The Christmas season is here! Old traditions and new traditions all rolled in together to Celebrate the Birthday of Jesus Christ! We decorate our homes, dress in our finest, buy gifts, and bake delicious treats for Christmas. We are kinder, more generous, more scheduled, and tired. I love the second verse of O Come O Come EMMANUEL

“O come, O Wisdom from on high,

who ordered all things mightily;

to us the path of knowledge show

and teach us in its ways to go”

Today mark my favorite services of the entire year. The Hanging of the Greens in preparation for Christmas (the meaning of the decoration that adorn the sanctuary) and Lessons in Carols (Scriptures in song).

At home we light our own advent wreath each Sunday and the JESSE Tree each day.

This is the first Sunday in Advent. Today, we light one purple candle. This is the candle of hope. Advent is a time of waiting and of hoping. We wait for the day when we celebrate again the birth of Jesus. We hope that everyone will come to know God and to worship God.

The fourth verse of O Come O Come EMMANUEL

“O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem,

unto your own and rescue them!

From depths of hell your people save,

and give them victory o’er the grave”.

I will write another post of Jesse’s Tree! If you want details immediately please message me!

And when I sneak away from the Christmas schedule to find my quiet time I love Won’t you let him in? Last year I added I get to Prepare my heart.

While we try to stay focused on the season and meaning of Christmas it is easy to get caught up in the jolly ole man, little elf, shopping, cooking, indulgencing, and hoping our children are not disappointed on Christmas morning. We’ve come so far from the humble beginnings of our Christ’s birth. My prayer this Christmas season is to find balance, hope, joy, love, faith, and peace.

💗,

Julie

Oh and I did mention our new traditions: Paws with Claus!