A Blessed Advent Season To You!

Our family observance is off to a good start, I think.

We modified a suggestion offered by Peony Moss meant to encourage self-sacrifice during the season: Saturday, I helped Zooey make a little manger out of a cardboard box. We cut strips of straw-colored tissue paper, and every time one of us makes a personal sacrifice for the sake of somebody else, we're putting a piece of tissue into the manger to create a "nice soft bed for Baby Jesus." The role of Newborn King will be played by one of Edyn's small baby dolls on Christmas morning.

Zooey caught onto the process readily on Sunday and by the end of the day, there were 11 strips of tissue paper in the cardboard manger. Not all earned by Zooey, either -- he was quick to point out when his dad got him a snack without being asked and a couple of other things. Even Edyn earned one "for giving Grandma back her toy car when she dropped it." (Okay, so Grandma dropped it on purpose, but Edyn did return it without prompting). I imagine the fun of it all will wear out in a day or two, but it sure was nice to see Zooey volunteering to help around the house and even wipe Edyn's nose.

We also lit the first candle of our new Advent wreath, using the directions, prayers and Scripture found in our weekly Diocese newspaper. We've actually had an Advent wreath for several years, but we just lit the candles, we didn't read any pertinent passages from the Bible or say any prayers. The new wreath is brass, purchased on sale a couple months ago. But it looks a little too austere, so I'm going to dig out the old one (jerry-rigged from four small candle bases, putty, a wooden disc and some pre-made faux pine "picks") and borrow the greenery off it to dress it up a bit.

I've begun work on a special project for Advent that I hope the Lord will bless me with time to finish. So far, it seems to be turning out well.

I have sketchy plans for a few other endeavors, too. We'll see how far I can get, though. You'd think at 7 months of pregnancy, the morning sickness would be over and done with, but I'm suffering a relapse today. Bleh...say, what's the theology of using morning sickness as a form of penance for Advent?

--Sparki