today's reading and project were a huge hit with ella. she told me over and over, "mama, this reminds me of when we did hand crafts in preschool. i loved that. i love miss jenny." (we all love miss jenny).
knowing now how much she loves handprint crafts, i will spend the entire next year figuring out how we can do handprint crafts for every day of advent 2011. i mean, the advent goblins will do that. totally the advent goblins.
you may copy and print the note the advent goblins left us if you wish:
God wants to be the most important thing in our lives. Daniel understood that; he worshiped God even though it might cost him everything, even his own life.
It was against the law for Daniel to worship God, but Daniel knew that God is the only true God, and he would not stop worshiping God. Daniel was punished for breaking the law, and he was put in a pit with lions. But God protected Daniel from becoming the lions’ dinner. People learned of God’s power because of Daniel, and many others worshiped God because Daniel had trusted and honored God.
Read Daniel 6:10-23
Using a paint brush or sponge, paint your hand with some orange paint then stamp it on a sheet of paper. This is the beginning of a lion's head! Wash your hand so there is no more paint on the palm of your hand. Then using the paint brush or sponge, paint your fingers with orange and yellow paint and stamp them around the palm print to make his mane. You will have to repeat the finger stamping several times with more paint. Keep stamping until his mane is completely full.
Wash your hands again, then dip your finger tips into some black paint. Make dots on your lion's face for eyes, a triangle for a nose, and curves for his mouth. For his whiskers, paint three fingers and stamp them on each side of his face.
Let your ornament dry then hang it on your Jesse Tree to remind you that even when we are afraid, we can trust God to take care of us.
here are a few pictures of how we made this ornament: