One of the staples of Christmas décor is the Christmas light. Some like to wrap every inch of their yard in multicolored lights, while others are more reserved with candles in their windows. Whatever you fancy is in the realm of advent luminosities, we can all agree that lights make Christmas time much brighter. As … Continue reading Advent Devotion: Turn on the light
Waiting and Anticipating
Waiting is never easy. Waiting for Christmas is tortuous as a kid. My sister and I would agonize over our advent countdown and would take every opportunity to snoop through the house to see if we could find our gifts. We never did, until one year. One Christmas morning- when my sister and I were … Continue reading Waiting and Anticipating
Advent Devotion: Beyond the Trappings
The smell of palm flowers in the air. Hot, sultry days giving way to breezy cool nights full of the sound of exploding fireworks. Piles of juicy watermelons for sale along the side of the highway. The clay ovens being heated with wood fires to bake delicious pans full of bread made with cornmeal and … Continue reading Advent Devotion: Beyond the Trappings
Advent Devotion: More than warm fuzzies
As a child neither my family nor my church family celebrated the season of Advent. We did not light an Advent candle for each of the four Sundays prior to Christmas. We did not have a Christmas Eve worship service. Since my arrival to New Jersey, however, I have adopted and embraced the traditions of … Continue reading Advent Devotion: More than warm fuzzies
Advent Devotion: Keep the long view in mind
“But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever.” -Psalm 41 I went for a walk with my brother on Thanksgiving Day. He was late getting to the family gathering because his 3-week-old daughter had been sick the night before. They ended up taking her into the hospital … Continue reading Advent Devotion: Keep the long view in mind