Merry Christmas!

This week we will be decorating for Christmas by making our own ornaments and decorations! There is no letter for this week, we will pick up letters again next week!

Our KDI for this week is Art- Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through two and three dimensional art. This week we will color, paint, sculpt and glue as we make what we think is pretty to decorate our tree and our surroundings.

Table Activities- Table activities include coloring ornaments, invite to create a paper Christmas tree, playing with Christmas and gingerbread playdough, making giant gingerbread people, cutting Christmas wrapping and ribbons, making Christmas cards and decorating Christmas trees covered in contact paper.

Small Group Activities- This week our small group activities are making a glitter pinecone, a cinnamon stick Christmas tree, sequined stars and shrinky dink ornaments.

Large Group Activities- We will be enjoying a tinsel dance, decorating our fence and even each other like Moose in Mooseltoe!

Books of the Week- "Mooseltoe" by Margie Palatini and "Mortimer's Christmas Manger" by Karma Wilson are our books this week.

Bible Story- This week we move into the New Testament with the story of an angel appearing to Mary. In a small village in Galilee called Nazareth there lived a young woman. Her name was Mary. She was an ordinary girl in an ordinary village. She lived in her family's home. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph who was a carpenter. We aren't sure of Mary's age, but she was most likely a teenager. She was a woman named Elizabeth's cousin. Elizabeth was a much older woman who hadn't had any children and wasn't expecting to, until an angel appeared to her husband Zechariah and told him they were having a baby. Elizabeth was about 6 months pregnant when the angel appeared to Mary. 

The angel appeared and Mary was frightened! The angel said, "Don't be afraid! I am bringing the news that you will be the mother of God's Son! You will give him the name Jesus

Mary was very confused. She asked "How will this happen since I am a virgin?" The angel told her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the Most High will cover her.

The angel also told her about Elizabeth's pregnancy.

Mary told the angel, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." 

After, Mary traveled to Elizabeth's house to spend time with her. When she arrived, the infant in Elizabeth's womb jumped for joy! Elizabeth immediately knew that the little one that Mary was expecting was special, the Son of God. Mary sang a song inspired by God. She trusted in God and believed in his promise of a Savior and now she was privileged to be able to carry and raise that Savior! How amazing! 

Joseph heard Mary's story and doubted that what she said happened. He was going to divorce her quietly, but an angel appeared to him in a dream and confirmed what Mary had told him. 

What trust Mary had!! She believed that this was a blessing and was humbled to be a part of God's plan of salvation! She didn't seek greatness for herself, but realized how great her God was and is!