i light this candle

growing up we all looked forward to celebrating Advent. there are still scripture passages that when i come across them i automatically think of the corresponding prophecy or fulfilment. i asked mom for a copy of the "little red book" that we used for our Advent readings ever since i was a young girl and have enjoyed following it again this year. i haven't been very faithful but will do a couple of days readings at a time. there is nothing quite as exciting as the anticipation of Christmas and the coming of the Christ Child.

i believe it was on the

saturday after thanksgiving that all of the kids at church would make advent wreaths and bring home a little red book of readings. we would then begin on that sunday and have daily readings up until Christmas day. we would light one candle each day for a week and then on sunday we would light a second. it was always fun when sunday came because that meant another candle which also meant that Christmas was closer! on Christmas day before any presents were opened we would read the final passage...the birth of Chirst...and light the white candle. that was Jesus' candle, for He had come! mom has collected this nativity set for years and has a very extensive set of characters including simeon, elizabeth and king herod. each night one of us would tell the entire

Christmas story using the characters. this seemed a little silly when i was about 15 or 16 but now watching my nieces and nephews tell the story i am grateful for my parent's diligence. we also use this time to sing Christmas songs. my mom made these blue folders with around 25 Christmas songs that she hand wrote out years ago. each night we sing at least 3 of them! as you can guess i can sing just about every Christmas carol all the way through without having the words in front of me anymore. there are some that i really don't enjoy, like Gentle Mary Laid Her Child. that song makes me a little crazy but even Go Tell It On The Moutian is one that i enjoy singing now because it's such an amazing message. we should be singing and proclaiming the coming of Christ everywhere and to everyone. i think my favorite song is one that many people don't even know...

All Praise ToThee, Eternal Lord

All praise to Thee, Eternal Lord,
Clothed in a garb of flesh and blood;
Choosing a manger for Thy throne,
While worlds on worlds are Thine alone.

Once did the skies before Thee bow;
A virgin's arms contain Thee now,
While angels, who in Thee rejoice,
Now listen for Thine infant voice.

A little Child, Thou art our Guest,
That weary ones in Thee may rest;
Forlorn and lowly is Thy birth;
That we may rise to Heaven from earth.

Thou comest in the darksome night
To make us children of the light;
To make us, in the realms divine,
Like Thine own angels round Thee shine.

All this for us Thy love hath done;
By this to Thee our love is won;
For this we tune our cheerful lays,
And sing our thanks in ceaseless praise.

so today, i light these candles to remind me of the coming of Jesus.