Tonight we clasp hands around the table and begin. We light the first candle and read the first book in this 24-day countdown. The anticipation in my children's eyes is almost palpable. And-- oh!-- the excitement they ooze as the book is hung from the shelf, visibly marking the passing of time and reassuring them that, yes, Christmas is coming.
He has come, we tell each other, and that is what all this-- the decorations and parties and cookies and celebrations-- is about. With humble beginnings and heavenly declaration, He entered the world as a baby.
For us.
What a privilege we have to look back, to know with familiarity the story that the saints of old ached to hear.
We look back, and yet even in the midst of remembering, we look forward: He has come, and He is coming again.
And the looking back gives us faith for that which we have yet to see.
He is coming.
I love the painted advent wreath. Perfect solution to last years mishap and now uniquely your family.
ReplyDelete@sam - When we pulled it out this Christmas, the kids and I inevitably ended up discussing the day the candle burned too low too quickly and burnt part of the ring (fortunately we caught it before it damaged it beyond use!).I said [again] how sad I was. Gabriel tilted his head a bit and replied, "I don't know, Mom. It's kind of nice. Like how Jesus' life wasn't perfect, but He still did what needed to be done. Our wreath isn't perfect, but that's okay. It still reminds us of what it's supposed to."Kind of made me almost glad that it all happened. :)
ReplyDelete@brietta - What a wise young man you have!
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