ADVENT!

Advent ie a faith season of waiting and preparation for both the celebration of Jesus' birth and anticipation of His return at the Second Coming! 

The candles and wreath are accessories and may vary but all point toward Christ, the world's true light, who was, and is, and is to come. (Revelation 1:8)

HARK!!

How many ways can one say "HARK" ? 

That question is one I hope to explore during my quiet times this advent season.

I received a great start yesterday during Sunday services at Allen Bible Church. From the lighting of the first candle on the advent wreath.........

.........to singing my favorite Christmas hymn, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing",  I began harkening back to our family traditions of advent at 1152. Time with family and friends, even one year in the dark, because our electricity went out as our friends began to arrive. What a fun time to remember.

To "hark back" was Mama Davenport's way of "recollecting"---Just sitting by her as she would start "to recollect" was always a special time to get a glimpse of her Christmases in the "olden days" as we we called it.

To leave the service with a HARK! Devotional Guide * was a great resource to start my "HARK" word study. 

*Thanks to Jim and Grant for writing this and providing a printable copy online.

https://allenbible.org/harkadvent-devo-guides

CHOOSE: TO LIGHT THE CANDLE OF LOVE FOR THE 4th SUNDAY OF ADVENT

FIRST EVANGELICAL CANDLELIGHT SERVICE 2017!

Children sharing the Greatest Love Story ever told with word and song! (John 3:16, KJV)

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

A perfect way to "light" the flame of love in one's own heart....

And to pass it on---candle by candle,
into the hands of other believers.

Believers rejoicing in the One
who is the light, celebrating
His birth together!

Love and light
filling the sanctuary.

A sanctuary of God's Presence
In every heart!

Merry Christmas Eve!

CHOOSE: TO CELEBRATE THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT 2017

For Christians, Advent is a time of waiting. Waiting for the Lord. Celebrating His birth at Christmas.
After seeing the movie "Star" with two of my grands we walked through the neighborhood to see decorations.
After seeing lots of Snoopy and Grinch Christmas decorations we came upon a large Nativity tableau.

Peering into the manger, Lucy, somewhat stunned,  asked, "Where is the baby?" My response was that maybe since it wasn't Christmas yet,  they would put the baby in the manger on Christmas Day.
Recently, I mailed Lucy info to explain the way we, her daddy's family, celebrate the 4 Sundays of  "Advent," even including some carols we sing and a small gift to open----as a way of focusing on the One who is the "reason for the season." It's a way pf making the "waiting" for Christmas a little easier.

Tonight we had our first Advent with grandson, Owen. Hubby read the Isaiah 9:6 scripture, "For unto us a child is born..." I shared the story of advent and then he, as his mother had always done on the first Sunday, lit the "candle of faith." We sang , "O Come all Ye Faithful" and then he "Scrooged" the candle out and opened his gift.

What a blessing to choose to celebrate "Advent" with grandchildren.

CHRISTMAS SEASON: JOY, JOY, JOY!!!

Son Buddy's sermon series for Allen Bible Church is on JOY!

Our church, First Evan  is celebrating a "Joy" theme the 4th week of Advent. 

Friends are sharing joy! We are all "lifted up" because we all share the same joy!

 MERRY CHRISTMAS 2016!

ADVENT TRADITIONS

12/5/10 Today is the second advent Sunday of 2010. Advent Sundays are the four Sundays before Christmas Day. The entire advent season is a time of expectancy. Christian families wait and prepare for the celebration of the birth of Christ. Through the years we Liles have only done it “officially” on Sunday. But….we’ve done it so often we even have our own script. As each married and moved away, I sent an advent candle holder along with a copy of our script.
In the past, on the 2nd Sunday, I would have opened in prayer, our youngest child (Molly) would be lighting the purple candle of faith from last week’s lesson, Larry would read Matthew 1:18-24, middle child (Josh) would light the next purple “candle of light” (also known as the Bethlehem candle) after the devotional and oldest child (Buddy) would lead the singing of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and my favorite carol of all, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

Now the script doesn’t quite fit our empty nest household---it doesn’t exactly fit Buddy’s either because he and Day have a lot more kids who will need a part. Whereas Molly and Corey only have one and Josh and Megan have none, it doesn’t fit their houses either and I’m afraid our tradition will die out.

Maybe each house will alter and begin its own tradition. Maybe that’s what Larry and I need to do because it feels lonely here when I think back on previous advent Sunday nights: the time our Jewish neighbors’ son came and came back again when he realized that the next time, Mr. Liles would be singing “We Three Kings” and he didn’t want to miss that; the joy on the faces of our kids opening those small gifts which were fairly predictable over the years---ornament, the first Sunday, magazine or book the second Sunday, etc; extinguishing our candles the Scrooge way---“scrooging” has a way of leaving spit dribbles on the candles.

One year we shared our traditions with friends. With everything organized with our kids so that they were also a part, we had it all planned down to the letter----except for the electricity going off. (& only on our street) It turned out to be memorable, probably more so, because of the “seeming” catastrophe. Cooking was done via extension cords over the fence from our back neighbors’ house and our grill. Gifts were given by candlelight so that those who received gifts with the “wrong” name could pass them on to others. The gift went on…

Tonight, if gmail cooperates, I plan to open an email sent by a friend from Germantown Methodist that includes an Advent guide. Maybe Larry and I will find just the right advent lesson for empty nesters who miss sharing this tradition with their kids.

The King is Coming

11/28/10 Join me in meditating on Psalm 24 on the first Monday of the Advent season.

1 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, 
 the world, and all who live in it;

2 for he founded it on the seas 
 and established it on the waters.
3 Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? 
 Who may stand in his holy place? 

4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, 
who does not trust in an idol 
or swear by a false god
5 They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior. 

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, 
who seek your face, God of Jacob.
7 Lift up your heads, you gates; 
 be lifted up, you ancient doors, 
that the King of glory may come in.

8 Who is this King of glory? 
The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your heads, you gates; 
 lift them up, you ancient doors, 
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory? 
 The LORD Almighty—he is the King of glory.