Advent Season began on Sunday. This is my favorite time of the year with all the beauty and stillness that come with it. It is time to sit and be still, to think, to ponder, to wonder, and to reach for hope.
Advent means coming. The birth of Jesus is coming. We are waiting for this event that brings hope, light, and goodness into this world.
The boys and I are taking out the Advent Candle holder in the evenings. I read Scripture to them and we pray together. after supper We are also reading one of the many Christmas storybooks that I have collected over the years. I have three little Christmas sacks that I hide them in, and the boys take turns picking one to read.
Yesterday was the first day that they were actually quite calm for the Advent readings. They answered questions and prayed. I had a moment where I thought "Wow" and was absolutely delighted that no one was insulting anyone. It was a joy!
And just in case you were wondering, we do have favorite storybooks that we read over and over again. I will share three of them here.
Advent means coming. The birth of Jesus is coming. We are waiting for this event that brings hope, light, and goodness into this world.
The boys and I are taking out the Advent Candle holder in the evenings. I read Scripture to them and we pray together. after supper We are also reading one of the many Christmas storybooks that I have collected over the years. I have three little Christmas sacks that I hide them in, and the boys take turns picking one to read.
Yesterday was the first day that they were actually quite calm for the Advent readings. They answered questions and prayed. I had a moment where I thought "Wow" and was absolutely delighted that no one was insulting anyone. It was a joy!
And just in case you were wondering, we do have favorite storybooks that we read over and over again. I will share three of them here.
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree is a delightful story of the tip of the Christmas tree being cut off in order for it to fit in Mr. Willowby's front room. The top of the tree travels to another part of the house, out of the house, and around the the neighborhood as all kinds of animals find it, are delighted with it, and then end up trimming it a little bit more in order to make it fit perfectly into whatever space they are dealing with.
This storybook is written as a long poem with rather delightful language. I enjoyed each and every rhyme.
Yes, this was made into a TV movie back in 1995. Check it out on Youtube!
Another favorite is The Tale of Three Trees. Each tree has a dream of what it wants to become. Three trees on a mountain dream of what they wanted to become when they grew up. One wants to be a treasure chest, another an ocean-going boat, and the third a signpost to God. None of the trees become exactly as their dream, but they do become something better than their original dream. It's beautiful and poetic.
I do love the fact this was a story that is told and retold. It is beautiful when something that has filled the hearts and minds of more than a generation is put into print in order to preserve the tradition.
The last book I will mention is Song of the Stars by Sally Lloyd Jones. Yes, this is the same person that wrote The Jesus Storybook Bible. This one features creation. Each and every animals is excited about the coming birth of Jesus. They seem to sense the magnificence of the event that is about to take place. Of course, the story culminates in the stable where all the animals gather around to see the baby who was born in a manger.
Another Advent tradition I have is the reading of great poetry. I enjoy this because it is one way to be still and just savor the moment. We all need these moments where nothing is happening, all is quiet, and just sit with ourselves.
There are too many good poets to mention here, so I will save it until next year!
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