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The Word of God is rich with comforting and encouraging Bible verses and I hope and pray you have been as blessed reading some of them these past few months as I have been in sharing them. Today is the first Sunday in Advent. It begins four Sundays before Christmas and continues until Christmas Day. It can be a wonderful time to help us prepare our hearts, our homes, and our Sandwich Generation families for Christmas and a great way to keep the Christmas season focus on Jesus, Who is the wonderful Reason for the Season. Many churches and homes will have one of the many types of Advent wreath, often with nativity sets beside or around them, to help keep count through the month. This can be very ornate and fancy
or just a simple set of four candles in a circle (we have done this but then added a fifth candle in the middle).
The colors vary depending on your church, your customs, and sometimes even iffy memories. 🙂 I, personally, use four red candles for the four Sundays with a fifth white candle for Christmas Day.Â
I wondered if I could incorporate an Advent and Christmas flavor into this comforting Bible verses series and was delighted to find I could. I started with one of the best known Old Testament verses that predicted the Messiah, our Savior:
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore . The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7
Many know this verse well. I love the portion of Handel’s Messiah where these words are sung. What I find especially comforting during this season of my life are the words “wonderful counselor” and “prince of peace.” As we in the Sandwich Generation know too well, peace can be a rare commodity. There is often so much to do as we juggle the issues of caring for the elderly parents and relatives in the family, all the while still raising our own children and/or helping with our grandkids. It’s so easy to let day to day problems, activities, and duties consume us. But, when we stop for a second, take time to be still before God, and rest in His Word, we can be reminded that HE is our peace. And that He is not only praying for us, HE is our counselor.
He may use His Word, His presence, and for many of us, encouraging praise and worship music. This can include so many of the lovely Christmas praise and worship songs – whether old familiar songs, brand new ones, or those that are old but redone in a fresh new way, like this lovely rendition by MercyMe of I Heard The Bells. The words are such a delightful reminder that Christ is, indeed, our only real peace in any season of life, including our Sandwich Generation season. I coupled it in this Smilebox eCard with Unto Us a Child Is Born from Handel’s Messiah, which is played first. Just click on PLAY to enjoy it. 🙂
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Weren’t those sweetly encouraging sounds for the season! Â I LOVED it when MercyMe sang:
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead nor does He sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on Earth, good will to men
Both were so perfect and comforting for this Advent season. As we head into the busy weeks ahead, often squished full of additional activities in addition to our normal caregiving duties, I pray we will all be able to spend time in the Word of God along with enjoying plenty of uplifting Christmas carols and praise and worship hymn songs and music.
Thanks for your comment on my advent post – I just popped by to see your advent post which is inspiring for me as the words that motivate you are, of course, in the songs we sing at church – personally I find it easier to sing praise and be worshipful through song than in prayer.
Preparing the Sandwich Generation Family For Christmas: Advent Wreaths, Comforting Bible Verses, and … http://tinyurl.com/3y85wzw
Over the last year I have learned to be still. Thank-you for this post and the beautiful video.
Blessings,
Ginger
Hi Kaye,One of the reasons I try and have my decorations up by Dec,1st. So I am able to enjoy the worship music and quiet time alone with the Lord, during this most precious season. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful post, and for your sweet comment on my blog.
Blessings,
Sue
Hi Kaye,
How beautiful!!! I love the idea of advent candles…I think I’ll do it too!!!
Happy blessings of the season,
Hugs,
Cindy
I love the advent season too! Another gift to be thankful for!
Thanks for commenting on my Pause in Advent post. Yours is encouraging. Our pastor spoke today on Christ being our Wonderful Counselor, and this follows along with that.
Thank you for visiting my blog, you are quicker off the mark than I am!
However, I am enjoying spending the morning visiting all those participating in A Pause for Advent and learning about the different meanings this special time of year has for us all.
Maggie in Normandy.
Thank you so much for visiting my Pause in Advent post, and for your comment. I think all of our Advents will be enriched by sharing with one another.
Jane x
I am so pleased to be able to join your for advent again this year
Thank you for that lovely post, Dear. I could not get the videos to load. Blessings ~ Oh, wait, the music just started playing. Beautiful, thank you, Lord, for coming to bring peace on earth.
Hi Cathy, Glad it worked. Sometimes they do seem to need an extra second or two, don’t they. 🙂 I tell you, it just seems like the internet is getting slower in it’s old age. Hmmm 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi Mum, Isn’t it fun! I’m enjoying it as well! 🙂 Have a Happy Advent week!
Hi Jane, You’re very welcome. I so agree! 🙂
Hi Maggie, I had to be fast as I knew I wouldn’t get a chance later 🙂 Lots of holiday visiting still going on but now all the guests are home and it’s back to the computer. 🙂
Hi Lorrie, Don’t you love it when God spotlights verses and thoughts that way! I was visiting Word-Filled Wednesday last week and had that happen about four times! Very cool! 🙂
Hi Anita, AMEN! 🙂
Hi Cindy, It’s so fun! And there’s so many intriguing ways to do it! I hope and pray you had a good Thanksgiving and I am praying for you and your sweet husband! 🙂
Great idea Sue! I had a friend who used to always decorate starting Thanksgiving night and ending by the Sunday night. Then she was all ready for the season with no stress! I started doing that when I worked out of the home. It was GREAT! Now it varies. I had hoped to do that but other things intervened. Now I’m thinking, Hmmmm – Christmas Eve? 🙂 🙂 🙂 But, like you, my favorite part of the Advent and Christmas season is the Christmas praise and worship hymn songs and music and for those, I just turn on my iTunes. Hooray 🙂
Hi Ginger, That’s something He has to keep working on in me – but slowly… 🙂
Hi Betty, Isn’t it wonderful the way God gives us such a wide variety of ways to praise Him and learn more about Him. Praise and worship hymn songs and music are such joys to me as well! 🙂
What a beautiful post for Advent. Your posts are always very edifying.
Blessings as you prepare for Christmas.
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte, Thank you! 🙂 And thank you for all your hard work with Spiritual Sunday! 🙂