Wednesday December 1, 2010
There’s a lot of talk about Advent as we enter the Christmas season. Advent is a season of preparation and anticipation; it celebrates the coming of the Christ child.
Advent wreaths grace churches and homes, and candles are lit each Sunday of the four weeks preceding Christmas.
Those four candles stand for four elements of this season:
- Hope
- Love
- Peace
- Joy
The first candle (representing hope, anticipation or expectation) would have been lit this past weekend. My desire is to keep it burning all through the week.
So I’m thinking about hope.
And I found this quote. It reminds me that there’s hope for the world’s brokenness. There’s hope for me.
“Even on this side of Good Friday and the resurrection of Jesus, there is brokenness in our world that no cart full of Black Friday bargains can fix; there is hunger in our souls that no plateful of pumpkin custard can fill; there is twistedness in our hearts that no terrestrial hand can touch. 'The whole creation,' St. Paul declared, 'has been groaning together for redemption.' In Advent, Christians embrace this groaning and recognize it not as hopeless whimpering over the paucity of the present moment but as expectant yearning for a divine banquet that is already being prepared. In Advent, believers proclaim that the infant who drew his first ragged breath between a virgin’s knees has yet to speak his final word.” (Bobby Gilles)
The word of the week for me? Hope.
Are you thinking about hope today? Share it with us.
How do you share hope with your family?
Laura
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3 comments:
First of all, love the part of the quote about "Black Friday bargains".
I think the way I share hope with my family is by my attitude. Yes, I am super sarcastic, but I am also pretty positive. I think trying to be positive even about the ugly things, is a way to share hope with those around you.
To that I say,"Come Lord Jesus...and come quickly."
You have a good blog with wonderful posts.
I’ve been following and enjoying your blog for a while now and would like to invite you to visit and perhaps follow me back. Sorry I took so long for the invitation
Hi Laura,
Love how you prompt us for comments...sharing hope with my family? Hope pretty much hinges on anticipating our holidays together...when, how, what we'll do when we're sharing our time. I think the period of anticipation, at least for me, is the best part of the Advent season, the time before everyone arrives...I've lit my first Advent candle and sit in its glow each evening...thoughts wandering
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