filled with joy

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (Luke 2:10)

Wednesday evening's Advent service was amazing. there were these strings of white Christmas lights hanging from the rafters that looked like the could have been snow falling or stars. the whole church was dark, except for those lights and about a hundred candles. it was breathtaking. instead of the pastor offering up intercessions during the prayer, we kept the church completely silent, except for just a soft piano solo, and we all went up to the front, in a line, to light tea lights from one of the other candles and placed them on a table while we offered up our own personal silent prayers. seeing all those little candles glowing really gives you a visual reminder that while our prayers may sometimes seem small & insignificant, when you gather them all up, they are more powerful than we may think. part of the sermon was about peace. and how it's very easy to find peace when we are in remote seclusion. like living in a rural area, on a large piece of proprty, nestled under trees, against a mountain, by a lake. sometimes it can seem that we are only able to find peace when we retreat to church, especially this time of year. but we should also be able to find peace right in the middle of the world's rush & roar. in the middle of the crowds of shoppers & the traffic. as we run a multitude of errands & attend Christmas parties & decorate our homes & wrap our gifts. the very Gift we are celebrating is the source of the peace we should have.

i find it interesting how our hope in God's promise to send a Savior brings us peace. and in that peace, we find joy because of the wonderful gift we've received.

i left church feeling relaxed & peaceful, but also so full of Christmas spirit. it was almost impossible not to be. it's in allowing yourself to find the peace surrounding Christmas that you are finally able to experience the joy without being harried & frazzled.

and you see, *this* is why i love Advent. it truly does prepare us, step by step, to truly focus & realign ourselves with the reasons this holiday is such a wonderful time of the year. the details lose so much meaning when they are kept as singular entities. it's not just the decorations & the gifts & the parties & the carols, but in constantly reminding ourselves *why* we do those things, what they mean, what they are to remind us of.

and if *that* doesn't make you want to break out in songs of joy like the angels sang, i don't know what does!

Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
("God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," Words & Music: Traditional English)