September always brings about a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. I know that the Holidays are soon approaching. It’s quite obvious because the Christmas decorations are already being displayed in many stores! Anyway, I tend to get so caught up in the frenzy of things around this time of year. I’m tired, sick and overwhelmed.
Why do we do this to ourselves? What are we preparing for? What are we expecting? It’s as if we’re trying to capture some perfect feeling. It’s as if Hollywood has warped our minds and we’re all looking for “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Miracle on 34th Street” or who knows what. The Advent calendars have boxes to open each day to reveal a prize or a chocolate or some tiny reward…reward for what?
Those little boxes on the calendar only make me nervous…I’m nervous to see the days tick away knowing that there is still so much to do. The weather in Minnesota usually decides to dip below O degrees and if it’s not bitter cold, it’s snowing and the roads are a mess. What are we looking for?
Squashed amongst the busyness of the Christmas season, Advent has become little more than a daily countdown to Christmas day. If you look back a bit in history, Advent was a very special season of preparation and anticipation for the coming of Jesus Christ. This season is both to remember the birth of Jesus as well as to anticipate His second coming.
My wonderful daughter-in-love, Paola came to us from Peru. She had the tradition of celebrating Advent each Sunday in December. So, we decided to follow this tradition in our family. What a wonderful and peaceful moment! My daughters and friends gather together at different houses each week for a few hours to read God’s Word, think about the purpose of celebrating Christmas and to pray. We also enjoy a few goodies and tea together.
Advent begins 4 Sundays prior to Christmas and ends at sundown on Christmas eve. According to the traditional celebrations, Christmas lasts from Christmas eve to January 8 which is the day of Epiphany, celebrating the arrival of the wise men to honor the baby Jesus.
One of the most common ways to remember Advent is through the use of an Advent wreath and candles. Traditionally, An Advent wreath has 3 purple (or royal blue) candles, and 1 rose (pink) candle. If you are using the traditional candle colors, the rose candle is lit on the 3rd Sunday. The important thing is to remember Christ’s birth and hope for His return.
Each week, on Sunday, a new candle is lit, and on Christmas eve all the candles are lit. Each week has a new theme for devotions and activities.
| Week | Color | Themes |
| Week 1 (December 2-8, 2007) | Purple | Hope, Patriarchs |
| Week 2 (December 9-15, 2007) | Purple | Preparation, Peace, Prophets |
| Week 3 (December 16-22, 2007) | Rose | Joy, John the Baptist, Angels |
| Week 4 (December 23-24, 2007) | Purple | Love, Mary, Shepherds |
| Christmas (December 24, 2007-January 8, 2008) | White | Christ |
The third week was my turn to host Advent. My topic to bring for devotions was Joy. Joy is something that I’ve been really searching for this year. We talk about it a lot and we know that the Lord has promised that we can have Joy…but how do we get it? With all of life’s difficult circumstances today, where is this Joy?
I was passing through Nordstrom’s one day and I noticed that their Christmas theme for the year was called: “The Joy Within”. “This is GREAT!” I thought. ”This is just what I’ve been looking for!” I was particularly drawn to the beautiful glass case placed right in the middle of the aisle. On the outside of the glass, very beautifully stenciled were the words: “The Joy Within”. ”Ah, that’s where the Joy must be”, I exclaimed. I had to go over and see just how I could finally ”buy” this magic. So, I walked over and peered inside the display. There sitting on a bed of velvet were some make-up items…eye shadow and mascara and next to them laid a sparkly bracelet and a pair of rhinestone earrings. “This is it? This is the Joy Within?” I asked myself. ”How can I find Joy from this…some crummy makeup used as a mask for my face and some cheap “bling” to try to make people look at me with envy…as if I have everything life has to offer?” This was far, far from the “Joy Within” that I was looking for.
So, this year I’ve really been trying to figure out just what the “Joy Within” is really all about, and this is what I’ve discovered…
Joy is not something I can buy in any store. It’s not having a pile of money and wanting more and more. I’m learning that there isn’t any Joy within anything this world has to offer. Joy comes from God’s grace…alone. Joy is found within the manger on that first Christmas night. It’s the Joy that was born…poor, dirty and alone in a stable without any “bling”. It’s the Joy that came pouring into me from my Savior… after I was finally broken, humbled and freely died to myself, trusting totally in Christ…alone. It’s His Joy, His Love, His image that’s reflected to others through me! It’s Joy that I can experience if I’m happy or disappointed. It’s Joy that’s mine whether I’m hurt by others, disillusioned, sick, dying or alone. There isn’t a circumstance good or bad that can keep me from this Joy!
My dear friends…it’s Joy found in no other place but in His everlasting arms…abiding in Him!
Jeremiah 15:16…”Thy words were found and I ate them, and Thy words became for me a Joy and the delight of my heart; for I have been called by Thy name.
“JOY TO THE WORLD!”
Blessings, Linda
