Dear Audrey,
Happy birthday number 4. It’s been about a year since you moved from our house and I must say that I miss Audrey snuggles. Over the past year it has been fun to watch your independent spirit develop as well as your impish sense of humor. We are, however, going to have to work on getting over your “fear” of Mr. Hippopotamus.
Did you know that you are the only one of the 9 cousins that has your birthday at this most awesome time of year – what is often called Advent? Here are a few “Advent” facts for you…
The word advent itself means “arrival” or “an appearing.” Christians often speak of Christ’s “first advent” and “second advent”; that is, His first and second comings to earth. His first advent would be the incarnation.
The Advent season lasts for four Sundays. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. It can last from anywhere between 22 and 29 days depending on the calendar.
Advent is seen as a time to prepare one’s heart for Christmas and for the eventual return of Christ. This is what we sing each Christmas when we sing the first verse of Joy To The World:
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let Earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
We often sing this Christmas carol without really giving thought to what we are singing. We should be asking ourselves this question: What am I doing to prepare my heart to worship the incarnate King? Here are a few Pop Pop thoughts about this…
- Read and ponder some of the great Advent Scripture passages such as Luke 1:26-2:38, John 1:1-18, Matthew 2.
- Take inventory of what occupies your heart. Spend some time before the Lord confessing that the desire for worldly things have been given priority over your desire for Christ.
- Sing with joyful abandon some of the great Christmas hymns – and think about what you are singing.
Here is Joy To The World being performed by one of my current favorite groups – Pentatonix. Feel free to sing along and to sing out loud.
Never forget that you are very loved,
Pop Pop