Advent Season 2014 (The Coming)

I find myself on the first Sunday of the 2014 Advent Season reflecting back upon the past few weeks and looking forward to the next four weeks leading up to Christmas Day.

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The last couple of weeks of November 2014 have been quite full and have encompassed a range of emotions and experiences. A very chaotic but satisfying couple of weeks at work, a most enjoyable charter fishing trip with my father-in-law and two of my brother-in-laws, the tragic news of an untimely death, at his own hand, of a friend and family member, the joy of reconnecting with family and friends at his "Celebration of Life service", walking a 5K with Tammy Thanksgiving morning at Pensacola Beach, enjoying Thanksgiving dinner at my sister Sandy's, decorating our house for the Christmas Season, and celebrating my mom's 81st birthday. 

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Being raised in the Catholic church the Advent tradition was something that I just grew up with. As a child it was a weekly reminder that Christmas Day was slowly approaching week by week. As an adult who oftentimes gets caught up in the world around me I have come to appreciate the way that the Advent Season can refocus my heart and mind during the highly commercialized "Holiday Season". The word "Advent" comes from the Latin adventus, meaning coming or arrival and I like the thought of taking the four weeks leading up to Christmas Day  to reflect upon the 1st arrival of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ almost 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem. I also like considering that our Lord will one day return again, His 2nd coming. Having considered all of this  I find myself asking a question that is posted on the Advent Conspiracy website.

"Can Christmas still change the world?"  

I believe that the answer is a resounding yes!

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Worship Fully

Spend Less

Give More

Love All

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Grace & Peace

Veterans Day 2014

New Orleans, LA November 11th 1918

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Every veteran did not volunteered to serve,

every veteran has not served in an armed conflict,

every veteran has not experienced lasting physical or emotion trauma,

every veteran does not wander the streets of our nation homeless,

every veteran does not have medals to document their heroic deeds,

every veteran is not a "hero",

however,

every veteran is
 a person who answered the their nations call to duty.

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A few snippets from the Veterans Day history article courtesy of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"
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An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
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Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
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Shalom

Fall Thoughts

Pensacola Beach, June 2014
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"Christmas can still change the world" - Advent Conspiracy

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I was reviewing my calendar/day-planner earlier this week and made the observation that there were two Sundays left before Thanksgiving and seven Sundays left until Christmas. I also had observed that many retail stores had placed their Christmas decorations out after Halloween and thus from the retailers perspective the 2014 Holiday Season has commenced. Now I say this not to start commenting on how quickly the year has seemed to go by, or to point out the often gross commercialization of a traditionally Christian holy day that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, but I say as a reminder to myself that I need to be focused on being in the moment each and every day. 

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Later in the day I was reading a blog post by Margaret Fienberg titled "This Challenge Will Reset Your Week" and I appreciated her comments that centered around being aware of being in the presence of God. I reflected on how challenging it can be to find a peaceful and quiet place throughout each day to pause and enjoy the presences of God.
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"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. " - Psalms 46:10

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"Be

Be still

Be still and know

Be still and know that I

Be still and know that I am

Be still and know that I am God."

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I am striving to be more aware of Gods presence through each day and I am taking more time to find a quiet place to be still.

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Grace & Peace