Light a Candle: Peace

We are now into the second week of Advent. I have somehow managed to avoid the hustle and bustle of the holidays thus far this year. Now we will venture into the lighting of the second candle of Advent: Peace.

Peace. For some ungodly reason, consumerism has shaped this holiday into "hustle and bustle," and rushing around to buy gifts and get everything else done for the holiday. I am simply letting that pass me by this year. I feel like I am standing still and the rest of the world is a blur around me. This is just fine with me--after all, it is a lot less stressful! Peace and modern day consumerism seem to be complete opposites of one another. Take this for instance: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Do not be afraid." John 14:27. Sounds to me like some people have the whole idea of Christmas backwards... or as Advent Conspiracy will tell you, "Upside Down." The peace of Advent is a quiet, still, and patient longing for the birth of our Savior.

Waiting Here for You. This is the name of both a book and a song. In his short Advent book, Pastor Louie Giglio says, "Waiting is not wasting when we are waiting on the Lord." Ironically, it's a quick read if you're interested in purchasing this book, it is $5: http://268store.com/store/product/933/Waiting-Here-For-You/. It helps bridge the 2,000 year gap and explains why everything that happened so long ago is relevant today. Furthermore, Giglio helps build anticipation... which, according to him, is essential during the Advent season.

The video to the song "Waiting Here for You" by Christy Nockels can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3OEGnH5x8g, and I highly recommend it, especially as we continue to wait for Christmas to arrive.

Peace be with you!

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Light a Candle: Hope

First and foremost... bad news bears: Nelson Mandela has passed away at age 95. He was such an inspirational leader in South Africa, and really, made a great impact on the world. We need more people like him.

Today, we'll talk about the Advent candles and what they symbolize.

Hope.  Light is a strong theme throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons. Up here in PA, where the days get shorter and shorter as we approach Christmas, this symbol of light is also very literal. With all of the darkness, we tend to look forward to the light. With all of the cold, we tend to look forward to the warmth. The first candle that we light during Advent is the Candle of Hope. I've seen hope in several places this week...

'Tips for Jesus.' Apparently people from a movement, @tipsforjesus, have been leaving unheard of and "crazy generous" tips on their tabs at bars and restaurants. Read the full article for specific examples!!

'Christmas Smile' : A Book for Every Child. An effort backed by Chris Tomlin (Christian Rock artist) to give a book to every child in the city of Atlanta this Christmas season. Watch the video to see how you can get involved!

'Reimagining Christmas.'  A background article about how the Advent Conspiracy got started!

Fortunately, if you are looking for hope in this world, you need not look far! Great things are happening everyday. I encourage you to be a part of it if you are able and willing. Hope is always within reach.

Happy Advent!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

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Advent Resources

Today is the first day of Advent! Wooohooo! November is finally over, and we are officially into the waiting period of the Christmas season--Advent. It is my favorite time of year, so I decided to share a few resources with you all in hopes that you may utilize one or more.

Olivia's Advent Calendar. I've mentioned this in previous posts, but today was the first day of the Olivia Advent Calendar. She and her family will be posting a video each and every day during the Advent season. They post links to the newest video on their Facebook page!

Facebook page: "Olivia's Advent Calendar"

This years "theme" is different than in years previous, so I thought I would also share the link to my favorite EVER video... just in case the video from today seems too long for your liking.

Favorite: "I Hate It When My Snakes Fall Off"

Following the Star. Another yearly Advent thing that I try to keep up with is the "Following the Star" Devotional. It is specifically devoted to this season of the year! It only takes about five minutes, and I highly recommend it.

http://www.d365.org/followingthestar/

The Journey of Advent Conspiracy. One last resource I will leave you with is the Advent Conspiracy website. It delves into the contradiction of consumerism that this time of year seems to produce in the States. Furthermore, it suggests, dare I say, a radical new idea of what we as the human race could do instead of participating in the fad of consumerism.

http://www.adventconspiracy.org/

Anyway, I leave you with this week's NT reading from the Revised Common Lectionary.

"And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here."

Romans 13:11-12


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