"Joy to the World" Jar {with Free Printable} by Megan from One Willis Family

It's almost Christmas; are you so excited?  We have family coming to visit in just a few more days, so we're really excited about that.  And the Christmas lights, choir programs, cookie making—it's a great time of year.

And we're almost done with the "Sew a Song of Christmas" series.  Today's project is by Megan, who blogs over at One Willis Family. She designs a lot of printables, some free, some for sale at her Etsy shop.  She also has tons of free digital scrapbooking paper packs—I love this black and white pack!  I'm very happy to have Megan sharing with us today.

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My choice of song for “Sew a song of Christmas” was Joy to the world:

If you remember all the lines, they are as follows:

Joy to the world! The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing

Joy to the world! the Savior reigns
Let their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

No more let sin and sorrow grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make
His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as, far as the curse is found

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of his love
And wonders of his love
And wonders and wonders of his love

How can one possibly capture the majesty of this song or really understand quite how joyful it is that our Lord has come. Each Christmas my family and I try to really celebrate the meaning of the season. We try to remember our savior’s birth, and life, and mission here on the earth. Although this can be difficult at times with the excitement over the presents there are little things we do each year to remind ourselves of Christ’s life. We read Christmas stories and I usually cry…of course, we read the nativity story in the scriptures; we give gifts, and the like. 

This year we have really been brainstorming how to gain more insight into the meaning and importance of our savior. 

Here is just one little thing we’ve done.

“Let Every Heart Prepare him Room” Jar

This is super easy to make. Just print out the jar wrap, cut around the edges, and tape it on.

Then you’ll want to make the paper curls. This is pretty easy too. You all know how to curl ribbon when wrapping a present so you’ll just that with the paper.

First take a strip of wrapping paper and fold hamburger style…then fold once more hotdog style. Then you’ll cut the edge off. 

Second you’ll want to cut strips. After you have a few strips you can curl it with the scissors. (The paper is more likely to tear so I go pretty slowly)

After you have the papers curled there are two ways you can “prepare room in your heart”

Prepare Him Room Option 1

Think of things you can do this Christmas season that would help you be more open to the savoir and more likely to receive him.  You will write different ways to do so and put them in the jar. Then each day you will draw one out and either do the activity or prepare everything and set the date in which you will do it. (For example for things such as caroling you might need to plan things in advance to actually do it.)

Some examples might include:

Service Ideas (When I serve others I feel closer to my Savoir): 

Take treats to neighbors and friends

 Write personalized Christmas cards with your testimony in them, 

Visit the elderly or sick, 

Seek out opportunities to serve as they come, 

Saying a kind word to a spouse, 

Call up someone you haven’t talked to in a while,

Organize or participate in a caroling group

Pondering (Pondering the savoir is a great way to help my spirit feel closer to him)

Read and study the birth of Christ: Luke 2:1-20, Look at Cross references

Read Christmas stories

What some of the movies about Christ’s birth: http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/the-nativity?cid=HPFR121313253&im=true&lang=eng

Write down all the blessing you have received in the last month. Think of ways you can bless the lives of others.

Start a spiritual journal where you write down impressions and promptings or your goals to come closer to the savoir. Keep writing in it.

Any other ideas or things you think would be beneficial to you and your family.

“Prepare him Room” Jar Option 2

In this option you won’t write on the curls until after you do something that brings you closer to the savior. You can watch yourself or if you are doing this as a family and you notice someone else doing something good and kind. When you see someone o yourself do something that opens their heart you write it down and put it in the jar. Then at a determined time such as Christmas eve or Christmas afternoon you pull out the jar and read everything.

It’s fun to watch the jar fill up and it helps us keep our focus on Jesus Christ.

Hope you enjoy

Megan 

 Onewillisfamily.blogspot.com

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Thanks, Megan!  That's a great idea; I think we'll be adding that to our family Christmas traditions.

Only two more posts in our Sew a Song of Christmas series!  Here's what we've done so far:
"I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" Tulle Wreath
"O, Christmas Tree" Glitter Ball Ornaments
"What Child is This?" Mini Quilt
"Blue Christmas" Simple Holiday Skirts
"Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer" Ornaments

"Let It Snow" Mitten Ornaments

"Away in a Manger" Nativity Set