Celebrating Advent

Sunday, November 30th - the First Sunday of Advent this year.

I had never celebrated Advent until just a few years ago.  It was never a tradition that we celebrated when I was growing up.  Now that I know more about it and what it means, I look forward to it every year.

The time before Christmas is called Advent, a season of preparation for Christmas. Christians prepare for celebrating the birth of Jesus by remembering the longing of the Jews for a Messiah. In Advent, we’re reminded of how much we ourselves also need a Savior, and we look forward to our Savior’s second coming even as we prepare to celebrate his first coming at Christmas.

Thanksliving

Last week I had the opportunity to speak at a local MOPS chapter and I spoke on Thanksliving.  Now, I wish I could claim credit for that term, but I can't.  It is original with Ann Voskamp and is used in her book, One Thousand Gifts.

A quote that I shared with the MOPS ladies is a very powerful one, I think:

Every Good and Perfect Gift...

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning." 

James 1:17

I absolutely love my 2008 Chrysler Sebring convertible. 

There's quite a story behind it and I'd like to share it with you.

The Narrow Gate

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it." 

Matthew 7:13-14

The picture here, as translated in the Greek, is of a narrow gate, a narrow passageway that is hemmed in on both sides by obstacles standing close to the gate. 

And the Greek word for broad is spacious, implying lots of room to enter in.

Don't Let Anyone "Dull Your Sequins!"

Recently, while at a conference, I heard this story -

A woman, who I will call Sue, had entered a local beauty pagaent in South Carolina and arrived at the home of one of the contestants, who shall be known as Dutchess, to prep for an pre-pagaent event..  The home was a grand affair, much like a real southern mansion.  In the entry way was this HUGE piano, and I do mean HUGE!!  On the piano were lots and lots of pictures of Dutchess in various dresses and hairstyles, etc.  It was obvious that she had been in many pagaents.  On the wall, from floor to ceiling was an artist's portrait of her in full regalia.  There was no guessing about what/who was important in this house!

As Sue was fixing herself up with the other contestants in the room that had been designated "The Prep Room," she grabbed her hairspray to set her style, when all of a sudden Dutchess exclaimed,

My Little Corner of the World

Almost 2 weeks ago I attended the Allume Conference - blogger's conference in Greenville, South Carolina.  It began on a Thursday afternoon and went well into Saturday night. It was packed full with about 7 speakers a day, tons of books, vendors, and 450 women from all over the country.