a new Christmas tradition that brings happiness and joy.

Alternate Activity: Be encouraged by the following video entitled, “God’s Got You Covered”!

Day 4 – Advent Calendar

Make your own ornaments. Keep one and give one away.

Alternative Activity: Leave a surprise note for someone or send someone a surprise email with a short little note such as: “You brighten my day! Thanks!!”, “You are a blessing to me!”, or “I don’t say it often enough, but “Thanks” for all you do!”

Day 3 – Advent Calendar

Advent Day #3 – Make a list of love and appreciation. Sit down as a family tonight and spend some time talking about what you love and appreciate about every person.

Alternative Activity: Tell someone who you don’t tell regularly, “I love you.”

Day 2 – Advent Calendar

Advent Day #2 – Shop for a new toy to donate to a charitable organization.

Alternate Activity: Prepare your heart in a spirit of penitence by reading Psalm 51.

Psalm 51

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

¹Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. ²Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. ³For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. ⁴Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. ⁵Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. ⁶Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. ⁷Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. ⁸Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. ⁹Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. ¹⁰Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. ¹¹Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. ¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. ¹³Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. ¹⁴Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. ¹⁵Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. ¹⁶You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. ¹⁷My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. ¹⁸May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem. ¹⁹Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Our Twist On the Advent Calendar

One tradition our families have begun includes that of celebrating the arrival of Christmas with an Advent Calendar. And although we love the excitement and anticipation that an Advent Calendar can bring, last year we tired of making the focus on giving our kids more stuff, even if it was as simple as a small piece of candy.

So we put our heads together and decided this year we wanted to do something different. We wanted to focus on what Christmas is really about – giving and reflecting on the true meaning of this incredible holiday.

As I began to prepare for this post I did a little research on what Advent really means. It turns out that I had a lot to learn about this subject from my Catholic friends (I know Catholics aren’t the only one who celebrate Advent. They were just the ones I got my info from so I’m giving them credit.)

According to Catholicism.about.com and other sites, Advent really means “little lent” and should be a time of increased prayer, fasting (for some), good deeds, and penitence. In layman’s terms it is a time for us to take stock of our lives. To take a look inside and see if our heart is right with God. As we approach Christmas with this attitude of humbling ourself it brings us peace and joy as well as a heightened sense of anticipation.

In the spirit of Advent, this year our Advent Calendar is going to consist of doing kind things for others and cherishing the moments we have with family and friends. But most importantly it will consist of us preparing our hearts for Immanuel – God with us.

Each day from now ’til Christmas we will share with you ideas you can use to celebrate this season using the Advent Calendar. Maybe you already have an Advent Calendar tradition. Then go with it. Or maybe you are looking for new ideas. Hopefully you will find some here. Our biggest piece of advice is to do what works for you and your family. That may mean doing a handful of activities on the weekend when your family has more time to spend together and then skipping days during the week when your schedule is on overload.

You may choose to simplify the process big-time and do something as easy as pick one person a day from now ’til Christmas and pray for them. It doesn’t need to be time-consuming, stressful, or cost you anything. Do what works for you and enjoy the season with the ones you love!!

If there are things your family does or if you have an idea to share, please do so! We may even use your idea for one of our days!!

So, let’s get started!!

DaY 1 AdvEnT: Send someone a card who has lost a loved one this year letting them know you are thinking about them/praying for them.

Happy Advent!!

:)Robynn

P.S. If you don’t have an Advent Calendar, you may want to make one. Choose one of the following or find one to make on www.pinterest.com by typing “Advent Calendar” in the search box.

Making the Best of Human Life…

Let’s face it. Life on earth isn’t always easy. In fact, most of the time is pretty challenging. We deal with job losses, disappointments, cancer, troubled relationships, obesity, death, natural disasters; the list is never-ending. We work so hard in attempt to cReAte and control an ideal surrounding, but nothing will ever be perfect…

because we are HuMaN…

because we are SiNnErS…

because we live on a place called EaRth.

Quite depressing, isn’t it? Well it certainly can be if you let it. The reassuring part is that God knew life here would be difficult, and He wants to help lighten our load. Sure, we could take the easy road and just be miserable until our life runs out. But why not make the best of it while you are here? Plus, by choosing to walk through life with Him, there will be more to look forward to when your days on Earth are over…HeAveN!

As an optimist, I am a believer that despite our challenges, we have to make the best of our HuMan lives. How do we do that? The obvious answer is ask God for help when you are struggling, and continue to speak to Him when days are good. Talk to Him about your sins and ask for forgiveness when you feel guilty or know you’ve made a wrong choice. And don’t forget to thank Him when things go your way! When you develop this type of relationship with Him, the days won’t seem so lonely when EarThLy problems get thrown your way. And when you feel more connected…the doors that He is opening for you will become more obvious!

Believe me, I know it is easier said than done. But do we really have a better option? If we are realistic with ourselves that life will consist of steady highs and lows (regardless of how hard we try to control it), why not have something CoNsTanT to lean on through it all?

Advent begins this Sunday. There is no better time to start or enrich your relationship with God than now. Here, on the Suede Sofa, we will be celebrating every day of Advent. Check in daily between now and Christmas and join us as we prepare for the true meaning of Christmas!

Now is the time! Make this the most meaningful Christmas yet!

In Christ,

Lara

Jersey Strong and Thankful

There is nothing that could have prepared any of us for the DeVaStATiOn that resulted from Hurricane Sandy blowing through the Jersey Shore. My children are the 4th generation of family spending summers on Chadwick Beach so seeing homes that have been in the backdrop of photographs with my grandparents tossed on their sides and nearly unrecognizable was heartbreaking. Those of you who follow our blog know how much the beach means to my family. From my seaglass collection to finding special shells with my children to make wreaths or to just paint for fun, Chadwick Beach has been our own little paradise right here in our own backyard. Chadwick Beach is on a barrier island that rests between the Atlantic Ocean and the bay. During the storm the water from the bay and the ocean met causing extensive flooding. Our family home was filled with a foot and a half of water in the first floor, but thankfully it is still standing. Others were not so lucky. Neighborhoods of houses were completely washed away into the Atlantic Ocean. Another beach suffered a tremendous loss when gas lines exploded and blocks of houses burned to the ground.

Back home we lost power from the storm for six days and lived on a generator that we used conservatively because of a major gas shortage in the state of New Jersey. My brother-in-law waited on a line for four hours in the middle of the night to fill up his car and some gas cans to keep his own generator running. It was a very scary week for all of us and at the same time we were trying to find out any information we could about the shore house. Thankfully my parents had full power fifteen minutes away and we were able to drive over there during the day to watch the news, stay warm, and let the kids play in some normalcy.

Untitled-3 — My second summer at Chadwick Beach ~ Summer 1978

Now that the power has been restored, the gas lines are back to normal, and we look forward to rebuilding our Jersey Shore back to its original beauty I am trying not to focus on what was lost. The hurricane may have washed away many of the buildings and landmarks that were symbols of our shore, but nothing can take away our MeMoRiEs. Let’s be thankful for what we have, and not ever for a second take anything for granted, it might not be there tomorrow.

311177_3822145032683_884160632_n — This picture shows the two houses that line the beach path that Abby was on in the above photo.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebrating

all that you have to be ThAnKfUl for!

~Robyn (Jersey Girl)