Favorite Things Game

These are a few of my favorite things!

Instead of a White Elephant, Yankee Swap, or other gift exchange, consider a Favorite Things Party! This is a great way to not only get to know your friends or family a little better but leave with delightful treats.

Favorite Things Gift Swap

What: A Gift Swap

What you need:

  • four slips of paper for each person (can be scrap paper)
  • pens for writing names on paper
  • one basket labeled "Who's Next"
  • one basket labeled "Who Gets It"
  • Each person needs to bring three gifts

How to Play:

  • Each person brings three of their favorite things under $5 each (or set your own price point). This is usually three of the same item, like three ornaments, or three lip balms, or three starbucks gift cards.
  • Each person writes their name down one four slips of paper. 1 slip goes in a "Who's Next" basket and 3 slips go in the "Who Gets it" basket.
  • The game begins by drawing a person from the "Who's next" basket. That person comes up and shares about what they brought and why it's her favorite thing. Then she draws three names out of the "Who Gets It" basket. If your name is called you get the special treat! If the person draws their own name or the same name twice, she can re-draw a name.
  • Every person walks away with three new things to take home and enjoy.

This is a simple game with almost zero prep. If you want this to be a little nicer for a family gift exchange you can up the price point of the gifts like 3 items that are $15 each, for example. You can always play the game by bringing only 2 favorite things with a higher price point.

Let me know if you play it!

Check out the She Proves Faithful Podcast

(This game is mentioned in Episode 22: Awkward Family Christmas)

sheprovesfaithful.com/podcast/episode22

Daily Advent Scriptures

One of the biggest hurdles I have in getting into the Word with my children is not having a plan! Seriously. And why do I complicate it? Looking for the “perfect” scripture for that day?? I get all caught up in decisions of what to read and I never actually get around to reading the Bible with my kiddos.

So I've put together a little advent reading plan for this festive joyous advent season. Walk through the Scriptures each day and discover the promises and prophesies of the coming Savior and His humble and anticipated arrival into this world. Be dazzled by the Light of the World this Christmas.

Daily Advent Scripture Reading

Join me in reading the scriptures with our kiddos, or your spouse, or a friend at work or church every day until Christmas. The passages are about Jesus, the coming Messiah, our Savior. 

Directions:

  • Read the passage out loud.
  • Ask this question:  What do we learn about Jesus in this passage?
  • Other discussion ideas: define words, ask comprehension questions

December 1      Isaiah 9:2-7
December 2     2 Samuel 7:12-13
December 3     Isaiah 11:1-10
December 4    Jeremiah 33:14-36
December 5    John 1:1-5
December 6   John 1:6-8
December 7   Isaiah 40:1-5
December 8   Luke 1:5-17
December 9   Luke 1:18-26
December 10Luke 1:26-33
December 11   Luke 1:35-38
December 12    Matthew 1:18-25
December 13   Like 1:39-45
December 14   Luke 1:47-56
December 15   Luke 2:1-7
December 16   Luke 2:8-14
December 17   Luke 2:16-21
December 18   Micah 5:2-5
December 19   Matthew 2:1-6
December 20   Matthew 2:7-10
December 21   Matthew 2:11-12
December 22   Isaiah 42:1-6
December 23   1 John 1:1-5
December 24   John 1:9-13
December 25   John 1:14-18

Filling the Home with Praise: Sing Hymns, Songs, & Spiritual Songs

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Filling our homes with praise to the Lord through song directs our hearts and our children's hearts to the One True God. As mothers, we can teach our children to make melody in our hearts to the Lord. It creates attitudes of thanksgiving and an environment of joy as we think upon the Lord.

When considering what songs to sing we need to be prudent in examining what the verses are really saying. Some seem good, but teach bad doctrine. Some seem uplifting, but are man-lifting, not God-lifting. Some songs are about achieving a moving feeling, but true songs of worship will be about glorifying God.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ”
— Colossians 3:16

If we are going to make melody with our hearts to the Lord it is important that our words and meditations are truthful about Him and His ways. Words mean things so it matters what we sing.

We teach a lot of hymns to our children, written by faithful, intellectual people of God. 

I wanted to pass along some hymns and songs that we love to sing with our children.

Favorite Hymns:

*note, I found classic versions of these hymns on YouTube to show the melody and lyrics. We honestly sing most of our songs without the music. I'd say we sing A Capella, but don't want you to think we are having a Pentataonix concert in our kitchen. ;) You can find more contemporary versions.

Memorizing Scripture and Doctrine with Song

Dana Dirksen is a musician with a heart for children to learn scripture and doctrine. She has many albums with easy fun tunes to help children (and their parents ;) memorize the Word and Truth.

“It is our prayer that this music will work in the minds and hearts of your children so that they can daily hear the great truths from Scripture. We want them to learn about their God and how he cares for them; we want them to learn to love him more.”
— Dana Dirksen