Issues plus a little bit of Christmas Advent

Now, before I really start spilling this story and trying to make sense out of something, you need to understand that, while I consider myself to be a religous person, my views of theology tend to come out sounding like....maybe I'm in third grade.  Fourth grade on a good night. 

Okay?
Okay.

So let's talk some Advent, shall we?
The word Advent means "to come." 
And when we talk about the Advent season in our house, we talk about how Advent refers to Jesus coming to earth on Christmas Day. 
We might not do all of the candle lighting in our house to recognize the Advent season, but we do participate in the spirit of Advent.


And we do what just about anyone would do when getting ready for someone to come....we clean up a bit.  Maybe decorate.  Prepare a nice meal.  Get some gifts.  Have a party.  Pour some wine.  Play some music.

So here I am doing all of this outward stuff to celebrate the season, and I have been hit unexpectedly straight on with something that is apparently a HUGE issue for me on the inside.  And I am feeling that voice inside telling me that this Advent season is a good time to tidy up some things I have going on in my heart. 

boy i hate that. 

So here's the deal. 
I've got some pride issues. 
There, I said it. 

I'm not sure exactly how to just let go of it. 
I wish that it was just enough to acknowlede it and POOF....the issue would just disappear.
Or I would never have trouble with it again. 

But it's something I need to work on. 

I have some dear friends who have offered to do something really super and extremely nice for me. 
And I refused to accept it. 
And I am sorry if my refusal came off as being ungrateful. 
I sure didn't mean for it to seem that way. 
It was a Pride thing. 

So this year while the kids and I do some of our little traditions and things that we like to do to prepare and celebrate the birth of Christ, I will remember that there are some inner housekeeping things that I gotta work on to get my heart in better shape as well. 

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So what do you do to celebrate Advent?

Do you do the Advent wreath? 
Do you have an Advent calendar?
Do you give little gifts in the stockings before Christmas?


When my kiddos were little, we used to do a "Kiss for a Kiss" countdown to Christmas. 
They would stretch out colorful plastic wrap and line up 25 candy kisses.  Wrap them all up and tie a peice of curling ribbon in between each one.  Then they would hang their string of kissis up and each day we would trade a "kiss for a kiss." 

Fun memories. 
I think I'm going to the store to buy some candy now.