Advent Thoughts-2010

Advent Thoughts from Our Members

Wisdom for/from each other as we prepare
to celebrate the Lord's coming.

Share your Advent thoughts - Your comments will be posted.  Your name will be withheld upon request. Your email address will not be posted online.

We happily explain that we are looking and waiting for baby Jesus
to come to us Christmas day.

     The Christmas after my father passed away, I saw this beautiful manger scene and just had to have it. True to my frugal upbringing I refused to purchase it prior to Christmas that year and pay full price. A few weeks after Christmas, I had almost forgotten about the beautiful Holy Family, angels, etc., when I happened to be walking through the Jones [department] Store to make a return when, behold, there sat a few of the pieces marked 75% off!  (I had to travel to a few other Jones Stores around the area to complete the set so I sometimes wondered did I really save any money?) The unpainted, tan set is 3 1/2 feet tall.  In my opinion, just beautiful!   We never place Baby Jesus in the manger until Christmas morning!
      This year, our little Timothy holds his hands up and makes his little sound for "where" when he points to Mary and Joseph. We happily explain that we are looking and waiting for baby Jesus to come to us Christmas day. We love the Advent season in our house. 
      Since my father had died the previous January, I always believed that he was with me that next January and helped me find all of the various pieces to complete our beautiful manger scene that plays such a big part in my family’s preparing for the coming of the Lord into our hearts each year.   
     Come, Lord Jesus!

"I am going to pray that the Lord gives them dreams about returning to the Church!'

     I heard something interesting on the radio today on KLOVE -- a Christian radio station.  It said that some Muslims who are converting to Christianity converted because of a dream they had had about Jesus talking to them about walking with Him!  Awesome! 
      Besides praying for someone to come alongside our kids to lead them back to the Church, I am going to pray that the Lord gives them dreams about returning to the Church!! 
     Dreams have been used in the Bible to convey the Lord's wishes such as to St. Joseph to take Mary as his wife in spite of her pregnancy, or to leave quickly from Bethlehem with Mary and Jesus since Herod was seeking to kill baby Jesus.  The Magi likewise dreamed to go home by a different route and so avoid going to Herod.
     Joseph (of the technicolor dreamcoat!) was an interpreter of dreams that gave a message from God, as was Daniel the prophet.  Maybe some of you have dreams to share about how God has touched your life?
     May the Lord richly bless you for your perseverance in prayer.

"All of this waiting requires patience, "

Advent is a time of waiting!  The weather changes quickly; we wait to see if it rains or snows.  People get sick; we wait to see if they get well.  A new baby is due; we wait to see it for the first time.  We wait for Christmas and the birth of the Christ Child.  All of this waiting requires patience, so maybe this is the time for nurturing the Holy Spirit’s gift of Patience.

"We all go home with peace in our hearts and the joy of being together again,..."

This year will be the 54th year our family will be having another Christmas reunion with as many relatives as are able to come.  We have dinner, then we make announcements of the births, weddings and deaths, etc. in the family in the current year.  After that, we have a special time for the little kids and tell them the story of Jesus' birth.  They listen with awe in their little eyes and hearts.  Then we give them a candy cane and ask them if they know what the candy cane stands for when we turn it upside down.  They all usually respond right away:  "Jesus".  This is the best part of our reunion. We sing some Christmas songs that children like best, some songs for the adults, and close this part of our gathering with, Let There Be Peace on Earth.  After that, we enjoy some time together and claim prizes raffled--the benefit from this is donated to a local charitable organization. 
     We all go home with peace in our hearts and the joy of being together again, looking forward to being together again next year, which then will be our 55th year.  This all began in honor of our deceased parents. 
      What fun and joy it is to be with family!

From Joyce:

So we struggle along...and somehow...the advent wreath gets
new candles, the advent calendar goes up...and
the nativity is given its proper place in the living room. 

    Advent comes at a time when the world has shifted into high gear.  It is as though there are so many things to be accomplished before the end of the year that we have to hurry to get them all done.  For my family the holidays start in October.  Our beautiful new nephew was one year old this year.  Then comes Halloween and in November Michaela’s birthday.  This year that involved a skating party and a sleepover.  Then there is Thanksgiving.  This was our first year without Michaela since she was born.  So we were lucky enough to have been invited to spend it with our nephew and his family.  There were 20 people at the dinner (most of whom we’d met but didn’t really know well).  But the children were abundant and that was enough for this grandma.  And now comes the parties with friends we haven’t seen for awhile.  And the angel trees and the adopted families and all the activities that go with the season.  At our parish, Father Mike provides every family with the Daily Word and asked us to spend just a few minutes reading each day’s thoughts.  Many of us would love to devote extra time to prayer and examining our lives, but it seems that there are so many worthy demands for our time.  So we struggle along and do the best we can.  And somehow, each year, the advent wreath gets new candles, the advent calendar goes up, the tree is resurrected one more year, and the nativity is given its proper place in the living room.  The presents get bought, wrapped and distributed.  Cards are sent to those we can’t see and parties are attended with those who live close enough to enjoy their company.  And those extra prayers do get said.  So after all of the anticipation and preparation, Christmas comes in all of its glory to once again remind us why we do the things we do and to appreciate what we have accomplished and prepares us for the next step and the next season of our lives.   God bless.

From Sally in Kansas:

Now, I have made them part of my daily prayers,
but I say two, one for me and one for our prodigal children

One day while we were quilting a lady shared that her Mother had taught them to say, when they went to bed at night, a Hail Mary and the Angel of God, to thank them for the day. Likewise before their feet hit the floor in the morning they should say the prayers for Mary and their Guardian Angels to watch over them throughout the day. She is 79 yrs old now and said she still says those prayers.
     Now, I have made them part of my daily prayers, but I say two, one for me and one for our prodigal children who may not of prayed that day or will pray during the day. During the Angel of God for our prodigals I say "Ever this day (or night) be at my prodigals side".