And laying his finger aside of his nose
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
Santa Clause leaves our scene up the chimney, just like the milky white smoke from the burning wood in the fireplace that keeps us warm and cozy at Christmas.
A chimney with smoke lazily curling up to the sky is part of a quintessential winter scene we all love, complete with thick blankets of fluffy white snow.
Ephesians 5:1
1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
This verse in Ephesians teaches Christ was a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God, and we are to FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE!
We raise a fragrant offering to God with gracious speech, discerning hearts, thankful attitudes, and personal sacrifice.
We take baby steps each day as we study the Bible, fellowship, pray, and live a life that glorifies God. This is how we transform our minds!
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Reach out to some friends and start a mom’s prayer and support group, or start one for your kids! Simply reading through a book of the Bible helps us renew our minds and be a fragrant offering to the Lord each day.
Take action today and start growing in the Lord!
SURPRISE PRESENT
Today we have a sweet coloring page and a chimney craft I developed for our fragrant offering concept!
Our chimney craft combines the idea of Santa Clause rising up the chimney, and each of us living a life that rises up as a fragrant offering to the Lord.
1-Using a plain brown paper lunch sack, I painted red bricks with a one inch paint brush. This could be done with crayons, markers, or gluing rectangles of red or brown construction paper on as bricks. (Do this step on all four sides of your “chimney”.)
2-Cut out four smoke swirls using cardstock or stiff paper. If you use construction paper, tape a popsicle stick on the back for stability.
3-Each smoke swirl is labeled with one of our fragrant offerings: gracious speech, discerning hearts, thankful attitudes, and personal sacrifice.
(I used markers for the words and crayons to color the swirl.)
4-Tape swirls on the “chimney”.
5-On the left we did long swirls of smoke, and on the right puffy smoke. Play around with it and have fun making it your own!
6-Wouldn’t it be fun to have a little Santa face peeking out of the chimney smoke, or hiding behind the chimney? (See images below.)
You can add cotton around the top of the chimney for an extra special touch, or a reindeer standing nearby!
Place something heavy in the bottom of the bag (rice or beans works) so it doesn’t tip over, and enjoy your fragrant offerings craft, Christmas version!