ADVENT : The "Comings" of Christ

START A NEW TRADITION IN YOUR FAMILY: The season of expectation and anticipation is upon us- ADVENT- the coming of our Risen Saviour. During Advent (4 weeks leading to Christmas Day) , we focus on two (2) "comings" of Christ. The first 3 weeks is spent reflecting on the HIS final coming, and in the last week we focus on the Christmas Story, His first coming.
What a wonderful way to anchor the holiday season! Advent is a time to minimize the sensation of greed, crazed shopping, stress, depression and frantic busy-ness!  Rather it is meant to be a time of reflection, eager anticipation, and preparation of the great celebration and feat with Christ!

My family has celebrated Advent for the last 6 years. It has been a stabilizing factor to the holiday season. Each day we take care to set aside :45 minutes to read scripture, do activities and related crafts, sings Christmas carols and pray as a family. Of course, the children enjoy our time together, but I think they enjoy the advent candy even more :-)
The first week of Advent, starting November 27, 2011-December 3, 2011 in this calendar year, focuses on EXPECTATION. The 2nd week starts on the 4th of December...and it follows the same trend for 2 more weeks.
For more on Advent, an how you can start your own celebration, visit www.shalfleet.net/firstweek.htm

A great Christmas Hymn to sing is :

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel

O come, thou rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of hell thy people save
And give them vict'ry o'er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel

O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by thine advent here
And drive away the shaves of night
And pierce the clouds and bring us light

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel

O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heavenly home
Make safe the way that leads on high
And close the path to misery

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might
Who to thy tribes, on Sinai's height
In ancient times did'st give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel