Advent Day 25: A Gingerbread House
12/25/23 • 5 min
Thank you for joining Keys for Kids Radio's Countdown to Christmas Advent Activity! Read the story below, answer the questions on the cards, and send us a voice message with your answers! Then you could hear yourself on Keys for Kids Radio as we talk through each day's story!
A Gingerbread House"Mom! Tell Ella to stop dipping her finger in the icing!”
“Karis, you know she’s only five. You can’t expect her to make a gingerbread house without eating any of it.”
“But I want it to be perfect!” It was a Christmas tradition for Karis and Ella to make a gingerbread house. Karis lined up the red and green gumdrops like little army men. The containers of colored sprinkles stood at attention like soldiers. “Mom, I think there’s more icing in Ella’s hair than on our gingerbread house.”
“Don’t worry about it, honey,” said Mom. “I’ll give her a bath when you’re finished.”
Karis smiled at her sister. “If you get any more icing on your face, you’ll look like a snowman.”
Ella giggled and handed her sister a broken piece of graham cracker.
“That’s a great idea, Ella,” said Karis. “We can use little pieces of graham cracker to make shingles for our roof. We’ll stick them on with icing.”
An hour later, Karis plopped the last gumdrop on the roof of the gingerbread house to make a chimney.
Mom picked up a leftover graham cracker and used it to scrape the bottom of the icing bowl. “That’s one of the most beautiful gingerbread houses I’ve ever seen, girls. I’m so proud of you.” She popped the graham cracker into her mouth.
“You know, this gingerbread house reminds me of a Bible verse. Jesus said He was going to heaven to prepare a place for us to be with Him forever. It took you girls a whole hour to make your house. Can you imagine how awesome the place is that Jesus is preparing for us? If we trust in Jesus, He’s already made a home in our hearts, and one day we’ll get to be with Him in heaven forever.”
Karis smiled. “I’m pretty sure the place Jesus is preparing for us in heaven isn’t made out of gingerbread.”
Mom smiled and licked a bit of icing off her finger. “You’re right. I don’t think it will be made of gingerbread. But it will be just as sweet!”
So how about you?Have you ever built a gingerbread house? Then you know how much time and preparation it takes to make it look good. Right now Jesus is preparing a place for those who trust in Him, and it will be better than any mansion on earth! But there’s only one way to get there. Trust in Jesus, and He will make a home in your heart—and prepare one for you in heaven too. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?”)
Key VerseJohn 14:2 ERV "There are many rooms in my Father's house...I am going there to prepare a place for you."
Key ThoughtChristians have a home with Jesus.
Further ReadingJohn 14:2-4, 23; Romans 10:9
Thank you for joining Keys for Kids Radio's Countdown to Christmas Advent Activity! Read the story below, answer the questions on the cards, and send us a voice message with your answers! Then you could hear yourself on Keys for Kids Radio as we talk through each day's story!
A Gingerbread House"Mom! Tell Ella to stop dipping her finger in the icing!”
“Karis, you know she’s only five. You can’t expect her to make a gingerbread house without eating any of it.”
“But I want it to be perfect!” It was a Christmas tradition for Karis and Ella to make a gingerbread house. Karis lined up the red and green gumdrops like little army men. The containers of colored sprinkles stood at attention like soldiers. “Mom, I think there’s more icing in Ella’s hair than on our gingerbread house.”
“Don’t worry about it, honey,” said Mom. “I’ll give her a bath when you’re finished.”
Karis smiled at her sister. “If you get any more icing on your face, you’ll look like a snowman.”
Ella giggled and handed her sister a broken piece of graham cracker.
“That’s a great idea, Ella,” said Karis. “We can use little pieces of graham cracker to make shingles for our roof. We’ll stick them on with icing.”
An hour later, Karis plopped the last gumdrop on the roof of the gingerbread house to make a chimney.
Mom picked up a leftover graham cracker and used it to scrape the bottom of the icing bowl. “That’s one of the most beautiful gingerbread houses I’ve ever seen, girls. I’m so proud of you.” She popped the graham cracker into her mouth.
“You know, this gingerbread house reminds me of a Bible verse. Jesus said He was going to heaven to prepare a place for us to be with Him forever. It took you girls a whole hour to make your house. Can you imagine how awesome the place is that Jesus is preparing for us? If we trust in Jesus, He’s already made a home in our hearts, and one day we’ll get to be with Him in heaven forever.”
Karis smiled. “I’m pretty sure the place Jesus is preparing for us in heaven isn’t made out of gingerbread.”
Mom smiled and licked a bit of icing off her finger. “You’re right. I don’t think it will be made of gingerbread. But it will be just as sweet!”
So how about you?Have you ever built a gingerbread house? Then you know how much time and preparation it takes to make it look good. Right now Jesus is preparing a place for those who trust in Him, and it will be better than any mansion on earth! But there’s only one way to get there. Trust in Jesus, and He will make a home in your heart—and prepare one for you in heaven too. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?”)
Key VerseJohn 14:2 ERV "There are many rooms in my Father's house...I am going there to prepare a place for you."
Key ThoughtChristians have a home with Jesus.
Further ReadingJohn 14:2-4, 23; Romans 10:9
Previous Episode
Advent Day 24: Temporary Connections
Thank you for joining Keys for Kids Radio's Countdown to Christmas Advent Activity! Read the story below, answer the questions on the cards, and send us a voice message with your answers! Then you could hear yourself on Keys for Kids Radio as we talk through each day's story!
Temporary ConnectionsJulie sighed in satisfaction as she looked at the Christmas decorations she had hung in her room. She had tried to tie a string from her closet door to her curtain, but the string wasn’t long enough, so she’d stretched her curtain into the middle of her room and managed to tie the string tightly around it. Bells and Christmas ornaments were meticulously strung along the string. It had taken her the better part of an hour to get it all set up the way she wanted.
A few minutes later, Mom walked in to close Julie’s blinds and noticed the string contraption and the curtain suspended parallel to the floor. “Julie?” Mom asked. “Will you please cut this string so we can close your blinds? It’s getting dark outside.”
Julie stomped her feet and wailed, “But it took me forever to tie that string!”
“I’m sorry, honey, but it can’t stay this way. Next time, make sure you’re connecting it to something that won’t have to move if you want it to last a long time.” Julie burst into tears and flung herself on her bed.
Mom sighed. “I understand you’re upset. When you’ve had a chance to process, we’ll talk about it.”
Mom walked out to the living room where Julie’s older brother, Dan, was working on building a ramp for his car and connecting it to the couch. “Just so you’re aware, you’ll have to take your ramp down before bedtime,” Mom told him.
“Okay, Mom. Why is Julie so upset?”
“I asked her to cut a string she tied to the curtain.”
Dan nodded. He had seen Julie stringing up her decorations earlier. “She spent a long time doing that.”
“I know. I explained if she wanted it to last a long time, she’d have to be wiser about how she set it up.” Mom sat on the couch to watch Dan build. “It’s a good reminder for how we should live our lives. The things of this world are temporary, but the truth and salvation of Jesus lasts forever! We need to build our lives wisely by trusting and obeying Him.”
So how about you?Are you building your life in a way that will last? The only way to do that is to trust in Jesus. (See “Have You Heard the Good News?”) Then live out His truth in your daily life. In today’s Bible reading, Jesus tells a story about a man who built his house on rock and another who built his house on sand. When the rain came, the house on sand washed away, but the one on the rock stood firm. Jesus is the Rock—build your life on Him.
Key VerseJohn 6:27 NIV "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Song of Man [Jesus] will give you."
Key ThoughtBuild your life on Jesus.
Further ReadingMatthew 7:24-29; John 6:27-29
Next Episode
Advent Day 26: After-Christmas Sale
Thank you for joining Keys for Kids Radio's Countdown to Christmas Advent Activity! Read the story below, answer the questions on the cards, and send us a voice message with your answers! Then you could hear yourself on Keys for Kids Radio as we talk through each day's story!
After-Christmas Sale"Look at my new sweater!” said Brianne, holding it up for her dad to see. “You should see all the stuff Mom and I got on sale today.”
Mom sighed. “Yes, but it was such a hassle getting through the crowds at the mall and pawing through the racks of clothes that I wondered at times if it was really worth it. But we did get some really good deals.”
“Yeah!” said Brianne. “It makes you wonder how the stores can afford to sell things at those prices.”
“They know what they’re doing,” Dad assured her. “They’re clearing out things that are no longer profitable and making room to restock their shelves with new things people want—things that will make them more money. Right now, they’re selling off winter stuff to make room for spring merchandise.” He paused for a moment. “I think we could take a lesson from them.”
“Like what?” asked Brianne curiously.
“There are things in our lives that we need to clear out from time to time,” Dad explained as he reached for his Bible. “Let’s read about them for our devotions tonight.” He opened his Bible and read a passage from the book of Colossians.
“Hearing those verses makes me regret getting angry and impatient with some people in the store today,” Mom confessed. “I need to get rid of anger and selfishness from the shelves of my life and make room for patience and humility.”
“How much do you suppose we can sell our bad qualities for?” asked Brianne with a mischievous grin.
Dad laughed. “Forget having a sale and just trash them. Those unprofitable traits don’t fit who we are now because Jesus has saved us from sin. Instead of wasting space on them, we can restock our shelves with good things like compassion, kindness, and patience—qualities that fit the new life Jesus gave us when we trusted in Him.”
“And how much of a profit can we get with our new qualities?” asked Brianne. “That’s the best part,” said Dad. “We can give them away for free, and they’ll still be profitable. When we are kind, gentle, and forgiving with others, we show them God’s love and help them see who Jesus is, and He can use those good qualities in our lives to draw more people to Him.”
So how about you?What traits are found on the shelves of your life? Do others see qualities that reflect Jesus and fit the new person He’s made you to be? Or do you still have outdated habits from your old life taking up space—things like lying, a hot temper, or a desire to get even with someone? Trust God to help you replace old, sinful attitudes with loving qualities that fit your new life with Jesus.
Key VerseColossians 3:12 "As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."
Key ThoughtPut on traits that reflect Jesus.
Further ReadingColossians 3:8-15
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