The Joy of Advent

I can hardly believe it's December 1st. Hope was thrilled to know it was finally December. I don't even think she knows what all is coming. She was just dying to start opening the doors on our advent calendar.

I think I'm especially reflective about the season having just witnessed a true miracle in our lives. This pregnancy has made me so in awe of the creator. I suppose I should be ashamed that I wasn't always this awe-struck; after all every breath we take is a wonderful miracle. But every once in a while he shows up in an amazing way in each of our lives (like Dr. Rupe's adoption story) that cause us to stop dead in our tracks, fall to our knees and offer him the recognition he actually deserves every day of our existence.

I don't think it's any accident that Christmas falls right at the end of the year, right before the beginning of a new one. After all the hustle and bustle - after the trials and tribulations of one season - we turn our hearts and minds towards him and the miracle of his life and we are filled up with gratitude and hope, just in time to face a new calendar of busyness and very possibly, struggle.

I'm looking forward to walking through this advent season and teaching Hope more and more about what it truly means. It's exciting to think she'll understand it a little better each year. Maybe I will too.

We'll be talking about Christmas traditions in the coming weeks and we look forward to hearing about some of yours.

Enjoying the season,