Archive for the ‘Church Year’ Category
At The Parsonage – Preparing For Christmas
Friday, December 23rd, 2016
Advent Thus Far
Thursday, December 15th, 2016
Advent is almost gone and Christmas is coming. It has passed quickly and left me with a sense of stumbling through the days trying here and there to throw some Advent memories at the kids as time and energy allow. I’ve made it to one Advent Vesper service but have sent some of the babies to these despite my staying home.
We’ve hung 2 Jesse Tree ornaments and had a few more evening Bible times but that’s about it. We’ve mostly remembered each evening to open our wooden Advent calendar but have forgotten many nights only to have to catch up the next night. The kids haven’t seemed to mind getting to open 2 or 3 doors at a time though.
Gaudete
Sunday, December 11th, 2016
The third Sunday in Advent, Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday of “Rejoice.” The Sunday to prepare for Christ’s coming with a heart that rejoices with thanksgiving for His saving mercy, love and forgiveness.
Today for me the Sunday of Rejoicing became a Sunday of one battle after another with three of my babies and ended in me covered in Martha barf scurrying home from church just after the first hymn. Lily calls Martha “Marth Barf” for a reason.
Today I could only think that it is truly a miracle that moms of littles go to church at all. It is no easy thing to do this week after week. Most Sundays are hard then there are these Sundays that are harder than hard and it seems the Devil works overtime to discourage us from ever stepping foot in church again.
But today I was thankful. So thankful for the people who came to my aid. Who watched the other seven babies while I ran home to wash. Who cleaned up the carpet and brought the kids home.
Today I grieved my sin and the sin that makes babies disrespectful, disobedient and sick. Sins that make us poor indeed. Even though I was sent away in grief, embarrassment and weariness I have reason to Rejoice, for:
“The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” Matthew 11:5
How great is my sin but, “The good and happy news is that Christ has paid for our sin, and through his suffering has redeemed us from eternal death.” ML
God does not leave us wretched but sends His Preacher to, “Relieve them, give them comfort, and fill with joy their fearful hearts, which before were weighed down in heaviness and sorrow.” ML
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee O Isreal.
