Advent

I'm a little late in posting this. I wanted to do it Sunday, but better late than never. (cliche)
Advent is a Latin word meaning "the coming." It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve.

The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent.
This first week of advent we focus on expectation. What are we expecting this Christmas season?
I must be honest. Until a couple of years ago I dreaded Christmas. All I could grasp in my mind was the shopping (I"m not a shopper) the business and craziness of it all. I wasn't even thinking of the special aspects of the season. Family, friends, the birth of Jesus.
The year before last I made a promise to myself that I wasn't going to get bogged down in all the details. And it worked....I continued the same promise last year and it was even better. This year I'm looking forward to a precious, special Christmas season.
I guess that's my expectation. Less hustle and bustle---more focusing on what's really important. How about you? What are you expecting?

Thanks-Giving

Turkey day has come and gone and with it starts the Christmas season. Shopping has begun, parties have started and plans are being made. Thanksgiving marks the beginning of what is now referred to as the holiday season, a combination of thanks and giving. Thanks for our Saviour Jesus Christ-born in Bethlehem. Giving--well, we all know that presents will be under the tree--traded between friends and family.
But we can give in other ways. We can give of ourselves. Our time. Our worship.
Let's combine the thanks and the giving and thankfully give of what God is asking us to this Christmas season.

Here is one reason to be thankful. Family. This picture is of my husband, his daughters and mother. (and her guy!) Fabulous ladies---all whom I admire and am so blessed to know.

Here is a photo of my mother and her three children. Family is truly a blessing.
I'm going to try and think of ways to thankfully give this year. What about you?