Advent...

It's that time again...the most wonderful time of the year?  The most stressful time of year for some?!  There is a lot going on, and I can't believe we are here again so soon...time passes quickly these days.  I am going to try to write every day leading up to Christmas...reflections on Advent with a focus on prayers this year...so hope you enjoy as I take this journey of writing.

I write to process...I always have...I write some things and then realize that I believe the words on paper...pretty neat gift God gives. 

I was thinking yesterday about anticipation.  We sang "Waiting Here for You" during the service and then sang "O Come O Come Emmanuel."  Mary waited 9 months, then 33 years....Israel waited for the promised King...my sister in law and brother eagerly await the birth of their baby girl...I await Christmas break...there is so much to anticipate...

As I was thinking, DisneyWorld came to mind...yes, I said DisneyWorld.  When I was around 7 years old, I woke up on Thanksgiving morning to my Dad smiling...he said, "Get dressed and get in the car."  No questions were allowed...we all got in the car and he said we were going on a "mystery trip."  Well, none of us fought the entire way...small miracle for siblings in a station wagon.  We arrived at DisneyWorld that night and spent the next day in complete ecstasy!

We spent the entire trip anticipating our destination...we knew it would be great, we just didn't know what it would be.

Israel, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, even the angels anticipated the arrival of a King....and God sent himself to be with us...not above us, below us, around us....but WITH us...

Get in the car....we are going on a mystery trip....you know it's going to be great....anticipate it....and guess who's going to be there?