ADVENT

Today is the beginning of the Advent season in our church. It is a period of waiting and preparation for the coming of the Christ. We are awaiting the arrival of the celebration of his birth, and we are also awaiting his second coming.

When I was a child, it was so hard to wait! I remember the excitement mounting as our family prepared for Christmas throughout the month. There was the writing of a list of things we wanted, then the actual buying of presents for each member of the family, and wrapping the gifts with fancy paper and curling ribbons and shiny bows. There was the hunt for a well-shaped live Christmas tree, and the difficulties getting it to fit in the stand and getting it to stand straight. Then the decorating - first the lights were checked to make sure they all still worked, replacing bulbs that mysteriously had burned out even though they were working when packed away the year before, and then someone would carefully place them on the tree, winding them in and out of the limbs. Then the ornaments were hung, with the less breakable ones near the bottom where the dog might accidentally knock them off, and several little metal bells that actually rung were strategically hung on low branches so we would hear if they were disturbed. And finally the sparkly "icicles" were carefully draped over each branch of the tree. I remember times when our family helped decorate the church in much the same way, with great care and anticipation, and attending lots of church services. Finally, when the actual Christmas break from school began, we would pack up our suitcases and take a 6 hour long drive to our grandparents' home to spend the week or more with them for the holidays. It was a quiet time in the car, as we often traveled into the night to get there. I think that was my parents' way of assuring that their 4 children would settle down and fall asleep! I remember lying in the back of the station wagon (yes, without seatbelts!), drifting off as I listened to the radio up front playing Christmas carols, looking forward to seeing the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. The time had almost arrived, the waiting almost over, the preparations almost complete.

Over the years, my preparations before Christmas have changed. As we had our own children, I then experienced a different aspect of the waiting and preparing. I found great joy in the anticipation of our children as they now went through much of the same preparations that I had gone through as a child. And now that they are grown and no longer live at home, I still enjoy the month before Christmas arrives by gradually decorating the tree, though now it is artificial, and sometimes baking special goodies only enjoyed during the holidays. The aroma of freshly baked cookies, the sight of the twinkling tree lights and decorations, the joyful sounds of Christmas music playing, all bring back good memories. And now there also is the preparation of special flute and choir music for the many extra church services throughout the month, to help enrich the worship of the entire congregation. We fellowship with one another at special Advent dinners, and speak of the preparations we are each going through for the month, offering support and laughing with one another. All of it brings me great joy.

But the most important preparation is that of our hearts. We recognize that we need a Savior, and we thank God that he sent his Son into the world as a baby, to experience our life here on earth, and eventually to die in our place as payment for our sins and rise again in glory. We eagerly await his coming into our lives every day with hopeful anticipation, and we are assured that He is already with us, supplying everything we need as his will dictates. We confess that we are not perfect, that we are sinful and unclean and that we desire to turn from those ills, knowing that we are unable to do so on our own. Our hearts are grateful that God forgives those sins, provides the way out through faith in Jesus, and gives us the power to live as his children in his grace and mercy. May our preparations for Christmas be joyful in anticipation. May our hearts be like that of a child, fully trusting in Him as we prepare and wait for his coming.

"It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3:26
May God bless you with peace in your heart as your waiting and preparation continues. Have a joyful Advent season!

written by Jan Andersen, child of God