Currently Listening Songs for Christmas By Sufjan Stevens see related

While much of our society seems to have began celebrating this Christmas season a few weeks ago, my own Christmas spirit did not descend upon me until this weekend.  It began to sneak in on Friday, when my dad and I braved the elements (and the madness!) and tried our hand at shopping.  At that time I experienced that tingle of excitment as I found "the perfect gift" for so-and-so.  The Christmas spirit tickled me again Saturday night as I sipped my first Starbucks peppermint mocha of the season with April, who loves Christmas (and gingerbread lattes) more than anyone I know.  But today, today it hit me.  We began the celebration of Advent at church today by singing O, Come Let Us Adore Him and once again I was struck with wonder that my God would come to rescue me from death, and that he would come as a helpless baby.  A baby King - how beautiful.

And as we lit the first candle of the Advent wreath I remembered the Advent cheer that we always did during the children's message growing up:

Give me an A!                        A!
Give me a D!                         D!
Give me a V!                         V!
Give me an E!                       E!
Give me an N!                      N!
Give me a T!                        T!
What does it spell?              ADVENT!
What does it mean?            HE'S COMING!
Who's coming?                    JESUS!

Yes.  We did this cheer every week.  And I will never forget the meaning of the word advent, thankyouverymuch. Anyway, all this to say that I hope you're enjoying this Christmas season.  And I hope you're enjoying buying and/or making things for your loved ones and getting together for parties and drinking seasonal coffee drinks.  But moreso I hope that you're remembering what this is about - the celebration of the coming of the King.  May the cry of your heart be Come, Lord Jesus.  Come!