We lit our first Advent candle yesterday at Sunday dinner and read the Scriptures that went with it. And we talked about hope--and why we need hope and what it would be like to have no hope.
I can never think about hope without the line from "Amazing Grace" that says "his Word my hope secures." I love that. Our hope isn't tossed by the wind, here and there, but anchored securely to God's Word. Because he said it, we can trust him to do it.
That's why verses like the ones I mentioned in Isaiah this morning mean the world to me. In times of trouble, they are something tangible I can hang on to. I remember so clearly writing out those verses on an index card and carrying them with me everywhere I went.
Isaiah 43:18-19
"Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up, do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland."
"You said you'd do a new thing, Lord," I'd pray. "I'm looking for you to make a way," I'd tell him.
I can't encourage you enough to secure your hope to God's Word. Whatever you may be facing, find a promise from God and hang on to it with both hands. Your hope is secure in him.
We spent the rest of the afternoon camped out in front of the fire, watching the snow fall. The girls tucked themselves into the window seat behind the tree and played Go Fish. (Just now noticed Toben's lovely giant diet Coke in the picture--ignore that!)
And before I forget, my candle holder came from Restoration Hardware years ago. I don't think it was intended as an Advent candle holder, but anything with five candles will work. I saw a tea light holder thing-y today at WalMart that would work great.
(I tried to find a link on their website, but it kept showing me Crystal Light which is NOT what I was looking for. Anyway, it's in the back, on the aisle with all the candles--not in the Christmas section. And it held five tea lights and went up and down in an arch kind of a thing. There. That'll totally help you find it, won't it?!)
Finally, it's hard being a little cat around Christmas. There are just so many ways to get into trouble. I think this is what temptation looks like!
If there was sound with this picture, you'd hear me warning, "Puuuummmpkiiiin!"
Okay, look at that. It's 9:13 p.m. and I need to go to bed. Though we do have a late start tomorrow--hooray! Sweet dreams, ya'll (that's for you, Lisa)...
Thanks Joanne,
Perfect in word...the Word...and in the sights of Christmas...how wonderful to have snow outside and a cozy fire and beautiful tree to sit under.
Posted by: Helen | December 01, 2008 at 09:58 PM
Okay...I must comment. I follow your blog. And, the first thing I saw was the fountain soda. Or, "pop" as my fellow fam would say. Tell Toben, that I too am a sucker for the fountain Diet Coke.
Posted by: Sunshine | December 01, 2008 at 11:38 PM
The last picture is just too cute!
Posted by: Puva | December 02, 2008 at 04:29 AM
Okay, I am so panicking here. I'm going to fly you out here and help me get my house together for Christmas! It is now Dec 2. I am usually done with all of my shopping, except stocking stuffers, by Dec 1. I DON'T EVEN HAVE A LIST YET! And, did I mention it is Dec 2? The tree is decorated. The house is pretty well decorated but peace and calm are definitely not reigning here! (Deep breaths, deep breaths...it will all be fine, Susan, it will all work out.) Okay, I've got it off my chest. I'm going to sit down and make myself a list of what needs to be done today and tomorrow, including writing up a Christmas shopping list.
OY!!!!
P.S. Love the tree, your living room and the little pumpkin puss pictures. :)
Posted by: Susan | December 02, 2008 at 05:36 AM
Beautiful pictures!!! I love celebrating Advent with special times around the candles with our devotionals. Love this time of year!!!
Posted by: Kim @ My Journey | December 02, 2008 at 05:45 AM
Beautiful post, Joanne. Lurve the kitty picture. Oh, how I am that cat. :)
I've been doing a lot of devotionals about Advent, but did a bonehead thing and forgot that sometimes it starts in December! Oops. Guess we'll be lighting 2 candles this Sunday. Blessings.
Posted by: Gretchen | December 02, 2008 at 07:17 AM
j'aime beaucoup ton beau sapin, les photos des filles près du sapin, le chat... mais ce que j'apprécie aussi beaucoup c'est le contenu du post sur l'espoir et sur les bras de Dieu.
Posted by: SierraMoon | December 02, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Girl, your house looks like a magazine..
So incredibly beautiful! :))
Posted by: Lisa @ The PW | December 02, 2008 at 10:18 PM
And I just caught the y'all!!! :)))
Oh I love you so...:))
Posted by: Lisa @ The PW | December 02, 2008 at 10:20 PM
Your house looks so cozy, the photos look like they came from a magazine! We're finally just getting our tree tonight--I feel so behind. But it's hard to get in the spirit when we're still wearing shorts here. :) Thanks for the advent info, its not something we did as kids growing up but I'd love to do it with my girls.
Posted by: Megan | December 04, 2008 at 04:24 PM
You're right about hope, Joanne. Certainly, everyone's experiencing trials in life and it's always important to turn our life to God. I saw the candle holder from your previous post, it's lovely. We used glass containers last holiday, though. My wife loves to knit so she decorated 'em with recycled threads.
Posted by: Jhames Stewart | March 15, 2011 at 12:01 AM