Advent & Christmas

4th CANDLE – (purple) THE ANGEL CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF LOVE – The angles announced the good news of a Savior. God sent his only Son to earth to save us, because he loves us! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)
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P.S. Sorry I didn't post last weeks advent candles. TDL server problems prevented me from posting.
 
It's Advent again. I miss PotW and Inkspot, they would always celebrate Advent on TDL.
1st CANDLE – (purple) THE PROPHECY CANDLE or CANDLE OF HOPE – We can have hope because God is faithful and will keep the promises made to us. Our hope comes from God. “And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.’ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:12-13)
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Thank you for starting this thread again, Timmy!
I was delivering Advent Calendars this past week, and the day before Thanksgiving my daughter and I got to process shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, one of eight processing centers in the U.S. The day we volunteered about 60,000 shoeboxes were checked and processed with gifts and a little gospel message for children around the world (during our shift, packages were going to the Philippines). All the while carols were playing on the loudspeakers, and once an hour we had breaks to stop and pray for the boxes we were inspecting and prepping for mailing. There was so much energy and laughter and good will in the warehouse! What an uplifting way to start Thanksgiving/Advent!

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photo: My daughter and I are processing keychains to serve as additional filler in the shoeboxes by boxing them up and securing the lids with a rubberband. After this task we joined others on the main floor of the warehouse inspecting and sealing shoeboxes.
 
2nd CANDLE – (purple) THE BETHLEHEM CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF PREPARATION – God kept his promise of a Savior who would be born in Bethlehem. Preparation means to “get ready”. Help us to be ready to welcome YOU, O GOD! “As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: ‘A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God’s salvation.‘ (Luke 3:4-6)
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Light the third candle.
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3rd CANDLE – (pink) THE SHEPHERD CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF JOY – The angels sang a message of JOY! “…and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:7-15)
 
Timmy,
Do you know why the 3rd candle is a different color? What is the history behind that?
 
There is no clear reason as for some message. Going from purple to pink half way though Advent was mainly to have a more cheerful color. Like St Patrick's day during Lent. :D
 
4th CANDLE – (purple) THE ANGEL CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF LOVE – The angles announced the good news of a Savior. God sent his only Son to earth to save us, because he loves us! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)
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Yesterday I got to walk a prayer labyrinth with my daughter and some friends. The extra special part was the fact that it was decked out like a giant Advent Wreath, with battery operated candle flames on top of each. Such a peaceful, inspiring afternoon!
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Merry Christmas

5th CANDLE – (white) “CHRIST CANDLE” – The white candle reminds us that Jesus is the spotless lamb of God, sent to wash away our sins! Being placed in the center of the ’empty space’ also is a physical reminder that Christ came down from heaven and entered into our world for our salvation. When the candle is lit, it reminds us that Christ is the light of the world! After all, Christ is “the Light that came into the world” to dispel the darkness of sin and to radiate the truth and love of God (cf. John 3:19-21). His birth was for his death, his death was for our birth! “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!‘” (John 1:29)
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5th CANDLE – (white) “CHRIST CANDLE” – The white candle reminds us that Jesus is the spotless lamb of God, sent to wash away our sins! Being placed in the center of the ’empty space’ also is a physical reminder that Christ came down from heaven and entered into our world for our salvation. When the candle is lit, it reminds us that Christ is the light of the world! After all, Christ is “the Light that came into the world” to dispel the darkness of sin and to radiate the truth and love of God (cf. John 3:19-21). His birth was for his death, his death was for our birth! “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!‘” (John 1:29)
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I've made it! Great idea, Thanks!
 
Advent and Christmas 2017

Although Advent does not officially start until Sunday 12/3, this thread is now open for your reflections, poems, carols, traditions, activities and stories that you find helpful in keeping Christ in the center of Christmas.
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Beautiful picture, Benisse. And a beautiful season.

I have to admit my spiritual life has been pretty lackluster the past few years. I've been bogged down with worldly concerns and aspirations: bills, working two jobs, and playing chess as a hobby. While life is full of choices, I've really had no excuse to put my prayer life on the back burner.

It is therefore with humility and gratitude that I approach this Advent season. As challenging as my (often high-class) problems may seem to be, I recognize that my ultimate design is in the hands of God. Christ comes to us as a helpless child. After his parents say yes to God's will they must bear their son in poverty. They fly to Egypt to protect their precious son and Savior. When they present him in the Temple, they're barely noticed. The sweet humility of Christ has always invited me to come out of myself and enter the mystery and joy of Advent.

One meditation I like to use is "The Word Among Us." The daily bible readings and reflections bring both a real-world application to witnessing to the faith as well as a meditative connection to the actual Nativity some-2000 years ago. I have an Advent Wreath I like to light at home sometimes in the evening. I really enjoy seeing this whenever I walk into a Church as well. I go to Daily Mass when I can. And when I'm taking my dog for a walk in the evenings we like to stop in front of homes with actual CHRISTMAS decorations.

One year I hadn't prepared for Christmas very well and in the last week of Advent we pray the seven short "O Antiphons." You may be familiar with some of these beautiful proclamations in the song "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." Well, that year I only did my meditation one day that week, the day in which the O Antiphon was "O Come O Key of David,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!" Come Christmas day, my nieces and nephew had made everyone a Christmas card from scratch, complete with children's adorable crayon art and lettering. Each one had a different O Antiphon on it. On mine were the words, "O Key of David."

It's heart-warming to know God meets us where we're at and invites us into the depth of this joyful mystery of Advent and Christmas.
 
"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." -Ecclesiastes 11:5
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Tirian, thank you for sharing how this special season is not only a time of reflection but also of renewal for you. For those who would like to read more about the O Antiphons and Advent, they are mentioned in this online Advent Devotional I have been following (under the section "The Message of Salvation to All":
http://ccca.biola.edu/advent/2017/#day-dec-18

Timmy -- lovely photo! and I appreciated the verse... It underscores the wonder that often gets forgotten in the busyness of life but which we strive to rediscover in Advent.

This weekend was memorable for me because I got to go to two different candlelight services. First I went to a pinning ceremony for one of my friends who just got her B.S. in nursing from a Christian school, and at the end all the new graduates from this program stood in a ring around the audience and, holding candles, recited the international nurses' oath. Closing the ceremony --while we sat ringed by candlelight, was this touching (and challenging) Franciscan blessing:

May God bless you with a restless discomfort
about easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.

May God bless you with holy anger
at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
so that you may tirelessly work for justice, freedom, and peace among all people.

May God bless you with the gift of tears
to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish,
so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.

May God bless you with enough foolishness
to believe that you really can make a difference in this world,
so that you are able, with God’s grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.


Then on Saturday my husband and I got to go to a Christmas cantata worship celebration that ended in singing "Silent Night" by candlelight... We have an Advent wreath at home, but there is something extra special about singing by candlelight in the deep quiet of darkness --joined by others with their candles and voices. It's like being blanketed in wonder and praise.
 
Christmas 2017.

I am not sure whether this is the correct location for this post, so feel free to move it if I'm in the wrong place. However, I should like to wish everyone on The Dancing Lawns a very Happy Christmas and New Year. God bless you all!
 
Thank you Corin!
And Merry Christmas to all Narniacs, near and far!
Christ the Savior is born!

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Advent 2018

Christmas is coming!
How are you preparing for it? What special Christmas activities have you been indulging in?

In lieu of my family's Jesse Tree devotions, we are having our Dec 1-25 devotions in Revelation instead help us gain a vision for our great God and to gain an active heart for our hurting world. My daughter and I spent time sorting packages for Operation Christmas Child in Nov (and she went back in Dec too with friends from church). My husband and I went to an annual Nativity exhibit for our weekly date last week, and we will be participating in a Posada this Friday and going to a Christmas musical on Saturday. I am busy rehearsing for a Christmas cantata set for this Sunday and have started to organizing my cards and gifts to mail out... hopefully sooner rather than later!

Sadly some of my friends have suffered losses this year which will make the holidays a lonelier time. So I have been trying to spend time with some folks, because of this need.

How are you making sure your heart is ready for Christmas? What have you been up to?
Emmanuel,
Bénisse
 
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