Our Jesse Tree

My Mom gave us this Jesse Tree Devotional book the Christmas right before Jesse was born, and this year we are finally getting to do this as a family as we celebrate Advent.  I've been so excited, and have been working to get all the ornaments ready.  Jesse might not "get" all the meaning behind this for quite some time, but my hope and prayer is that he will understand more and more each year, and that it will be something our family will look forward to doing together each Christmas season.

If you aren't familiar with the Jesse Tree, it's based on the following scripture found in Isaiah 11:1-2, which refers to Christ (a shoot) coming from the line of Jesse in the Old Testament:

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him--the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord.

The devotional book features different people and events leading up to Christ's coming.  So far we have hung the stump of Jesse, a moon and sun symbolizing creation, an apple and serpent for Adam and Eve, a rainbow for Noah, and a tent for Abraham and Sarah.  I love how this Advent activity really ties together the Old and New Testaments and shows how all of the Old Testament events and people point to the coming of Jesus.