Swelling with joy

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I made this advent calendar for Aaron one Christmas when we were dating. I remember hoping we'd get married when I made it so that I could light it one day too with our family because I liked it so much. I got quite lucky. I'm more grateful for the awesome husband than the candle of course, but that doesn't mean I'll enjoy the candle any less.


We have a traditional advent wreath, but light that one only on Sundays and this one throughout the week. Each week I tie on jute with the meaning for the week to this big white candle. Those taper candles wouldn't last all month for us on the traditional advent wreath.

My week ended in so. much. joy. After a busy last two week of school filled with tons of sickness, last minute decisions, and nights going to bed at 7:30, I breathed a sigh of relief as I walked out Friday afternoon. An exhale of I made it. 

I came home with the most energy I've had all week and started to get the curriculum for our children's ministry ready for next Semester. I'd felt so sick and unproductive after school each day this week that I wanted to do something low key and straight forward and productive.

I have enjoyed doing the children's ministry because it has really stretched me. I don't know how to teach kids about Jesus. I don't even have children. I can teach children their ABCs and 123s, but how do you explain Jesus. I mean explain Him well? How do you teach grace and obedience? How do you be engaging and authentic? How do you teach the power of the Holy Spirit and the humility of a servant? How do you teach righteousness and repentance? How do you teach all those things without using those big words? Or at least how do you explain those lofty words well? 

So choosing a curriculum was quite stressful last summer. When you add our tight budget, rotational volunteer schedule, wide mix of ages, and all those questions above, it took a while. We settled on the Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum. It has been a perfect curriculum for us. It goes through the whole Bible using the Jesus Storybook Bible which has incredibly beautiful pictures and poignant words. Adults cry at the book. In fact, we read it sometimes at house church. The tagline is "every story whispers His name," and that is 100% true. 

This summer, as I lined up the Old Testament chapters with the Sundays in our year once we started the curriculum, I was amazed to find that the chapters about the birth of Jesus fell perfectly over our Sundays in December which meant I didn't have to switch weeks around or add in new lessons.

Yesterday, I lined up the New Testament chapters with the spring weeks. I finished and thought, "Oh no, when's Easter?" April 20th. My eyes scanned the chapters and here's the title for the 40th lesson which lines up with April 20th: God's Wonderful Surprise: The Resurrection. 

I thought, You're kidding me. But sure enough, it was perfect. God's timing is perfect. Every time. We read the Christmas story and already in the back of our minds we know the ending. He dies, but he rises again. But as our pastor reminded us on Sunday, Mary and Joseph didn't know that. They had to trust Him. Trust His promises. Trust His timing. 

We don't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we light that candle each night believe it's there. After all, this little babe is the light of the world and he came to make blind men see. And aren't we all truly blind of heart?





“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

“Lift up your eyes and look about you:
    All assemble and come to you;
your sons come from afar,
    and your daughters are carried on the hip.
Then you will look and be radiant,
    your heart will throb and swell with joy;
the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
    to you the riches of the nations will come.
-Isaiah 60:1-5

Watch the Christmas Story from the Jesus Storybook Bible on youtube.com:

Happy Advent!



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