Web Theologian

To kick off the advent season in our home we decorated the Christmas tree and watched Merry Christmas Charlie Brown last night.  The tree had been set up with lights on it since Thanksgiving weekend but it took us some time to get around to organizing, putting up ornaments with a two year old is really challenging.  I am glad to report that we did not drop and break any ornaments last night, that was a record.

This first week of advent our family will focus on Hope.  Just this morning my second daughter was telling me over breakfast how excited she is over Christmas, she can’t wait for the gifts and the skiing.  Very quickly though she told me that’s not what Christmas is about though, so I asked her what Christmas is about.  She said, “Tiny baby Jesus”, and feeling like the great parent I pretend to be I asked how she knew that expecting to hear she learned it from out viewing of Merry Christmas Charlie Brown, I was surprise she said I learned it from my big sister.  Sincerely I was proud to know that our entire family is talking about these things with each other.  One hope I have is that our family will continue to grow in our personal passion for God but also the ability to talk with others (including each other) about what God is teaching us.

Advent seems so short to me today, only four weeks to consider that God came to earth as a person, that God promised this and always fulfills his promises, that this physical stuff matters, and that family and friends are to be served and loved through my humbling of myself.  My hope is that we would enjoy this season together as a family and think about what it really means that Jesus was born.  My hope is that we would enjoy the study we have done the last few years written by my friend Elliot Grudem, if you need some guidance for Advent is a great start, Advent Devotional. 

Hope you enjoy your Advent!