Third Sunday of Advent

My girls were Acolytes this morning at our church.

 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John." They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name." Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.

Luke 1:57-66

Jo got to lit a candle for the victims of Friday's shooting in CT.

Second Sunday of Advent

 

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's Greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."

Luke 1:39-55

First Sunday of Advent

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "how will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

Luke 1:26-38

Sunday Reflections

The Son of God did not want to be seen and found in heaven. Therefore He descended from heaven into this lowliness, came to us in our flesh, laid Himself into the womb of His mother and into the manger and went to the cross. This ladder He placed on the earth so that we might ascend to God on it. This is the way you must take. If you forsake this way and try to speculate about the glory of the Divine Majesty without this ladder, you will invent marvelous matters, matters that are above your horizon; but you will do so to your very great harm.

--Martin Luther In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan--The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

Isaiah 9:1-2

Nate turning 7

My baby Nate turned 7 this Sunday. I can still see him as a little baby (well he was a big baby but you get the picture) . He is growing into a fine young man. He has a very passionate heart towards others and he loves his brother and sisters.

He had the opportunity to be an acolyte on his birthday. He was excited about the opportunity ever since he learned of it several weeks ago. Both Nate and Sam got to light two candles on Sunday morning.

I love them in their acolyte robes. The girls were very interested in what was going on.

Nate helped me make his birthday cake. He watched a cooking show with me a few months back and he told me he wanted the cake they were making on TV. We printed the recipe and on Saturday he helped me bake it. It turned out great.

On another note it is freezing here in New England. We got our first 'snowstorm' (and I am greatly exaggerating the word storm) on Nate's birthday. As you can see it did not even cover the lawn. It did not stop the kids from enjoy a few snowflakes outside.

I did not want to go outside. It was so cold. With the windchill factor it was 1 F. And that is way too cold for me.

Anyway

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATE

December is HERE

Can you believe December is here?

We started Advent yesterday (Sunday) and the house is almost completely decorated for Christmas.

I am always looking for some fun crafts for me and the kids. I came across the Taylor Design blog a few weeks back and I saved the link for these trees. Don't they look great?

Jo woke up early this morning and she fell asleep in my arms by 10:30am. After I put her down for a quick nap Emma had to bring her dolly as well and she 'sat' watch over her sister.

(Yes Emma is wearing goggles and a tutu over the sweat pants. Please do not ask me why. It is a girls world if you do not understand).

As you can see I did make a Christmas theme blog template. If you visited my blog today it was under construction and I apologize as I was experimenting with different templates and blog headers. It did look crazy at times.

Sunday

Lord Christ, we confess our willingness to be loved but also our reluctance to love. We confess our readiness to accept your forgiving love but also our refusal to forgive. We confess our eagerness to grasp your offer of redeeming love but also our resistance to follow you without question. In this Advent time, forgive us our failure to respond as we should. Come to us anew, and by your grace, assist us to receive you with joy, as the shepherds; with gratitude, as Simeon; with obedience, as Mary; with love, as you have loved us. Even so: come, Lord Jesus.