The perfect way to start Advent

Ever wonder exactly what is Advent? Well, you clicked on the right site if you have. In Latin, the word Advent means "to come to." Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. As a Catholic I am encouraged to prepare myself for the Lord. One of the best ways to do so is especially strive to add some holiness in my everyday living. Through prayer, reading the Bible, daily mass, a little mental prayer this could be achieved, but most importantly there is the sacrament of Penance. Such a scary thought, but what better way can I "come to" the Lord than freeing myself from all past sin. Yeah let's all try "to come to."
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Today we had a core group of students over for brunch after the first Sunday in Advent for the first time. God could not have planned it any better. Pray for these students and their willing to come closer to Christ especially now when God is tugging on their hearts.
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A student invited me to go caroling with some high schoolers from a local parish. I said sure why not, what else do I have going on. It's Sunday it's the day of rest, I might as well do a little act of kindness. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. We went to a center not too far from town where young adults who have some sort of brain injury or spinal cord injury are being taken care of. Most are wheelchair bond and their physical ability is limited, but their smiles and laughter was not limited. The kids and myself included were complaining, "I cannot sing." But you know what their are lots of thing these young adults cannot do and wish they could. I have the ability to sing, might not have the skill, but the ability, I might as well use it.

These young adults are my age. We are so different, but yet so very similar. My life could change in the blink of an eye.

Their were some requests, but the one I enjoyed the most is this young gentleman around my age who requested Joy to the World. It our first request after being in three other buildings. It was his smile, pure joy, and attempt to say "thank you."

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

May the Lord, guide us all to recognize the gifts we have that we didn't even realize were gifts.