Sunday, December 8, 2013

Day 8 - GIVEAWAY! Plus Dove Project!

Day 8 - GIVEAWAY!  This Sunday's raffle is brought to us from Warfare by Duct Tape.   

The winner of this raffle will get one free copy of the e-book called Armor of God!   The book is based on Ephesians 6 - which we are in the process of memorizing this year for CC Cycle 2!  The creative genius of these two homeschooled brothers is unleashed, as they visually show you how, step by step, to make the Armor of God come to life!  You and your kids will be walked through the transformation of common items like cardboard and duct tape into the Sword of the Spirit, Helmet of Salvation and Belt of Truth to name a few!  It's so fun, creative and looks incredible when it's done!

I love the creativity of http://www.warfarebyducttape.com and highly recommend you check out their really neat, creative use of Duct Tape to bring ancient history dress and battle gear to life.  While you are there download their two free e-books (one girls may like and one for boys!) by clicking below:
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FREE
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FREE














So for our focus today of Advent we made Doves....
SEE BELOW FOR DIRECTIONS
One of the things I did was look at how the Dove was referenced in the Scriptures.  I will share what I found, which just touches the surface but is good food for thought or further study:
  • Doves were a symbols of mourning as referenced by Hezekiah and the Prophets:  "I moaned like a mourning dove" (Isa. 38:14); "will be . . . moaning like doves of the valleys" (Eze. 7:16); "We all growl like bears; we moan mournfully like doves" (Isa. 59:11).
  • Doves were a symbol of Israel's falling away: "Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless—now calling to Egypt, now turning to Assyria" (Hosea 7:11)
  • Doves were a symbol of Purity and Love as referenced by Song of Solomon and Jesus. "The Holy spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.  So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35) "My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice" (2:14); "Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove" (5:2; cf. 1:15; 4:1). Christ commanded the disciples to walk in Love "I am sending you out as sheep among wolves.  Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as Doves." (Matt. 10:16)
  • Doves were symbols of God's Deliverance:   "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest" (55:6); "that fly along like clouds, like doves to their nests" (Isa. 60:8; cf. Hosea 11:11)  He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf ! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.
  • Doves were also used as an Atoning sacrifice: "If the offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, you are to offer a dove or a young pigeon." (Leviticus 1:14)
I love this Renaissance period art by Fra Filippo Lippi - The Annunciation (notice the dove representing the Holy Spirit to the left of Mary).
Credit: National Gallery, London.
As I looked at these verses, it all ties together in Matthew 3:16 as Jesus ministry on earth really begins.  Jesus was certainly sent to deliver the Israelites from their vacillation with God if they would have accepted Him.  Jesus mourned over the Jews rejection of Him.  Jesus was God's provision of Love and an Atonement that provides for our Deliverance!  "And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16 

Supplies Needed for Making the Dove:

1 Paper Plate
Scissors
Green Construction Paper
Hot Glue
Regular Glue
Cotton Balls
Raffia or ribbon

 First divide and cut the paper plate into 3 equal parts.  Then taking the center piece drawing on the back, an outline of a dove and cut it out (there are templates online if you aren't much for drawing).
 Next hot glue the two outer ridge sections onto the body of your dove to make wings like shown below.  Next glue the ribbon onto the wings to hang the dove when you're done.
 Cut out a holly or twig shape from green construction paper and glue it to the mouth of the dove.
 Then have the kids put glue all over the wings and begin pulling apart cotton balls to stick to the wings for a "feather" appearance.






 When you're done you can hang it up.  We wrote Matthew 3:16 on the tail.
Enjoy Day 8 Advent!  

2 comments:

  1. We've been singing the song to help us learn :)

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  2. We use the music from Lisa McCann at http://lisamccannmusic.com/music.html
    It is so much more fun to sing and memorize! :)
    Leesa

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