Frugally Farming Family: December 2009

Monday, December 21, 2009

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus! I am not going to be posting again until after the holidays! I really appreciate all of you who read my blog! May God bless all of you!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Jesse Advent Tree- Days 20-25

Day 20- The Exile

Symbol: A fiery furnace
Memory Verse: Jeremiah 1:8
Hymns to Sing: Three Good Men, He Leaded Me, Lord Jesus I Love Thee
Scriptures: Daniel 3: 19-29; Jeremiah 1:8
Devotion: Do you know what you must say if someone tells you to do something wrong? You must say “No!” One day long ago a wicked king made a great big idol or statue, and if his subjects did not bow to it, they would be thrown into a fiery furnace! When the trumpets blew, everyone bowed down, except there men. Their names were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were brave, young men. They dared to say “no” to the king. They were willing to die for their beliefs. Do you know what happened to them? The king threw them into the furnace but something strange happened! Read Daniel 3:19-23. Did they burn up? Read Daniel 3:24-29. The king saw a fourth person in the fire walking, and it was like the Son of God. The fire did not harm them at all! Because they said no the king began to praise God! They knew their God would deliver them from the fiery furnace. We know God will take care of us too!
Questions; What were the three men’s names? What did the king want them to do? What happened when they said no? Did God take care of them?

Day 21- The Return to the Land

Symbol: A brick wall
Memory Verse: Revelation 22:20
Hymns to Sing: Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates
Scriptures: Nehemiah 1:3; 6:15,16; Malachi 3:1; Revelation 22:20
Devotions: Do you know what this brick wall is a symbol of? It represents the wall of Jerusalem which circled the entire city! Do you remember how the people of Israel would never do what God wanted them to do? Because they disobeyed, God punished them by letting bad armies tear down the Wall of Jerusalem, and all the people were taken as slaves into different lands. In order for Jesus to be born the Bible said the people would return to Jerusalem and sure enough more than 400 years before Jesus was born, they began rebuilding the Wall of Jerusalem. When the Wall was complete, the waiting for the Messiah began. It took many years for the people to be ready for Him. Are we ready for Jesus to come to us this Christmas?
Questions; What does the symbol represent? What happened to the Wall? Did the children of Israel rebuild the wall before Jesus came to earth?

Day 22- The Star

Symbol: a star
Memory Verse: Matthew 2:10
Hymns to Sing: Everybody Ought to Know, There’s a Song in the Air, As with Gladness Men of Old, The Star Carol
Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12; Revelation 22:16
Devotion: It is so much fun to look at the stars at night! Stars are like lights and sometimes people follow the stars to find their way home. Do you remember who followed the star at Christmas time? Read Matthew 2:1-12. Isn’t that a good story. Read verse 10 again. Why were the wise men so happy? For many years they had studied the stars waiting for the special star to appear. It would tell of the birth of a new King, a great King above all other kings. So when the star appeared the wise men were very excited. They knew they would have to travel many months, but that did not bother them. When they saw Him in a house in Bethlehem they fell down and worshipped Him and gave Him gifts! Just as the star ked the wise men to Jesus, we can find our home in Him! He is our Morning Star!
Questions: What did the wise men follow? Why did the wise men travel so far to see the Child? Who is our Morning Star? What van we give him?

Day 23- The Light of the World!

Symbol: a candle or light
Memory Verse: John 8:12
Hymns to Sing: This Little Light of Mine, Light of the World We Hail Thee, Silent Night
Scriptures: Luke 1:26-38; 2:32, John 8:12
Devotion: The time had come for the Light of the world to be born. Do you know who the Light of the world is? The Bible says that when the angel came to Mary to tell her she would give birth to Jesus she broke forth into a song praising God for Hid goodness! The TRUE LIGHT was finally coming into the world! After His birth Mary and Joseph took Jesus to church to present Him to the Lord! Simeon presented Him to the World as the LIGHT AND GLORY to all people! While Jesus was living in the world He was the Light of the world! Now He has gone back to heaven and we who trust in Him must become the lights of the world. We must always let out lights shine so that others can see Christ in us. The Lord wants us to shine for Him like a city on top of a hill where it can always be seen. Are we happy God chooses us to shine for Him?
Questions; Who was Jesus’ mother? Was she willing to do what God said? Who is the Light of the World? Will you be a light for Him?

Day 24: Angels Proclaiming the Coming of Christ

Symbol: an angel
Memory Verse Luke 2:14
Hymns to Sing: All Night, All Day; It Came Upon a Midnight Clear; The First Noel; Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Angels We Have Heard on High
Scriptures: Hebrews 1:14. Luke 2:8-14, Romans 6:23
Devotion: Do you know what an angel is? An angel is a special messenger or servant. God’s angels do whatever He tells them to do, and they go wherever He sends them! They bring special messages to people from God. Can you tell me what happened to the shepherds on Christmas night? The shepherds were in the field watching over their sheep, when an angel suddenly appeared before them. The angel suddenly appeared before them. The angel was bringing the greatest message of all time to them from God. Read Luke: 8-11 Remember we have been talking about God sending a Savior? The angel and a whole sky full of angels came that Christmas night to say the Savior had finally come to the world! The angels began praising God and saying “Glory to Go in the Highest and on earth peace good will toward men!”
Questions: What is an angel? What was the good news the angel brought? Were the angels happy that Christmas night? Why?

Day 25- The Birth of Jesus! Merry Christmas!

Symbol: a baby in a manger or a nativity scene
Memory Verse: John 3:16
Hymns to Sing: Away in a Manger, Joy to the World, Go Tell It on the Mountain, Happy Birthday!
Scriptures: Luke 2:1-10; John 3:16-17
Devotion: Do you know what happens today on Christmas day? Yes, it is the day we celebrate Jesus’ birthday when He became a little baby! Jesus is different from us, however, because He was God’s only Son. In fact, He was alive when the world was created! He has been from the beginning of time, just as our Advent Jesse Tree devotion said on the first day! Can you tell me how sin came to earth and spoiled it? God needed Someone to come to our earth and take away that sin. Jesus the Son of God was willing to come and be our Savior. That is why the angels sang so gloriously on that first Christmas Day because Jesus had come to take away the sins of the world! Jesus was willing to leave His throne in Heaven and all of His Glory to become a little baby for us. Do you remember where they laid Him? They laid Him in a manger, a feeding place for the animals because no one had made room for Him. The story of Jesus’ birth is the most wonderful story in the Bible. It can be the most wonderful story for you, if you make room for Him. All you have to do is to believe in Him, ask Him to come and take over your life and He will! Isn’t HE WONDERFUL!
Questions; Was Jesus alive before He became a baby? Who was Jesus? Why did Jesus come to earth. How can we make room for Him in our hearts?

Text taken from The Advent Jesse Tree book by Dean Meador Lambert

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Friday Is Mega Swagbucks Day!

I LOVE swagbucks! I have been redeeming my swagbucks for amazon gift cards and purchasing all kids of great stuff. I was able to get my husband’s birthday gifts and most of my children’s Christmas gifts through Amazon and using my gift cards I won by searching through swagbucks! If you are not searching with swagbucks, you should start today and be rewarding for surfing the web!

I will be the first to admit, I was a little skeptical about swagbucks at first! Now, I am hooked! If I am going to be searching the internet, I may as well be rewarded.

So, just how does swagbucks work?

Go here and sign up for an account. You get $3 Swagbucks just for joining.

Begin Searching. Search just as you will with Google. Swagbucks uses Google and ask.com.

Be earning. Friday is Mega swagbuck day, so they are giving away twice as many swagbucks today! There are even $100 swagbucks available to win! Rewards are random, and the highest I have ever received at one time is $5 swagbucks.

Redeem Your swagbucks! Prizes include:

$5 Amazon.com gift card for $45 swagbucks

$10 Barnes and Noble Gift card for $125 swagbucks

collectibles, electronics, comic books, and so much more!

Happy searching with Swagbucks!

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Freebies from the Farm

Print a coupon here for a free lip item (up to $8) with any purchase from Bed Bath and Beyond.
Go here and follow the directions listed to get a free $15 credit from Shutterfly.
Christmas Crafts for Kids
Quick and Easy Christmas Crafts
Holiday Gifts in a Jar Ideas
50 Yummy Christmas Cookie Recipes
Holiday Open House from The Urban Homemaker
Homemade Christmas Crafts ebook
Request a free sample of White's Premium Dog Food here.
Become a fan of Walgreens on Facebook, and you will be able to print a coupon for 15% off you entire purchase.
Free One Year Subscription To Nutritional Outlook Magazine
Free 2010 Gardener's Idea Book
Watch 101 Classic Christmas Videos Online

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Natural/Organic Coupons!

Here are some great printable organic coupons. I also have some extra Earth Fare Holiday Savings Booklets which have great organic coupons. If you want one, send me an email (use the contact tab above!) with your name and address, and I will get them in the mail to you ASAP! I have five or six and will mail them out on a first come first serve basis. .

Go here to print the following: Luna Bars, Purely Decadent, Coconut Milk, Coconut Ice Cream, Coconut Yogurt, Muir Glen, Imagine Soups, and Steaz Iced Tea!
Go HERE to get a $1.00 off Traditional Medicinals Organic Mother's Milk Tea.
Go here for coupons from Annie’s.
Sign up for the Halo Newsletter and they will send you a FREE product coupon via your e-mail. Go HERE to see a store near you that carries them. You can also get a $5.00 rebate HERE on your $10.00 or higher purchase.
Go HERE to get a bunch of B1G1 Free coupons for Blue Horizon Organic products.
Go here for $3/1 Spectrum Products.
Go here for a free $10 gift card with a $50 purchase from Earth Fare!

Go here for the above savings from Fresh and Easy!

Go here for $1 off Pink Poetry from Odwalla. Could make for some free or really cheap Odwalla on Manager’s Special at Kroger!

December Garden/Farm Chores

I have often been asked, what can you possibly do on a farm in December! Well, there is a lot to do inside and out! However, since I am late with this post, I am going to keep it short and simple so you can enjoy the celebration of the birth of Jesus and spend more time with your family!

Make sure all of your animals have proper bedding and plenty of feed for the winter months. Be sure to check their food and water EVERY day! Break ice, if water is frozen!
Order your seed catalogs so you can start ordering seeds in January! Some great resources are Johnny’s Seeds, Heirloom Seeds, and Park Seed. There are lots of resources out there. I will share more in January and the months to come.
Enjoy warm cozy evening by the fire with Hot Apple Cider and Christmas cookies while snuggling your spouse and your children!

Merry Christmas to everyone!