I remember as a child I could hardly contain my pure excitement as I waited for Christmas to finally arrive. There was magic in the air and, at times, I could hardly contain my anticipation. Now that I’m older, a lot of the anticipation and magic are gone. There are still wonderful family traditions and joys of the season, but many times it seems like the anticipation is replaced with anxious scurrying and to-do lists.
Advent is the season for preparation and anticipation in the church. If we were to truly follow what the seasons of the church year dictate, we wouldn’t decorate our church or sing a Christmas Carol before December 24th. And then the idea is, on Christmas Eve we would be blown away by the transformation and the joy of Christmas which we would celebrate for 12 days. Following that practice year after year would lead to true anticipation and preparation—that is if we weren’t so bombarded by Christmas in the rest of the world starting in early November. By the time the day after Christmas comes, we’re kind of sick of it all and ready to move on, not truly wanting to celebrate Christmas for another 12 days (which is the true season of Christmas in the church).
This year I hope that we can rekindle that childlike anticipation and joy as we wait, not for the coming of a man in a red coat and hat, but for the birth of our Savior, the Prince of Peace. To help with this, I’ve found a book called, “Advent Storybook: 24 Stories to Share Before Christmas” by Antonie Schneider. It is a children’s book that tells simple stories about a bear named Benjamin as he waits for Christmas. Each day beginning November 30th, you can go to my blog through our website (kenoshawesley.org) and you will find a video as I read a story from the book (each story is about 60 seconds or so). On Sunday mornings, I will also read the appropriate story to our children at children’s time.
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