December 2022

Dear friends,

Ready or not, the Christmas season has begun. The leftover turkey is gone, Christmas songs fill the air and neighborhoods are lighting up with holiday decorations.

‘Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la la . . .

But wait, before we get into all the hustle and bustle, let’s talk about Advent.

This year, the first Sunday of Advent was November 27 and continues until Christmas day. During Advent, we remember the ancient Jewish longing for God’s salvation, the promised Messiah to come. As Christians, we observe Advent by remembering God’s faithfulness and joyfully preparing our hearts to celebrate the birth of Christ as we anxiously await His return.

The Christmas before Tom was promoted to heaven, he and I did an Advent devotional together. We began our Advent mornings with a short reading and reflected on it throughout the day. In the evening, we read the passage aloud and discussed how it applied to the myriad of happenings in our lives. It was a sweet time of reflecting on God; His Son, Jesus; and the Holy Spirit. As Advent comes each year, I savor those memories as I meditate on God’s promises, undeserved grace, and the gift of His son, Jesus.

For me, observing Advent creates a buffer from the hoopla of Christmas. It seems to me that Christmas has taken on a whole new meaning and not much of it has to do with God, Jesus, or the hope and love He has given us.

Advent helps to remind me not to get caught up in black Friday and cyber shopping, the allure of more and more decorations, the need for endless festivities, and all the other crazy things we do to celebrate Christmas in the secular world. “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be. “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.”” (Psalm 39:6-7)

This year, I challenge you to step back from the shopping, the busyness, the glitz, and the glow of Christmas and spend a bit of time each day thanking God for all He has done and is doing. Years ago, Tom did a Christmas lesson on gift-giving and having a proper perspective on the true gift of Christmas. This lesson is full of Tom’s wit and unique teaching: https://www.prioritylivingaz.org/audio-archives/2015/12/17/gifts-whos-on-your-list

Advent and Christmas remind us of God’s love, sovereignty, and promises which are as true today as they were in ancient times. And, just like our forefathers and those that have come before us, we yearn for something better - for death and disease to be eradicated, for angst and anger to be gone, for sadness and tears to be wiped away.

We wait in joyful anticipation for Jesus to return.

Now that is a gift worth waiting for. Right?

Have a blessed and merry Christmas!