Christmas Archives - as Jules is going

Advent {Day 19}: THIS is “Church”

December 19, 2011 by Jules 2 Comments

In the New Testament of the Bible, the book of Acts talks about the first church and how it was defined by community.
True community is what makes the church Church--> Doing life together!

Our family is memorizing Acts 2:42-47. To be honest, my husband and 3-year-old were and I hear it so often it's in my head. I want to purposely memorize this with them in an attempt to live out what those 1st "devoted" followers of Christ knew to do so naturally.

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

We are so blessed to be apart of true community through our Sunday school class, Journey, at Central Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, AR.

Our families are learning what it means to devote themselves to the apostles' teachings.

We are already fellowshiping and eating together on a regular basis.

And we are waiting in eager anticipation of many wonders and miraculous signs to be done through us.

We are growing closer together as the body of Christ and we are meeting needs as we see them {having everything in common}.

Many of us would sell our possessions and goods to give to anyone in need and that desire is growing rapidly.

We continue to meet together at our Church and of course more eating with one another in homes with glad and sincere hearts.

We praise God and want to be adding to our number daily with those being saved {not swap'n sheep}!!!

Do you know the Christ that bonds people in community like this? If not, MESSAGE ME! I'd love to introduce you!
If you do know Christ, do you have a community of believers to do life with?

To read more Rothacher's Advent Days click--->
Advent {Day 1}: Cookie Swap
Advent {Day 2}: Dizzie Izzie's
Advent {Day 3}: Giving Christmas Away
Advent {Day 4}: Homemade Gifts
Advent {Day 5}: HIPPY Christmas Party
Advent {Day 6}: The Fridge
Advent {Day 7}: Sprinkle Joy @ Home
Advent {Day 8}: UpCycle Gift Wrap
Advent {Day 9}: Sugar Cookies (Gift Ideas Series)
Advent {Day 10}: Snack Mix (Gift Idea Series)
Advent {Day 11}: Relentless Christmas Party
Advent {Day 12}: eBook for ANY Woman! (Gift Idea Series)
Advent {Day 13}: A Rock'n Angel Tree Gift
Advent {Day 14}: Packing with Littles
Advent {Day 15}: Cubbie's Christmas Party
Advent {Day 16}: Donner DooDoo (Gift Ideas Series)
Advent {Day 17}: Donner DooDoo (PICTORIAL)
Advent {Day 18}: RACKing

Advent {Day 18}: RACKing

December 18, 2011 by Jules 1 Comment

Replace Santa...give in secret. This should be a concept for Christian's year-round!
Random Acts of Christmas Kindness

We've used several of these ideas but aren't going to tell you which because it's a secret ;o)
Recommended Sites for RACKing ideas :

http://lillightomine.zeekeeinteractive.com/tyfoon/dnld/p54d668aa41d1c05b4e/FINALllomideas.pdf

http://kidsonthegrand.com/2011/11/29/reclaiming-christmas-spririt-rack-someone/#axzz1go8M8na4

http://pillowthought.blogspot.com/2011/11/random-acts-of-christmas-kindness.html

http://xmasfun.com/RandomActsOfKindness.aspx

http://afaithfulwalk.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/random-acts-of-christmas-kindness-rack/

Have you added RACKing to your Advent season? Share some of your fun ideas...if you wanna ;o)

Filed Under: Advent 2011 {Series}, Gifts Ideas, Holidays Tagged With: Advent, Christmas, list of RACK ideas, RACKing, Random Acts of Christmas Kindness, Santa

Advent {Day 16}: Donner DooDoo (No Bake Cookies) Recipe

December 16, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

Here is a simple and inexpensive gift. This would be great for a large group of people where you would like to give gifts to everyone.

Donner DooDoo {non bake cookies}

2 cups of Sugar
1/2 cup Coco
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Peanut Butter {I choose not to add this bc I want anyone to be able to eat them even if they have allergies}
1 tsp. Vanilla
3 cups Oatmeal
pinch of Salt

Mix sugar, coco, mil, and butter in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring often! Remove from heat and add peanut butter (optional), vanilla, and oatmeal. Stir well until all is blended and oatmeal is completely coated.

After you have your 'batter' ready, grab a mellon baller and about 2 feet of wax paper. Then measure out your cookies using the baller so they will be tiny balls/blobs using the larger end of the tool. If you have trouble getting the gooie cookies out, use a toothpick to poke them out through the itsy bitsy whole on the back side of the tool.

If they are too mooshy for your taste, pull your wax paper onto a cookie sheet and put them in the fridge until they are a little more set up.

Woops...have some left. Not enough room on your strategically too small wax paper??? Suggestion:

Yep! Eat it!!! ;o)

My suggestion for distributing these lil doo doos are baby food jars! Divy them up about 6 per jar. To decorate grab this FREE printable {Donner DooDoo Tag} to mod podge to the top of the jar and add a little curling ribbon. Yay!!! Easy enough, right?

Good luck and have FUN! Let me know if I need to add some explanation...ran through that kinda fast.

What has been your favorite diy gift idea this season?

Filed Under: Advent 2011 {Series}, Baking and Cooking Tagged With: Advent Days, baby food jars, Christmas, Donner DooDoo, FREE printables, non bake cookies, oatmeal cookies

Advent {Day 15}: Cubbie’s Christmas Party

December 15, 2011 by Jules 2 Comments

Last night I skipped out on our youth serves {where I normally serve} to hang out with my oldest daughter in her Awana Cubbie class for their "Happy Birthday Jesus" Party!!!

They started out the night by practicing their song for Sunday's Christmas fellowship. "Ring the Bells on Christmas"

Then they played in the gym for their regular Cubbie game time. RUN!

Then they headed back to their room and heard the story of Jesus' birthday. They retold the story using their felt board characters and made a craft- "Baby Jesus" in a manger.

After knowing about Whose birthday we were celebrating we began the party with some cheese pizza. {oops, I forgot and already fed my kiddo dinner}

Guess who didn't eat any pizza and only chug-a-lugged her drink before dessert because her slacker mamma forgot they were eating at the party and fed her dinner before the party???

Then they decorated their cupcakes for Jesus' birthday. We sang "Happy Birthday" and chowed down on some goodies!

{She was intense with this frosting...refused to get more and was determined to spread this miniscule amount over then entire top of the cupcake--->cut little weirdo!}

GREAT NIGHT! I so enjoyed spending time with my baby and her friends. Watching her interact with all her friends. Getting to know all of her friends and teacher a little better!

What fun ways are you teaching your child about Whose Birthday we are celebrating this time of year?

Filed Under: Advent 2011 {Series}, Holidays, The ones about the Rothacher Home Tagged With: Advent, Christmas, Happy Birthday Jesus Party, holiday, Jesus

Advent {Day 9}: Sugar Cookies (Gift Ideas Series)

December 9, 2011 by Jules Leave a Comment

Today I want to focus on Teachers! School teachers, Sunday school teachers, nursery workers, daycare workers, AWANA teachers, dance teachers, coaches, etc.

SPOILER ALERT! Teacher's every where are just as ready as your children, if not more so, for Christmas break! Yep. It's true. They have worked so hard teaching out little ones and they are looking forward to a tiny break. I appreciate all that they do every week. They are reliable. And they aiding me by assisting in my education of my child. A great way to thank them for all their hard work is with a meaningful gift!

Wanna know How-To Decorating Cans? Click over HERE for step by step instructions.

Filling Cans

Shaped Cookies:

Make any shape cookies you enjoy (smaller than 3" around)
Place desired tissue paper inside
Add cookies
Place bow on top of the lid or printable tag (click lid tag STAR for free printable

These people in our lives love getting gifts {as simple as they may be} just to feel appreciated. Wouldn't you? Homemade adds that special touch as well.