The Season of Advent (A 10-day countdown)

My children just love their yearly Christmas advent calendars - anticipating that sweet delight of a single piece of chocolate each day, beginning on the 1st of the month, and leading up to the 25th of December - Christmas Day.

Because the Christmas advent calendar was not a tradition I grew up with, (rather, it was a tradition introduced into our family through my husband) I thought I would take a moment to gain some clarity on just what an "advent calendar" actually is (apart from being a calendar filled with sweet treats!). I learned the following from Wikipedia:

"Advent" is a term adopted from the Latin word, "adventus", meaning, "coming; arrival".

In the Christian world, this term is specifically used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ - therefore, the Season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from three different perspectives:

1. The occasion of Jesus Christ's birth in Bethlehem.

2. The reception of Christ into the heart of the believer.

3. The prophesied Second Coming of Christ in the last days.

As we approach the glittery joy of Christmas Day, mindful of this year drawing to a close and the impending arrival of a new one, perhaps our minds are filled with excitement and anticipation of promising possibilities. Or perhaps, there is uncertainty, and doubt in further challenges and trials that lie ahead.

These moments can signify a type of advent in our lives - of defining, or even refining moments, which are sometimes embraced, and at other times, looked upon with fear and dread. I have learnt in my own tender moments of contemplation, that the process of seeking for Christ, can actually help us towards our "arrival" to a place of clarity and new understanding. He can provide us with his assurance that He knows us, He knows our circumstances, and even more than that, He can help us in and through them, opening us up to receive His peace.

This year, Janneke inspired me to extend my studies of Jesus Christ, by allowing me to assist her in her search for names/titles for the Savior as we progressed through our own personal and collective Church-wide study of the New Testament (and other canonized scripture). As mentioned in her Christmas post ("Adorning Christmas with Christ"), together we were able to compile a generous list of those names from multiple sources, which she has artistically created into a beautiful collage poster (see Scripture Snack| Inspiration Doodles here).

We invite you to embark on this journey with us, in discovering new names for Christ. Beginning on the 15th of December, we will feature 1 new name/title of Jesus Christ on the website. It will be one we have either already learnt this year, or one that we have just happened across during our 10-day countdown. Over the next 10 days, this should provide us with at least 10 names to add to our 25-day advent calendar (scroll to the bottom of Janneke's post to view/download an advent calendar template that you can use to fill out as a family or as an individual activity).

Our hope is that as we seek out these names for Christ, we will begin to know Him better, with an added depth in our hearts that we may not have had before. By doing so, we trust it will increase your, and our personal desire to be more like the Savior, in thought, word and deed. With an eye of faith towards the future, we add our hopeful anticipation of the advent of His Second Coming, the fulfillment of promised blessings, and the additional reward, that because we have come to know Him "...when he appears, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is...". (1 John 3:2 [2-3])

May your Christmas be full of the love of God, as we seek for that sweet and precious Christmas gift from above - our Heavenly Father's only Begotten Son - who was born in a lowly stable, and lovingly swaddled in a manger. May you enjoy the exquisite sweetness of His redeeming love, which we are continuing to discover, is also "...the most joyous to the soul". (1 Nephi 11:23)

WHAT TO DO:

Scroll to the bottom of our Home Page, for Day 1 of our advent calendar. Then come back each day as we countdown to Christmas Day - and be inspired by our other images, (lovingly created and prepared by the artistic hand of our inspired Janneke!) as we reverence our Lord and Savior in pondering His Holy name.