O Root of Jesse

It has taken three years, (well really only about 3 months but then it sat for nearly three years before I finally decided to finish) but our beautiful cross stitched Jesse Tree ornaments are done and ready to be used, just in time for Advent!

I am mostly pleased with how they turned out, especially since I really am not a huge fan of handcraft projects that take months to complete.  I am also not a fan of following instructions, so I messed up the centering on a few of the finished ornaments, but only a crafter would really notice.  I recently learned from a blog follower that the company that sells this particular set's instructions is no longer in business and you can no longer find the instructions anywhere.  Thankfully, I still have my copy!

Wingnut wants us to support our local Knights of Columbus by purchasing a live Christmas tree from them each year.  Normally, we don't put up our Christmas tree until the very last week of Advent, sometimes not until Christmas Eve.  I was wracked with guilt last year as we decorated our tree the first week of Advent instead of waiting.  Just kidding, but I do like to keep with tradition and so I am thrilled to have this project ready to go.  The tree arrives this Saturday and we'll decorate it with lights and a ribbon garland that I have written upon it the lineages of Christ.  Each day, throughout the remainder of Advent, the Jesse Tree ornaments will be added to the tree and we'll read a bible story, or verse, or Psalm that is appropriate for that particular ornament. 

My stitching instructions did not advise as to which story or verse the ornaments matched up to. Some are obvious--such as the rainbow, or the apple and serpent.  Unfortunately, some are not nearly as obvious, and are in fact down right obscure.  Like the above.  Now, most might say this represents the donkey Mary rode into Bethlehem, but they would be wrong.  The title of this ornament is "Messianic Promise".  The ornaments are in chronological order and this ornament is between the Ten Commandments and The Conquest of Jericho.  I searched through the Old Testament trying to find what in the world this ornament refers to.  The only story I could find was an obscure story about  a donkey that was compelled by God to speak to his rider.  I can't even find it again.  No matter, it really said nothing about the Messianic promise.  For this ornament we'll read a Messianic prophesy from Psalms or Isaiah.