First Advent

I remember the excitement of coming to church, four Sundays before Christmas, and seeing a wreath at the front near the pulpit, with four candles, one of them lit.

As near as I can understand, this is a symbol of a time of waiting. In the Old Testament, the Jews waited for the Messiah. Now we wait for His second coming.

Waiting is good. Waiting is kind of like the “smell” of good food in the kitchen, or the “sound” of a friend driving up to the house. It is an anticipation of some very important about to happen. Waiting is like building the foundations under a house. If we learn to wait well, we will live richer lives.

Here are four Christmas cards the girls and I painted this year. I will post them today, on the First Advent Sunday.