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All month long we have been talking about Advent or the four weeks leading up to Christmas. You have heard words like hope, peace, joy and the final week, love. The word Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which means "coming" or "arrival". In Christianity, Advent is a four-week period of preparation and anticipation for the birth of Jesus Christ and the Second Coming. Before Jesus was born in Bethlehem there was certainly an expectancy maybe not from the general public but certainly from Mary, Joseph and the few others who were part of the Christ Child narrative. I think about the wise men who not only brought gifts to Christ but also took a long journey to get to Jesus. I think about how that journey must of been in a foreign land. I also think about what I , what we must do to get to God through Jesus Christ and the responsibility and journey that had to be in order for me and you to come to him. I think about what gifts I am bringing to the Lord in my service to him. I think about the shepherds who stopped everything they were doing to go and worship the Christ Child. And then that makes me think about my sacrifice and am I stopping everything I am doing and the bustle of the season to stop and worship God during this time not just for what he was in the manger but for what he was on the cross and the soon and coming King. I think about Mary and how she knew long before anyone else did about the Savior and to be able to keep that secret for the word tells us in many places that she pondered these things in her heart. And I ask myself am I keeping God close in my heart by pondering on Him instead of all the things that surround me on a daily basis. I think about Joseph who chose not to go the way of the world and the law and put Mary away quietly due to her condition but chose to believe and act on that belief. How am I currently acting on my belief in God? In reflecting on these things my hope and prayer for you and me this season is that we will continue to take the journey and bring whatever gifts and talents we have and let God tell a story through them that will point others to not just the manger but also the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. That we will lay aside all of the stuff and run not walk to the Savior and then proclaim like the shepherds and the Angels did on that night. That we will also ponder God in our daily lives and stay close to Jesus just like Mary did and that as Joseph did we will lay aside what we think Christianity should be and live our lives in front of others as Christ intended and instructed. Many Blessings to all in the New Year.