Several of us had such a wonderful time with our Days of Thanksgiving blogs that we decided to do the same thing for December, but focus on the themes of Advent- Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. So I'll be blogging each day about one of these topics.I want to include today, though, since it is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent has its roots in Catholicism (yes, I know I'm Methodist!) and is a way to spiritually prepare for the coming of the Christ Child on Christmas morning. I have an Advent wreath, which has 4 purple candles around the edges and a white candle in the center. Today, I lit one of the purple candles.
Today I want to focus on Joy. I'm sure by now you've seen Savannah's room that I worked hard on, and I'm so pleased with how it turned out! It brings me joy to see her so happy- I don't think she has ever passed up an afternoon with a friend to go sit in her room! I'm happy to see her so happy. I think it works the same with God. When He sees His children filled with Joy, He is pleased. I'm sure of this because God sent His Son to bring Joy to the world. (He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth. Luke 1:14)
I hope this holiday weekend has brought you a measure of Joy as well. If you would like to join me in daily blogs beginning December 1, feel free to.
I will make and official announcement Nov. 30th to prepare anyone who wants to join us.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sea- I'll try to post a link to it!
ReplyDeleteI think your joy in your daughter's room is wonderful. I can remember many years ago when my mom helped me fix my room up nicely. We bought the material for curtains, and the bedspread. What a great memory to make and share.
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen. I hadn't thought about making memories- but I bet she will remember this for a long time!
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong with 'borrowing' the traditions of other faiths. I was brought up Catholic, but then in my forties attended a Baptist church for awhile, and now I don't belong to any religion at all, and yet I have a small menorah and in my own small way celebrate Hanukkah along with Christmas. It goes back to a Christmas the second year I was in Virginia when I didn't have much money for gifts. I was standing in my kitchen trying to make a list of presents I could get everyone. Suddenly the globe of the oil lamp I had sitting on top of the fridge popped off, rolled, and fell to the floor (without breaking). As soon as I saw what had happened I thought of the origins of Hanukkah and how a days worth of lamp oil had stretched to last eight days, and then, I immediately knew how I would stretch the small amount of money that I had left from my paycheck after paying the bills. I went to the Dollar Tree and bought my family members and friends each a small Christmas basket and enough candy to fill their basket. And for the young children I bought them each a little toy at the Dollar Tree store. The money that was left after that was used for the postage to mail the gifts that got sent to Maryland. When I remember that year I think of it as the year of my Christmas/Hanukkah miracle.
ReplyDeleteI no longer try to buy for everyone in my family, the family has grown too large for everyone to try to give to everyone else. Now my joy comes from giving to those who are in need, and to friends who have helped and given to me when I needed it.
I like this idea for blogs. I think I will join you with this one. My family is definitely not Catholic -- Mir and I are a blend of Conservative Baptist (Mir) and Independent Christian (Me), with Mir being a missionary's daughter and me being a church deacon/elder/organist's son who just happened to attend seminary. But Mir and I saw the benefit of practicing Advent with our children a few years ago. Mir found a large, ornate, hardcover book that has a sturdy cardboard page for each day of Advent. Each of those pages has a beautiful door on it that is opened to find the scripture and portion of the story. Each family member takes a turn opening the door to read each day. We have an old candle holder that we use. The book is published by Tyndale (which is local -- in Wheaton, next to Wheaton College), so Advent is no longer a "Catholic thing"!
ReplyDeleteI'm not Catholic either, but I have observed Advent for years now. I love to read, think and pray my way to Christmas.
ReplyDeleteSo, between you, Steve and me it will be quiite a good Advent this year :)
( I started my Advent blog yesterday)
Just Lovely Janeen! As I see some failings of somethings
ReplyDeleteI *See the Lords brilliance everso more! oxo
Joy? That you're my friend. I have the boys, Art, Payge and Shawn, Indy, the cats, cameras - digital and film, and books. What more could I ask for?
ReplyDeleteSue, the Methodists observe Advent and so do the Presbyterians. As Steve says, "it isn't just for Catholics anymore!"
ReplyDeleteSteve, I'm glad you're going to join us. It has been good discipline for me!
Reite, I enjoyed your Advent blog, too. I love this time of the year!
Thanks Janet. Sometimes you find God in the low places, too!
Thanks Susan, that's sweet! I am happy to have all my friends here!
So do Lutherans.
ReplyDeleteI bet there are others, too. It has its roots in Catholicism, but so do lots of other things we do. (Christmas- Christ Mass?)
ReplyDeleteI'd nod my head but I'm dizzy enough as it is right now.
ReplyDeleteJust hold still, then! LOL!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to.
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