Advent Within Us

Hannah, The Courage to Believe

Hannah is my focus on this first Sunday of Advent. She, like Mary, had the courage to believe. The courage to believe that God had blessings waiting in the wings for her. How she must have battled the day to day thirst for soul blessings in a desert of barrenness. She had no fruit of the womb, nor fruit of the world. She had nothing to show for her life, nor even her existence. Yet, in the face of barrenness, she believed her life held a purpose and God had a perfect plan.

Peninah's critical voice did not detour Hannah's faith in God's good plan for her. Nor, did Hannah settle for worshiping Elkanah, a mortal man. She did not believe the words of condemnation Eli spoke over her. Hannah was able to press beyond the voice of criticism.* Hannah persevered and prevailed in prayer. Hannah held on to her God given vision.

What vision of Himself and of your own self has God given you? Are you holding to your vision in the face of criticism and condemnation? Let us prevail, through prayer, to bring the presence of the Lord into our lives this Advent season.

Pondering Hannah's Prayer became Praise

My heart rejoices in the Lord;
in the Lord my horn is lifted high.

There is no one holy like the Lord;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

It is not by strength that one prevails;
those who oppose the Lord will be broken.

1 Samuel 2

 The world most often condemns us or asks us to conform.

The church may ask us to perform.

Jesus asks us to pray.

The Holy Spirit asks us to prevail.

God says prepare, for my presence.

 *J. Lee Grady's Fearless Daughters of the Bible

 Powerful words. Powerful women. The presence of a powerful God.

Advent Upon Us

25 Days of Pondering and Praise

Waiting for Advent. Always waiting.

Trying to come by contentment. Finding stability in the stable.

Eyes to see. Reality.

Reminded to turn towards the Lord.

Fall has pulled me in every direction but home.

I stop for a few hours and sweep the place clean.

In order to be filled with Him, I must make space for him.

A few times a year, when the weight of the stuff becomes a burden instead of a blessing, the urge to unload takes hold. A local Seventh Day Adventist Church graciously takes our hand me downs, and shares them in the community without cost. They are only hand me downs, but I'd rather give them away than donate them for a tax return slip. I am reminded that the greatest gift I'll receive this season is offered to me without cost. And so our season of Advent waiting begins with a cleaning out. A sifting of sorts. By making space for the Savior.

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, 

or believe to be beautiful.

~ William Morris

  Six winters ago. They grow up fast. Savouring the moments this season.

  

 Advent Waiting and Wishing List

Hang some mistletoe in your home today. 

Give lots of kisses and hugs!

Begin an Advent Calender. 

Give one away in your neighbourhood, church or community. 

Spread a little cheer. 

Reserve advent books at the library. 

Our children became voracious readers during the Christmas season. 

Bookends: A Child in Winter

Thinking about Advent. Preparing. Praying. Reading. Sharing.

 The one thing she (Mary) did and does is the one thing that we all have to do, namely, to bear Christ into the world. 

~ Caryll Houselander

We will be pondering, A Child in Winter, as we prepare for Advent. I'm still getting to know this author, and I find it interesting that she is identified as a mystic. Certainly, she's had interesting experiences, but then if we are seeking the Lord, we should expect a life filled with the Holy Spirit.

While, I know the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, I still have a lot of work to do! (Galatians 5).

Also enjoying:

Stained Glass Coloring Book by Dover

Home for the Holidays

"Our" 700' sq foot cabin in the woods last winter.

"O come let us adore Him...." The girl child sings and plays keys slow. Slowed down, the notes hang long and low. The rain hums alongside the notes. I'm reading Cabin by Lou Ureneck and thinking of home. What is a home? "...Christ, Christ, the Lord," is home.

Boy cuts out snowflakes, arctic crystals.  They will grace windows that glisten with rain. Why does what is good seem to melt away some days? I long to slow the notes of the season. To capture precious notes hanging in the air, before they melt like snow.

Make a home in the moments. Make a home in Christ.

Grateful Days

We have been so, so busy around here. No busier than anyone else, but none-the-less busy, busy. The last month has been a blur of chemistry and science classes, fall events and activities, school and homework, choir practices and family moments and memories. 

I've been saving all my words for a children's project I'm working on. Hoping to have something to show for my efforts by Christmas, but we'll see. Writing projects have a mind of their own regarding schedules. I've found that words grow best with nature, grace, and time.

Recent memories

Learning to take the reins of life.

Pondering this today:

Like Thunder Follows Lightening

Thoughts from Middle Earth

Inside, I feel the ramping holiday season. I find myself at a loss for words, yet hungering for good ones. 

About this time each year, I try to overcome my Martha spirit and assume the Mary pose. You know the one. 

image from Wikipedia

This year, I'm rather on the brink of abandoning Mary and Martha and just going for a Mrs. Claus impersonation. That gal, she's got it made.

Yet, as I peer in the door at Mary and Martha's I notice all of Luke 10. I hear in Luke 10, "Go. Stop. See the need. Do something. Sit. Soak in Me. Repeat." Not quite the language of the North Pole, but the North Star.

Pondering this tonight. 

It seems a season to soak in good words and then get up and go. 

Love, love, love that DL Mayfield is from this neck of the woods. You go girl. 

After Dinner Write Night

On November 6th, there was an important election in our community. Not the presidential election, but something much more important to one of the special interest groups in our neighborhood. The local Turkey Caucus elected Harold T. Gobbler as chief lobbyist for our family's Thanksgiving Menu Congress. 

Harold has been walking the picket line in our kitchen with his "Eat Pork" placard. As part of his "get out of the vote" campaign, he unplugged the freezer to start thawing a ham. 

Like many special interest groups, his lobbying efforts may depend on loopholes and creative reading of the rules. But as the turkey in the kitchen, the price of failure is a free trip for Harold to the oven. 

by Dad

... and yes, Harold really is in the kitchen with his "Eat Pork" placard. He happens to be clay, but he's speaking up regardless. It's now or never.