FR. TONY UPDATE
OUR HEARTFELT PRAYERS

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT
LET IT SNOW...LET IT SNOW...LET IT SNOW

FR. TONY UPDATE:

We awoke to a damp and dreary day outside, but the morning was young and Tony was excited about going to church. Our Tony's doing very well indeed. Each day he seems to grow stronger and stronger and things seem more and more normal.

We arrived at church and were met by many smiling faces who welcomed us with joyous greetings and salutations. Tony managed sitting through the service, then visiting with parishioners, before we gathered our Britt and headed out to drop her off.

Tony and I were invited in for a nice cup of tea and visit with family. Britt's long time friend Liz is still in town, so we got to visit with her and the rest of the family.... There's something deeply heart warming about sitting in a cozy chair, looking out at a misslin (mist/drizzly rain), sharing in conversation with loved ones. Thank you Britt, for a lovely afternoon.

From Britt's we headed to our local pub-ish restaurant for brunch, where Tony enjoyed a nice bit of steak and mushroom pie.... then home to rest. As the day progressed, it seemed more and more obvious that the icky-ness I'd been feeling in my head/sinuses a few weeks ago, was returning. A nap and sinus meds were called for.

Spent a lazy evening in front of the TV, then headed off to bed, after checking to see how the Carolina Rollergirls did in the big bout. All in all it was a splendid day in Tony's recovery.

OUR HEARTFELT PRAYERS:

Please do continue to pray for the family of Reverend Alice Thornton during this most difficult time. Fr. Haas has been visiting her daily, and Georgia+ has been sending out Tony updates. From what we yesterday, Alice+ was going to be removed from life support.

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT:

As some of you may know, yesterday was the first Sunday in Advent..... and not just another maddening day counting down toward the 25th of December. Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, and ends on Christmas Eve Dec 24.

--Dennis Bratcher-- "Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by Israelite slaves in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression. It is the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse of sin, and yet who have hope of deliverance by a God who has heard the cries of oppressed slaves and brought deliverance!"

-- Fr Victor Hoagland -- "Christmas and Advent can be a spiritual feast for those who live these seasons spiritually. Where better to live these seasons spiritually than in our own homes and households? Among the customs of Advent, the Advent wreath is probably the most important. Lighting the Advent candles each day with a prayer can prepare your household for Christmas. For children, an Advent calendar marking off the days before Christmas can be an aid for living the season.

Between traffic jams and parking lot crushes, scribbling holiday notes and decking our halls, there may still be ten minutes - or even five - when the family (which may mean something as informal as those who share meals and lodging) can sit quietly around the lighted Advent wreath. Once a day, once a week, or perhaps only once during the Season of Preparation."

-- The Rev. N. Graham Standish -- "Advent is meant to be a season in which prayer, reflection, prioritizing and spiritual practices should take precedence. Unfortunately, nowadays we're not all that into spiritual preparation if it means sacrifice and discipline. We would much rather celebrate. We ignore Advent, and it's we in the church who are guilty, not the consumer culture.

The irony of ironies is that we Christians expend so much energy during Advent celebrating Christmas that we're spent by the time the real Christmas season arrives. We are often left with post-holiday blues just as the 12 days of Christmas start.

Advent can be an antidote for the stress of the season. Its guidance to us counters the stress of a consumer culture. The season of Advent encourages Christians and non-Christians alike to spend the season before Christmas preparing by centering and prioritizing, by asking the question, "What really matters?"

Christians should take time during Advent to develop an Advent discipline: a discipline of prayer, reflection, self-examination and reinvigoration of our faith.

OBSERVING LENT THROUGH DAILY MEDITATION
First Week of Advent: Daily Meditation

Watch – for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning – lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. Mark 13:35,36

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility, that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Magnificat:

My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Below are some links to help make this Advent more meaningful for you and your family:

Women for Faith and Family-Advent Season
Prayers and Customs of Advent and Christmas
Anglicans Online Advent Resources
Faith-At-Home: Advent Ideas and Resources
Kirkweb-Advent Resources
Lift Up Your Hearts: Advent Resources

***LET IT SNOW***LET IT SNOW***LET IT SNOW***

yay.... Our first real snow of the season is falling. I LOVE SNOW! Hopefully we'll get some accumulation so I can take lots of pictures. Stay warm y'all. pitterpat