Suggested Activity for teenagers for the week of December 3!

Make a "date" or "appointment" with your teen(s). It doesn't have to be anything fancy...just some time where you can get together alone with them. One suggestion is just to have a family-style meal time together. No television. No answering the phone. Just arrange a time when you'll be together.

Have that meal around your Advent wreath and light some other candles, too, if needed.

Read the Scripture used in the devotional.

Tell your teen a story of your favorite Christmas and tell them why it was.

Ask them which one has been their favorite thus far and why.

Then tell you teen the story of how your life is more abundant because Christ is in it. In other words, share your "testimony" with your teen. If you've already done that and are sure they know it, share with them the current work of Christ in your life and what feelings/emotions/thoughts this brings out in you.

Ask them to tell you what their favorite story about Jesus is and why. Really listen to their response. Ask them to describe their thoughts about Christ and what, if any, reality that has in their day-to-day life.

Ask them what your family can do to make this holiday season more meaningful than those in the past. What attitudes or actions would need to change in either of your lives to make this happen?

Children's Activity for week of December 3!

You'll need a flashlight.
You'll want to get to a very dark room (maybe a closet or bathroom with no windows, etc.).

Get in the room with your child(ren) and turn the lights off.

Ask the questions to your child: What are you thinking right now? What are you feeling right now?

Tell your child(ren) a story of when you were younger that involved darkness. Being in the dark and having something uncomfortable or scary or maybe bumping into something. Something along those lines.

Turn the flashlight on.

Pose a question to your child(ren): How is having the light on better than being in the dark? Do you feel any different? What are the good things that light does for you that darkness can't?

Ask your child(ren), "How is Jesus like a light?"

Discuss with your child how the world was once "dark" to you. It doesn't have to be detailed or too "deep," just how you were "lost." Talk about how Christ showed you the light. Talk about how Christ is like a light to you.

Devotional for the week of December 3.

For the week preceeding December 3, 2006.

Choose someone to light the first (purple) candle.

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9: 2—7.

Devotional:

400 years.
The people of God hadn’t heard a prophetic word from God in 400 years.
That’s roughly 20 generations…almost twice as long as the United States has even been a nation.
That’s roughly 20 generations of silence from their Heavenly Father.

You can imagine what those times would be like if you hadn’t heard a word from Him in 400 years: Darkness.
No vision. No direction. Can’t see what’s ahead. Can’t really see what’s behind you either. Just surrounded by pitch black darkness.

And then the lights come on!

Can you imagine?

Look at the tenses of the verbs in these verses! They “will see” and lights “will shine” and they “will multiply.” These are words of certainty. They will happen. People who live in the darkness will see a great light.

This light will make them glad, like when the sale is made and the money comes in. Like when the war is won and the celebration begins. Like when an innocent prisoner is released. Like when the work is finished and the day is done.

A child will be born. A son.

He will be a King.
He will have a name: Wonderful Counselor.
He will be God—our Father, who has been such since the beginning of time.
He will bring peace on earth.
He will be a descendant of David
His government will have no end.

And there will be justice and righteousness…

…from then on and forever. Because of the passion of the Lord.

That is light.
That is what eliminates and and all darkness.
The people living in darkness WILL see a great light.
And that gives hope.
And that is something to look forward to.