Advent Begins

Tis the season.

Its the time of year we rush and spend and stress. The time of year so many look upon with dread.

The Christmas season should be so much more, yet, year after year, we add more to our to do lists. We add more to our credit card debts.  We add unneeded negativity to a beautiful season.

Can we just not?

Can we just pause and reset?

Can we anticipate the gift of Jesus instead of the gifts under the tree that we feel obligated to purchase?

And thus, let's celebrate Advent.

Advent, in Natasha Terms,  is the anticipation of the coming of Christmas.....and all that it entails.

For me, its yearning to be near to Christ in every possible way

To soak myself in scripture that hints at His coming

To sing hymns of praise and adoration

To give thanks for the gift of Christ, eternal life, and all the blessings in between

To focus on Christ instead of commercialism


Would you join me?

This Advent season, I will be reading from The Voice Advent Reading Plan.  It starts today, and each daily reading is short.

Starting December 1, I will begin reading The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp.  This will be my second journey through this wonderful book.

Not only will I reset during this Advent season, my family will also.  Each night beginning December 1, we will take a book from our Advent calendar and read and pray over the scripture as a family.  Each book will then be placed on our Christmas tree.

And yes, that is an elf in that picture, our dear Bill Skylander Hotdog, who by the way has a friend this year: Penelope Skylander Hotdog.  We will still continue our usual fun family traditions. However, our focus will be on Christ.  Regardless of the number of gifts or parties or cards or carols, we will pause this holiday season and keep Christ at the center it.

So, Friend, will you join me in anticipating Christmas the way Christmas is meant to be?

Journey

These kids y'all.

They have a journey ahead of them.  A journey they just don't even know.

As I spend time with them each day, as I get to know them, as I see what our world is like today, my heart aches.  They don't even have a clue.

Our world is in a mess and these kids have hope and dreams.  Some have a grasp on reality. Some have no concept of reality. And for some, oh, my! We would not survive in their reality.


For some of these children, I fear what the end of their journey will be like.  For others, I'm afraid they will waste the journey.  And then, there are those that their journeys will end in success and joy.

I want to make the path straight.

I want to make the path well lit.

I want to make the path easy to follow.

But what then?  What would they get from that? What would they learn?

I saw a question posed on social media the other day asking why this particular person's journey was so tough.  There are many reasons: our choices, our sins, the sins of others. And there is this: If the journey was easy, would we feel the need for Jesus?  I've found strength and growth in my hardest journeys, and as difficult as it is, we must let these little ones do the same.

 Thank you for joining me today, this lovely finally fall feeling Friday.  If you haven't stopped by Kate's yet, please do so.  She has a great giveaway going on!

While you are there, spread the Five Minute Friday love.