Week of hope

Could I be an Advent snob?  An Advent purist?  And Advent idealist?  As I looked forward to the first day of Advent, today, I looked at my 3 Advent calendars:  one with various, yummy types of tea; one with scratch off days, and one with chocolate behind each window.  I scratched off the first day to realize, to my chagrin, that I had been deceived!  These calendars begin on December 1 with only 24 days on them!  These are countdown to Christmas calendars. Now I have to continue to wait until December 1 to do them.  

My “Heaven and Nature Sing” Advent devotion book from Augsburg did not disappoint though.  It begins on the right day with beautiful pictures and thoughts.  

So, beware my dear friends, that you, unlike me, begin your countdown to Christmas calendars on the right day and look for a truly, correct Advent calendar that has 27 windows to open and not only 24.  It would be nice if it had Advent verses and symbols behind each window, too. 

I love my 24 day calendars and what lies behind each day.  Thank you to those who gifted them to me.  I just need to be more aware that, just because it says “Advent,”  that is simply a marketing technique and not truly Advent.  All that glitters is not gold as the saying goes.  :-)

God bless your Advent season and this first day of the new church year.  Cheers to this week of hope!  It’s not all about me as I thought when I was two or three and heard the Pastor say:  “We shall have hope!” When he said that I stood up and said:  “Here me are!”  I’ve learned the difference between hope and Hope.  :-)  So, again, blessings on this week of hope in the church year!  Look for places of hope!  I’d love to hear where you find it!