Season of Advent

Do you notice how it seems that every year the retailers start to prepare for the holidays earlier and earlier? It starts off slow, you may see something small that reminds you of Christmas but as we near the end of October, it's like you near the top of the roller coaster, in anticipation of the speed you are soon going to pick up. I was at Wal-Mart this year on HALLOWEEN and noticed there were lots of little kids walking through in their costumes trick-or-treating and several clerks that were busy trying to compact all the rejected costumes and candy on the shelves and the Christmas lights were coming out. I felt my mind starting to race as I thought about how fast the time was going to go from that point in time to December 25, the coaster was nearing the top!



We spend so much time preparing for the holidays but where are our thoughts while we're preparing? Most of the time we're thinking about who we still have to buy for, how much money is left in the budget, who we've forgotten to buy for and when we're ever going to have time to get to the store and buy all the food we need for all the get togethers that are going to take place. Add to that the stress of two children that are completely wired in anticipation of Christmas and you get one very frazzled mama! Do you ever feel this way?

Today at MOPS, we had two speakers; Scott Greene our new teaching pastor at church and Diane Samuels, our children's pastor. Both of their messages were different and yet carried the same point. They talked about the Advent Season which is what we are preparing to enter this Sunday. It's been a long time since I've been refreshed on Advent, what it stands for and really taken the time to think about it and reflect on it! So here is what I took from today's message and how it applies to me as a parent.

The first candle that is lit during the first week stands for Hope. There are times during child rearing that you find yourself questioning whether what you are doing is "right" and if you are raising your child to "go in the way of the Lord." God gives us Hope that even when it doesn't seem like things are going right, they will turn around and improve. Even in the midst of crying and screaming kids, he gives us Hope that tomorrow will be better, or 5 minutes from now will be better!


During the second week, we light the candle of Love. You know what that means, "For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son. So that we may have everlasting life." This means that God loved YOU so much that he sent his own son to die on the cross for you. Can you imagine giving YOUR son up for something like that? Amazing grace and amazing love! We sometimes go through times in our lives where it may be hard for us to love someone but if you remember that God loves you unconditionally, don't we owe it to God to do the same?

The third candle symbolizes joy! "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!" Do you remember that song? I thought Scott and Diane worded it very well when they both explained that you can give happiness in a toy but you can give joy by teaching your kids what it's like to give to others! This reminded me of the Operation Christmas Child drive our church held a couple of weeks ago. Gabby had been given a box to decorate in her class at church and encouraged to fill it with things for a little boy or girl. If you know Gabby, she loves to do this kind of stuff so we headed out to the Dollar Store to find items to put in this box. As we packed the box on a Saturday night, her eyes twinkled and she demonstrated pure joy! I, on the other hand was at wits end as this box kept coming apart every time I would try to close it up, the sides would fall out and I'd have to tape it and start all over. I literally wanted to cuss at this box (and may have mumbled a few choice words) not good but hey, I'm human.

We finally got it closed and put in the car so it was ready to be delivered at church the next morning. During the service that next day, all of the kids, aged kindergarten and up were brought out of class to bring all the boxes from the lobby to the sanctuary. Seeing her and all the kids filled with so much joy in bringing the boxes up front brought tears to my eyes that I couldn't stop. She "got it." She knew why she was taking the boxes up and what they were going for and she was filled with joy!

The fourth week and candle brings peace. Think about it, when is the most peaceful time in your house? During MOPS today, one of the moms shouted out, "When my kids are in bed." She took the words right out of my mouth as I had been thinking the same thing. So many times, when kids are young and so needy and dependent of us, it's hard to find peace and then, just when you find it, it's gone again. Sometimes, you can create your own peace but if you want lifelong peace, you need to ask God for it. He is the Prince of Peace!

Lastly, the candle in the middle symbolizes Christ and his birth which we celebrate. Need I say more???

Here is a prayer that I found online which I found very appropriate:

We praise you, Lord God, because on this day, your Word became flesh in our Savior Jesus Christ, was born of a woman, and walked among us as a man. Help us to imitate your incarnation, by manifesting our faith in our conduct as well as in our speech. To you, O Lord, we give our honor, praise, worship, and love. In the most holy and precious name of the One who is born today; because He lives; and reigns with you in your glory, and in the unity of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

If you've made it to this point in my post, thank you so much for reading! This was near and dear to my heart today after I left MOPS! May you be blessed this Christmas and stay focused on the REAL reason for the season! MERRY CHRISTMAS!