Those of you who are familiar with the Advent season will recognize the image on the left as an Advent wreath. The church we attend is following the Advent season in our worship services, as have all the churches we have attended in the past for a long time. Advent is the season of the church year when we seek to prepare for the coming of the long awaited Messiah, whom we know was Jesus the Christ. In our time it is also a time for rekindling our hope for the return of Christ. And it is also a time for us to anticipate coming together as families to celebrate - for some to remember the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, as well as thinking anew about being prepared to meet Jesus when He returns. For others it is simply to celebrate a holiday season filled with the joys of gift giving and giving holiday parties of one sort or another.
Personally I enjoy all of the above, especially getting together with family and loved ones. Those always seem to create memories that last a long time. Since we do not live near any of our children and grandchildren, getting with them creates increasing difficulty. For one thing winter weather is always so unpredictable making plans to drive somewhere, either way, somewhat difficult. And taking the airways over any holiday season is becoming more and more difficult for us older folks.
This year is a good example of what I'm talking about. Our closest ones live near St. Louis, a good seven hour drive under ideal conditions. And even thinking about a trip to the Cleveland, OH area this time of year is totally out of the question. Flying to Arizona would be a better option except for the time of year traveling difficulties and expense. It has been expressed to us by our family in Missouri that they want very, very much for us to come there. And we would very much like to go there again this year (we were there last year too). How to get there the best possible way has been the question.
The issues are that our adult kids think that we, my wife and I, should not drive there and back by ourselves. This is based on my health and my wife's inexperience in driving in heavy traffic areas (she does fine on the interstate otherwise). And so the solution coming from them is that our son in law would drive here and pick us up and our daughter would bring us home. I really didn't want them to do that much driving, but I finally gave in to their reasoning. I guess that's what older parents are supposed to do in situations like this, right?
Anyway, we are now planning to spend Christmas with the Erions at their place and enjoy seeing all of their family, including our three great grandsons and our granddaughter who is carrying our fourth in her womb. I'm sure we'll have a great time there and that there will be lots of love shared by all. All of this is conditional on the weather permitting as well as my health permitting it. We'll be praying for that to happen, and I'm inviting you to join us in that prayer. I believe that God is interested in such things and that He seeks our peace and joy. However we are committed to listen to Him first of all for the direction we should take.
I'll no doubt post another blog or two before we leave this weekend, but due to the content of this post I want to wish all of you readers a very blessed and happy Christmas season as you celebrate again the birth of Jesus. May all your celebrations be filled with the peace, joy and happiness that knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord brings.
Pilgrim on the way
1 comment:
I too think God is interested in such things having to do with His people. However, if for some reason it is not to be, as Linda says in a current blog, "This is the day the Lord has made." We should rejoice in it even before we know how it ends, and especially when frustrations happen our way.
I, like her, am still learning that.
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