CHOOSE: TO LIGHT THE "CANDLE OF HOPE" FOR THE 3rd SUNDAY OF ADVENT

This Collierville neighborhood yard sign "simply" says it all for Christians.

CHOOSE: TO REMEMBER ADVENT TRADITIONS

On this "Wordsmith Wednesday" a son's words recall "Advent, Liles style" for Allen Bible Church.

HOW ARE YOU “DOING ADVENT” THIS YEAR?

If “the Ghost of Christmas Past” could take you back to the Christmas of my childhood, you would end up at 1152 Longreen Drive in Memphis.  Approaching the house, you would already hear an “awfully off-key, yet strangely uninhibited” rendition of “We Three Kings” being belted out. Peek through the dining room window, and you would see a homely Advent wreath with candles lit at the center of the table.  Around the table, you would glimpse a mom and a dad trying their best to lead 3 squirmy kids in a few minutes of reflection that we called “doing advent.” “Advent” simply means “coming.”  And we did Advent as a family to remember that Christmas is about Jesus “coming” to our world.  God had promised this “advent” of a Savior long before Jesus was born in an animal feed trough.  That’s why we would read from normally untouched parts of the Bible—like Micah and Isaiah! That’s why we did Advent at 1152 Longreen. How we did Advent was more fidget than focus…more unraveled than seamless…mostly wiggly with a smidge of worship-y!

I couldn’t sit still then, yet now I can’t shake off lessons that somehow stuck with me.  Somehow by doing Advent God did something in me. Doing Advent Liles-style circa 1986!

How will you do advent this year?  How will you prepare yourself or your family to worship Christ the newborn King?

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 SUNDAY---a Liles tradition

For Christians thorough out the world, Advent is a time of "waiting"----waiting for the coming and acknowledging the birth of the Lord. It's a time of expectancy. A time to remember those who walked in darkness and then saw a great light. A life changing "Nativity" for us all.

At the Liles house, for as far back as I can remember, the 4 Sundays before Christmas have been a time of celebration and remembrance with an Advent wreath of candles, special devotions (mostly the same ones each year) and off-key singing of appropriate carols. Every one participates and younger ones get a small gift.

This year Owen was with us and he read Isaiah 9:6 and "lit" the "candle of faith". (Called by some the "candle of promise" as Jesus came as the Messiah promised by the prophet Isaiah.)

After we sang "O Come all Ye Faithful" Owen practiced "Scrooge-ing" out the candle---a Liles tradition since watching Barry Fuller as "Scrooge" in Theater Memphis' Christmas Carol, snuffing out his candle with his wet fingers!

Good job, Owen!

Sabbath Snapshots: Chicago & beyond

12/4/11 First Week of Advent begins---
Toy Truck give-a-way
Owen "shot" truck pic
Palmer House Tea---glorious MAC, scar to scar, meeting once again.
Christmas Tree Marshall Fields Walnut room---
though technically MF owned by Macy's since 2005---
Christmas Market Connection/ Gigi & Bonnie---regardless of the spelling
Christkindl Market (German Christmas Mkt.)
Fourth Presbyterian--Chicago
2nd Pres--Memphis
An English Christmas

Sabbath Snapshots: First Advent '11

11/27/11 ”A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
Monday---Plan R for rainy day---Bass Pro & my "grands" were only kids there---

Important Christmas letters---













Trains & Remote cars


Crossbow
Shooting Gallery
Racing Cars
Tuesday chili supper for most of Liles crewWednesday Indoor Swim












Finch Center Tour
Finding UM Tiger # 53---(54 out of 100 was our total)"Prep" Day &
Caleb's Rice Krispie Treats in a "6"











Noah stirs up a pumpkin pie for Daddy
ThursdayParade and Wii to begin "Turkey Day"
(Nathan had my camera--have lots of Wii football pix too)
Thanksgiving Dessert---Side Street Steppers "sang" for their supper---
PTL outside play weather on Friday AM
Friday PM--inside and out--Fort Brotherhood, a great tent, compliments of Molly---
S'MORES---

Saturday: AM Sadness---saying good by to the Texans and watching them drive away.
PM CELEBRATION: Perrin & Jim (son of Molly & Nick) a young man for whom I have prayed, on Saturdays, for many a year---
SUNDAY---Advent Gift for the young ones........As a child, I remember playing with our baby Jesus in the makeshift stable that decorated the top of our console TV.

First Advent Sunday

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.