The ornament for today is a picture of a clown. The quote Zimmerman uses is from Philippians 4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!“ Zimmerman then talks about laughter, and how it is one of the best gifts God gives us. I have to agree! Especially in our present times,Continue reading “Advent 2022 Day 11”
Author Archives: Deanna
Advent 2022 Day 10
The ornament for today is decorated with a picture of a lamb. Zimmerman talks to the children about Jesus, the Lamb of God, and how he sacrificed himself for our sins. In the gospel reading for today Jesus also talks about lambs. He says, “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of themContinue reading “Advent 2022 Day 10”
Advent 2022 Day 9
Today, Zimmerman has selected a rainbow to decorate the ornament. The children’s reflections were on the very familiar story of Noah, his ark, and God’s covenant of love for his people. I would like to talk about the rainbow as the symbol that LGBTQ+ people use to identify and give voice to the spectrum ofContinue reading “Advent 2022 Day 9”
Advent 2022 Day 8
The apple graces the ornament for today. In Zimmerman’s book, as you might easily guess, the story for today is about Adam and Eve. She offers, “Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin and pain and death entered our world…because Jesus died and rose again, we know that, one day, we will be able toContinue reading “Advent 2022 Day 8”
Advent 2022/ Day 7
Today, Zimmerman picked a picture of a stone for the ornament’s decoration. She quoted from Psalms 24:1-2, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. “ Our earth demands our attention these days. As developed nations, we have let our emissions spiral out of control. ThereContinue reading “Advent 2022/ Day 7”
Advent 2022 Day 6
Matches are on the ornament Zimmerman chose for today. In her reflection, she speaks of the various ways we use fire in our daily lives. She reminds us that in the Old Testament God spoke to Moses through the burning bush and he led the Israelites through the desert with a column of fire. InContinue reading “Advent 2022 Day 6”
Day 5 Advent 2022
Today’s ornament is an image of balloons. In her reflection Zimmerman tells the children, “on the day of Pentecost, the birthday of the church, God sent his Holy Spirit to his people with a sound like a rushing wind.” She encourages the children to blow up a balloon and tape it to the ornament. SheContinue reading “Day 5 Advent 2022”
Day 4, Advent 2022
Today’s ornament is a picture of a snowflake. This image conjures a hundred others for me because I grew up in the Mid-West where snow is a winter staple. In Zimmerman’s book, she uses this depiction of a snowflake to invoke thoughts of water, and our baptism. While it may be a stretch for myContinue reading “Day 4, Advent 2022”
Advent 2022, Day 3
The ornament today is meant to remind us that, “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis1:1). As an adult, it is easy to remember the creation stories with glassy eyes; yes, yes, I have heard this before. What’s next? Advent is a time for slowing down, just a notch. I knowContinue reading “Advent 2022, Day 3”
Advent 2022, Day 2, Spreading the Good News
The ornament for today is a picture of a newspaper. In the recent past, reading a newspaper was one of the only ways of finding out what was going on in the world around us. The headline of the day proclaimed what we needed to know to stay informed. Sometimes the Word of God isContinue reading “Advent 2022, Day 2, Spreading the Good News”
The Last Lap (and what comes next) 