Jones Clan Journal

We put our Christmas decorations up Wednesday, the 12th. We don’t do a whole lot. We have a manger scene wall hanging that is about 4′ x 6′ that I think is the central part of the decorations. We have some wise men and snow men that I made way back when before there were any children. Umm. There really was a time before there were any children here. Then we have a small unglazed pottery manger scene and a couple of sets of Christmas lights. One set outlines our windows at the front of our living room, and the other outlines our fireplace. We also burn lots of candles this time of year. Somehow, candle light just makes a room feel homier.

The young boys were so excited about the candles, that they took some to the bathroom (the only room without a window in our house), closed the door, and did their schoolwork by candlelight this morning.

We always decorate for Christmas on the 12th of December. Twelve years ago, our 2 year old son Ernest died on the 12th. We were devastated, to say the least. There was no warning of illness, and it was several weeks before we knew he died of a brain tumor.

In a way, it would seem like it would make Christmas a very sad time, but for me, it made it even more beautiful. You see all of us are going to die at some point in time. We don’t really like to think about it, but it will happen and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. As Ernest was dying, I thought about how I would have done anything I could to stop it. And I thought about when Christ was dying, God could have stopped it, but He didn’t. He knew this had to happen in order for Christ to have victory over death. And he did.

So, to see Christmas not only in the light of Christ’s birth, but also in the light of his victory over death makes the season even more precious than it was before. It is indeed a time of rejoicing and celebration.

Viewed 48 times by 22 visitors

We finished reading through Genesis on Friday.  Last night we did a quick review of some of the major events in Exodus and a bit later.  We asked the children to name the ten commandments.  Kathryn did the best using hand motions she learned from a young man in our fellowship.  I’ll try to make a video of her and put it up later to show how she remembers them.

We decided to go back to the New Testament and read the gospel of Mark.  We’ll begin the first chapter this evening.

We also went over 3 songs that people have requested to sing at our meetings that no one knew well enough to try.  I think we can do those.  There are a couple more that we need to work on.

Then we read a chapter from Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.  We usually are reading a book after our regular devotions.  It is very relaxing to have Stan read from a novel with all the children sitting around, captivated by the anticipation of what will happen next.  It seems we have read most of the books in our house, so when we found this one came with a good recommendation that would be new to everyone, we were all excited.  No one is allowed to read ahead, except for Stan, so each chapter holds something new for us all.

Viewed 48 times by 20 visitors

While reading our science lesson this week, the boys and I noticed one of the differences between the KJV and the NIV. We were reading about marsh and swamp birds. The text reference the use of the word Pelican in Psalms 102:6. We looked in our Bibles and it wasn’t there, so we looked at the King James and found it.

I am like a desert owl,
like an owl among the ruins NIV

I am like a pelican of the wilderness:
I am like an owl of the desert. KJV

Viewed 31 times by 17 visitors

Stan signed on with us tonight. He has been looking up references on ransoming in the Bible. Exodus 30:11-15 was one of the passages he was reading. We are trying to determine who Christ was ransomed from: Satan or God?

Viewed 81 times by 32 visitors