Tis the Season

"How delightful," said Pooh, "to be so brand new."

The Advent season is once again upon us! The story of a less-than-ideal birth, a cherished baby, a Mother in awe trying to absorb it all, the promise fulfilled, a glorious message of hope…oh, joy! There’s always a huge celebration when a baby is born, how much more so when that baby is our promised Savior! I’m thankful we have the chance to celebrate that same birth, the turning point in our history, every year. I’m so in love with that little baby in a manger. 

It's also fun to reminisce about Christmas in the past, the ones that I shared with my own little babies. We got the ornament above when Grant was a newborn and I remember that precious time when I see it. Since both my kids were born in the fall, I spent two Christmases with little babies. It was such a wonderful time and gave me a new appreciate for the Christmas story.

As you celebrate the birth of Jesus, here are a few resources for your advent adventure...

A beautiful Advent prayer: “May this entire Advent season bring us back to your manger, back to your cross, back to your empty tomb; and moving forward with you into your new creation story.

We started our Advent calendars yesterday; a fun tradition we started a few years ago. As we count the days to Christmas, the kids find fun stuff like candies and coins and little toys in their numbered pockets. My friend shared an idea for a Jesus-centered Advent calendar here. 

We also lit the Hope candle in our Advent candle wreath today. For more info on how to put together an Advent candle wreath, click here.

And thanks to the suggestion of my musically inclined friend, I’ve been listening to these Christmas tunes all week.

Regardless of what craziness this holiday season brings (and there will be craziness!), I pray we all have a peace “that transcends all understand.”