The countdown has begun..... when I was a child, my parents had fun ways for us to count down the days. We had the advent wreath & candles on the table to light counting the 4 Sundays before Christmas, the last one lighted on Christmas Eve. Often times, my brother and I had our own countdown with a handmade advent counter (we would untie or cut off 1 mint candy each day) or open the little doors to see the Nativity unfold day by day. It was a fun way for us to 'prepare' for Christmas.
As an adult, I still like to 'prepare' for Christmas...... over the years, I've crossed off the (available shopping) days on my calender, baked & crafted, made advent counters for the kids, we've done advent stories & Bible studies and even had the wreath on the table.... but somehow, I think there is MORE to the advent season than all of that. These are all GOOD things .... but the preparedness needs to be in my heart. Am I ready for the coming of the "Messiah"?
Will we continue to read our advent stories? Yup, we will light candles & eat candies!! Currently we are reading "Bartholomew's Passage" by Arnold Ytreeide (I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ALL 3 OF HIS ADVENT BOOKS! We've been reading them as a family & rotating them for a few years now!) But this year, the 'thought' questions are probing deeper. Think on this... "What if everyone lived as if Jesus were returning to earth tomorrow, not as a baby, but as the King and Redeemer that He is!"
WOW.... this got much deeper then I planned. Somehow, in the 12 day countdown before Christmas, I think I needed to read this and be reminded to keep my eyes on Jesus and my head above water!! God bless your advent season....
1 comment:
Melanie, I LOVE your blog! I really think you were supposed to be our sister! :-)
Karen (Fowler) Perrin
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