Names of Jesus Ornaments

December 30, 2015 by Michelle (Joyful Heart) Leave a Comment

Last year, after coming across this wonderful tutorial, our family decided to make ornaments with the names of Jesus on them to share at Christmas time. It was definitely a whole family project – but so rewarding in the end! After assembling many to give away, we then agreed to work together to create one more complete set to display on our own Christmas tree.

Want to take a peek at the process? We pretty much followed the instructions in the tutorial at Today’s Fabulous Finds, but I created our own name set with a different font.

1) Gathering the supplies:

(large paint sticks, scrapbook paper, printed names, brown ink pad, Q-tips, chocolate colored spray paint, sandpaper, Modge Podge, foam brush, wire, ruler, small hand saw, drill, pliers)

2) Preparing the Printable Names:

Copying, Cutting, and Inking the edges

3) Preparing the Paint Sticks

Measuring, Marking, and Cutting

Sanding

Drilling the Holes

Painting

Distressing the Edges

4) Assembling the Ornaments:

Attaching the Printable Names with Modge Podge

Drying

Cutting the Wire and Threading it Through the Holes

5) Enjoying the Ornaments!

Creating the Names of Jesus Ornaments was a memorable time of working cooperatively as a family – AND we now have a great visual reminder of who Jesus is to display each Christmas season.

Filed Under: Christmas, The Joy of God's Word, The Joy of Holidays

Christmas Scripture Booklets

December 14, 2015 by Michelle (Joyful Heart) 1 Comment

Are you looking for a way for your younger children to interact more with Scripture as you read the Biblical accounts of Jesus’ coming to earth as a baby? Try Christmas Scripture Booklets for coloring and Christmas Story Sequencing for retelling!

Last year, we used The Christmas Story Booklet based on Luke 2 to assist our 4 year old in memorizing a portion of Luke 2:1-20. This year, he is continuing to make progress with this passage.

Now, there are 3 additional Christmas Scripture Booklets! We are not planning on memorizing these passages at this time, but desire to read them during this Christmas season. Here is a suggested reading order so that the events are read chronologically. (I used the exact Scripture for each booklet.)

Jesus’ Birth Foretold (Portions of Luke 1 and Matthew 1)
The Christmas Story (Luke 2)
The Naming of Jesus (Luke 2, continued)
In God’s Hand (Matthew 2)

Make sure to print out the Christmas Story Sequencing Sheets as well!

The Christmas Story Sequencing Sheets correspond with the Scripture passages from the Christmas Story Booklets. These are great for reviewing and retelling the Biblical accounts! Color versions of the pictures would work well in a pocket chart. In addition, black and white student sheets are included for individual work.

These printables are available over at the Hubbard’s Cupboard Christmas page.

May these FREE resources from Hubbard’s Cupboard bless you and your children this Christmas as you read from His Word and learn more about Jesus and His coming as the Savior.

Filed Under: Christmas, The Joy of God's Word, The Joy of Holidays

Giving Tuesday – Booklets for Bibles

December 1, 2015 by Michelle (Joyful Heart) Leave a Comment

A couple weeks ago, our oldest girls came to us desiring to do some type of work to raise money for a charity during this Christmas season. After ruling out a few ideas, what should they finally choose? Well, it is often said that our children are always watching us and will model what we do. So, following in the footsteps of their mama, they decided to create Christmas related materials for parents and teachers. =)

Booklets for Bibles

Please assist us in raising money to help print Bibles through Wycliffe for the Mayogo people in their heart language. They live in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

To read more about this project click the link below https://www.wycliffe.org/giftcatalog/projects/give-scripture-for-the-mayogo

Our goal is to raise $120 by selling Countdown to Christmas Math Puzzles: Names of Jesus and Countdown to Christmas Math Puzzles: Seasonal Jokes. This amount will allow for 20 New Testaments to be printed for the Mayogo people.

These booklets have 24 different puzzles with math problems (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) to figure out either a name of Jesus as found in Scripture or the answer to a fun seasonal joke. They were designed with 3rd-4th graders in mind.

~The Hubbard girls

The girls have been working hard to have these materials ready for December 1st so that you, dear teachers and moms, can have them for use with your children.

Won’t you, please support them in reaching their goal?

The booklets are available for purchase at our Joyful Heart Learning store for just $3.00 each. All proceeds from either of these products this Christmas season will go toward the girls’ goal to give Bibles to the Mayogo people.

Countdown to Christmas Math Puzzles: Seasonal Jokes

Countdown to Christmas Math Puzzles: Names of Jesus

Giving Tuesday – Booklets for Bibles
www.givingtuesday.org

Filed Under: Christmas, The Joy of God's Word, The Joy of Holidays

5 Ways to Remember Luke 2

December 9, 2014 by Michelle (Joyful Heart) Leave a Comment

During the days leading up to Christmas, regardless of the ages or stages of our kids, the crafts we were able to create, the baking projects we were able to do, or the activities we participated in, when we have taken time to read, recite, and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas through the study of Luke 2:1-20 it has been a great blessing. Looking back, I would have to say that it has become a family tradition to review and recite the Biblical account of Christ’s birth each December – and it brings joy!

Here are five quick ways to help hide God’s Word in your heart and focus on the birth of Christ Jesus this Christmas…

1) Read and Listen from God’s Holy Word

Read it daily and let it soak in!

2) Practice Reciting the Scripture Passage Orally as a Family

Simply sit together and recite the passage aloud with one another.
   OR
Take turns listening to each other say as much of the portion of Scripture that they know.
Try to encourage the use of emphasis and expression!
   OR
Take turns tossing a ball or beanbag and saying a word or two from the text you are working on together. For example, one child tosses the ball and says, “In”. The child that catches the ball says the next word needed, “those”, and tosses it to someone else. Continue in this manner until the verse(s) are complete.

3) Use Pictures to Aid Comprehension

Luke 2:1-20 flows so well and is a great Biblical account to share orally. Help your youngest children retain meaning by connecting the text to pictures!

You may desire to use printable sheets or cards, such as those shown below.

Recite, Read, and Color using The Christmas Story Booklet!
(The text for this booklet is completely from the NIV, 1984 version.)

We have it in a Spanish translation as well!

Our four year old enjoys coloring each picture after he has successfully memorized the verse on the corresponding page!

4) Write it out!

It is so easy to just copy the text from your own Bible and a great way to assist in memorizing God’s Word!

As part of our Celebrating Christmas eBook, we have included printable copywork sheets, shown below, in both print and cursive for each verse.

A simpler version of print can be found at Hubbard’s Cupboard for free as well.

5) Retell Luke 2 in creative ways!

Move pieces of a flannel board or of a nativity set as you recite Luke 2 from memory.

Use nativity stamps to print the story. Then, point and retell using exact wording from Scripture.

And, of course, it is always fun to gather props and willing family members to act it out!

May you and your family be blessed this Christmas as you learn His Word and reflect on the true meaning of the season!

Filed Under: Christmas, Curriculum We Use, The Joy of God's Word, The Joy of Holidays

Light of the World

December 19, 2011 by Michelle (Joyful Heart) Leave a Comment

In December, as Christmas day draws nearer, there is an anticipation.

Each December, we enjoy our activity countdown to Christmas- sometimes on a countdown chain, sometimes tucked inside our advent nativity calendar.

We look forward to crafts…

an annual family game…

singing carols…

completing our nightly star chart…

and making yummy Christmas treats!

Is our family simply looking forward to the gifts, the special holiday treats, sights of Christmas lights strung from the housetops and on trees, a time off from regular school work, enjoyable activities and crafts as a family, a chance to be with family and friends?

Those are all good things. And so, from the outside one might say, ‘Yes. They are just making memories!’ We do pray that these young minds and hearts are developing precious memories to carry with them as they age, but also SO MUCH MORE. We desire for there to be depth to our childrens’ memories – looking past the actual crafts with the shimmering glitter and splattered paint, through the yummy Christmas treat experiments, around the daily countdown, over the gifts that begin to appear beneath the tree ….. and straight to the cross.

For, in the midst of all the activity, we try to focus on the ‘why’ of the season.
Why do we celebrate Christmas?
Why is there so much fuss over the coming of one certain day each year?

Because in the midst of a dark world, God chose to send His Son to bring us Light
– to BE the Light.
While we were darkened and trapped by our rebellion and sins,
God sent His One and Only Son into the world to redeem us
– to save us from our sins.

No, the Bible doesn’t tell us that Jesus was born on December 25. But, we take this time to reflect on the humble birth of our heavenly King, the LIGHT of the world. He is the GIFT, the PROMISE that everyone in the Jewish world was anticipating, and the HOPE that our hearts and souls desperately need.

The Light for a dark world…

1 John 1:9
The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

May we set our hearts on Him.

Isaiah 60:1-3

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
   and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
   and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you
   and his glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
   and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Filed Under: Christmas, Kids' Hearts, The Joy of God's Word, The Joy of Holidays

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