I absolutely love this time of year! With all of its craziness, rushing and hectic schedules, I love it!!
Why? I can't put it in just a few words. I guess it is all that the season means and the joy it brings when we focus on the real reason for this season.
So, for the next few weeks, we will take a break from our "Lord, Help Me I'm Human" Bible study and focus on Christmas.
Advent is a beautiful liturgical celebration of the coming of Christ. For those of us raised in good old Assembly of God churches, we might have missed the ceremonial aspect of this beautiful worship experience. Until after Christmas we are going to look at the four candles in the advent wreath, what they mean to our Christian walk and inspection into God's Word on this subject.
I am going to take this study in small steps, rather than one each week. The reason being is that I am not up on my advent "stuff" and will research sites and scriptures and pass them along as I find them.
So, for the first leg of our study, please go to www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html. Now, please be aware that if I send you to these sites, it does not mean that I agree with their doctrine, practices or basic Biblical views. I will be referring to a few places because of their historical and research information on advent.
1.) Review the information at www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html (This is from a Protestant perspective.)
2.) Another look at from a Catholic perspective is www.cptryon.org/prayer/adx/index.html
3.) Begin to look at your Christmas traditions at home. Do they prepare your heart and the hearts of your family for the coming of Christ?
4.) Is there something you can change in how you celebrate this beautiful season to make your family and especially your children and/or grandchildren be more in love with the Christ of Christmas?
Later on this week, I will post a survey on Christmas traditions. Maybe we can encourage each other to have the most beautiful and spirit filled Christmas ever!
Merry Christmas!
Dorinda
2 comments:
One thing that really gets me ready for Christmas is practicing the Christmas Cantata. Since the focuss truely on Christ it really helps to keep my focus off of the commercial aspects. It has become one of my traditions for sure.
I do enjoy having the family get together and exchanging presents is certainly fun but I don't feel that it is a huge focus of the holiday for us. I really like it when Christmas or Christmas eve is on a Sunday and there is a service to go to.
Last year Beth, Grace and I put together a gingerbread house. We will do another this year.Grace has not forgotten about it and has already asked about it for this year so we are forming a nwe tradition.
I am getting ready to look at the sites on the advent.
Growing up, the tradition I remember is my Mom baking alot of cookies to give away to everyone she came into contact with. I have not quite grasped that tradition of baking until my hands are blue....but a tradition that I enjoy at our house is similiar to the spirit of giving like my Mom had: giving my 12 year old a budget to shop for a needy child or making a donation of gifts to the shelters toy giveaway. Allowing her to purchase all the items and watching her face as she gives it to someone who may not get anything at all is what I enjoy about Christmas... the giving not the receiving. I love the spirit of giving.
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