Waiting as a child during the season of Advent was awful! When would it finally be Christmas Eve? When would Jesus come?

I thank the Lord that he put me in the family he did. I loved the Wednesday services during Advent. The messages always seemed to teach us something we hadn’t thought of.

Our German Lutheran grandma’s house seemed to be in the middle of everything. Everyone was welcome any time. We were always uncovering ancient ornaments, cookie recipes, and Advent devotions.

Friends, always welcome, would ask about that funny thing in the middle of the dining room table. Why were some candles shorter than others, and only one new one lit each week?

Ah . . . the waiting, and the light growing brighter each week! The bright lights reflecting off of our favorite ornaments, the bright lights all around our neighborhoods growing so bright you could read a newspaper walking down the street at night! The candles of the Advent wreath growing so bright as they reflected off of our family manger scene waiting for a very special arrival.

Yes, I thank God for allowing me to learn and to share the Light of the world!