O come, O come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Here we are, in the midst of the Advent Season. We have been exhorted by the church to wait with expectation for the coming of our Lord. We have been ‘encouraged’ by society to shop and wrap, to bake and prepare, to plan and travel. But what do YOU want from this season?

Many of us want that which we cannot have. I’m not talking about a new car or fancy iPad. We just long to spend one more Christmas with a loved one who has left us too soon. The house seems just a little too empty this season. Funny how that can happen. Even if the holidays at your house seem as chaotic as a chicken coop on fire you still feel the loss – sometimes.

I know that many of us love this season and many of us count the hours till life can just get back to normal. Or if you’re odd like me, you feel both at the same time. I find that the season with all of its stresses, celebrations, joys and pangs of loss gives us a much-needed nudge to experience life to the fullest. It’s a time to rouse from the hypnotic pace of our daily lives.

So, let us dive into this season with courage and hope. If you need to grieve, take the time to do so. But remember to hug your family, visit friends, light a candle and say a prayer. Live life to the fullest!

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

See You Sunday!
Missy