Episode 61: Preparing Room for Jesus in Your Homeschool This Advent with Lara Molettiere

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Thank you for joining us! You can listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to check our other interviews with homeschool veterans like Sally Clarkson, Durenda Wilson, Tiffany Jefferson, and Jennifer Pepito.

Lara Molettiere is saved-by-grace, wife to a wonderful man, and the mama to two precious and precocious boys. Lara believes you are the gate-keeper, grace-giver, and cultivator of your home – a sacred space – and when you step into your God-given capacity you are capable of providing a delightful and life-giving education to your children. Lara has been homeschooling for over a decade with a literature-rich, Charlotte Mason. You can find her on Instagram at @larasplace and on Substack at Everyday Graces Homeschool.

In this episode, Lara shares how we can make Advent a sacred time for our families by slowing down and making space for restful traditions that help us savor our faith. When we set apart Advent as a season to shut out the world and reflect on the first coming of Christ as our Savior and His coming back again as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, we can experience Advent as a time of restoration and renewal.

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Advent Courses and Activities

From Lara

From Aimee

Advent Traditions

Each Advent Lara’s family sets aside their regular schoolwork (apart from math) to prioritize Advent traditions and activities:

  • Meditating on God’s Word
  • Doing a family Advent study
  • Reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
  • Singing Christmas carols around the piano
  • Listening to Handel’s Messiah
  • Watching favorite Christmas movies together like It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas and Elf
  • Doing family service projects like taking cookies and cocoa to the local police station or fire station, ringing bells with the Salvation Army, or volunteering at a nearby soup kitchen or food pantry

At the same time Lara reminds us: “Not every good thing is meant to be ours, and not every good thing is meant to be ours right now.” We cannot do it all so we must ruthlessly protect our family time and prayerfully consider which traditions and activities God is calling us to prioritize in our unique family.

Advent Books

From Lara

Here are some of the favorite Advent books Lara’s family enjoys each year:

Also check out Lara’s 20 Living Books for Advent and Christmas.

From Aimee

These are some of the Christmas books that are favorites in Aimee’s family:

You might also enjoy Aimee’s list of Favorite Christmas Books to Read Aloud.

Advent Resources for Moms

From Lara

Lara recommended several resources that she uses for her personal reflection and study during Advent:

From Aimee

These are some of the devotionals Aimee turns to during Advent:

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If you enjoyed this conversation with Lara, here are some other episodes of the Homeschool Compass Podcast you might enjoy:

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Aimee grew up in rural Michigan, where she was captivated by Jesus as a teenager and married her high school sweetheart. Together they moved to New England where they homeschool their two children together. Aimee has a Master's degree in Biblical Languages from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She enjoys exploring new places, reading great stories, and enjoying the outdoors with her family.