Advent-"the arrival"

Happy December 1st!!! Oh this is my glory time, Christmas!, and all that comes with it. Advent started yesterday and the Smith family is going to try really hard to celebrate it each night by scripture reading and focusing on what this season is all about(focus on the family has printable advent readings http://http://www2.focusonthefamily.com/focusmagazine/spiritualheritage/A000000600.cfm). Right now it is about advent, the preparation of the arrival of the Holy One, the one we have all been waiting for...oooh, the air is crackling with excitement is it not?(yes, I am in a poetic mood, christmas does that to me) I am also excited to start my favorite Christmas book, I read it every year, Preparing for Jesus by Walter Wangerin Jr. I love this little book. It helps make Christmas so much deeper than presents, food, and decorations(although, I love all that too!) And, speaking of all that other fun stuff, I am making up a Christmas ipod playlist and just found a new favorite. Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Krauss performing the Wexford Carol...oh my gosh, so beautiful!

Happy Christmas Beginnings!

(here is the prayer from the first reading of my little book)

O Lord,
Stir up, we beg you, your power-and come. Come even now into this season of our meditations, that by your protection we may be rescued from our sins, and saved by your mighty deliverance in order to look forward to your final arrival with the joy that cannot be uttered. We pray in your name, O Lord, for you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen