Spread the Merry - An Advent Challenge

My mind, as is most of yours, is FOCUSED on the coming of Christmas.

That's what ADVENT is all about...THE COMING.

THE COMING OF THE CHRIST.

My Messiah.

I long to CELEBRATE ADVENT WITH INTENTION!!!

I'm trying to stay focused on the meaning of it all...and not the commercialism of it.

(Daily word-focus for Advent)

Sadly, the two get mixed up in my brain most days.

I start out pretty good...

Each morning I read several ADVENT devotional-helps I have sitting around.

I reflect...

...I do!!!!

Then...the day begins, and

....the craziness of the season swallows me.

There are gifts to buy...to PAY FOR...to bring home...and, to wrap.

My hands have been busy creating: crafts...food...decorations...baby elf hats (who could resist???? Right?)...

I'm skillfully, and busily, working at an atmosphere of PEACE-on-EARTH within my home...

Now isn't that contradictory????????

Early in the season, I ran across an Oswald Chambers devotional.

It wasn't about Christmas at all.

But, it referenced the night the angels descended as a choir,

to the shepherds watching their sheep in a field,

and burst into glorious song

about the babe in the manger.

GOD'S SON!

The words of Oswald Chambers stopped me.

They've become the theme of my ADVENT-SOUL-PREPARATION.

Mr. Chambers' writings referred to the heart of hilarity the angels had over God's plan for mankind.

There was so much glee, the Lord had to stay their mouths from spilling over in fulness.

Mankind couldn't grasp it with our finite minds.

This author hinted that ever-so-often God lifts the veil and we humans are able to catch glimpses of this PURE JOY.

The JOY of angels.

That's where my reflection has been each morning.

I've asked the Lord to show me...

...to lift the veil from my eyes...

and, to let me giggle with the glee of the angels over GOD'S-ADVENT-PLAN.

Little-by-little

He's doing so.

I've been recording it all on our ministry FACEBOOK page (& my own personal one, as well).

Look for this hashtag: #themerryofChristmas

In fact, part of their laughter has to be over how the meaning of the season has simply gotten lost in our intention of celebrating Jesus well...

All our hustle and chaos must simply make the angels chuckle....

But, here's a random thought on which I have only just begun to reflect...

Let's stop and ponder, 

and catch,

the glee, the giggles, the hilarity, and the WONDER

of the angels...

and WHY GOD'S-CHRISTMAS-PLAN IS ALL worth smiling over...

THE GIVER of THE GREATEST GIFT became THE GIFT before THE BEGINNING OF TIME, that I might GIVE THE GREATEST GIFT to someone else, and THIS GIFT by the GIVER could be passed on INTO ETERNITY. 

Let's GIVE THE GIVER'S GIFT to someone else....

...and SPREAD THE MERRY!