What is Advent?

     Hello, friend!  Christmas time is almost here!!  When I think of Christmas, I think of a very special guest coming to my house... or the arrival of a baby!  Having three kids, I know the excitement a newborn baby brings.  That same feeling of happiness and anticipation is what I feel at Christmas.  Advent means the arrival of a noitable person, event, or thing. 
      Advent in the church didn't always relate to Christmas.  At first, over 1700 years ago when Advent got started, it was actually a celebration of Jesus' baptistm and the celebration of "Epiphany" or when the Magi came to see the child, Jesus... for the new christians, who were being introduced to what it mean to be a true Christian. 
​      Advent later changed it's focus to Jesus coming, again... His second coming.  Today, we celebrate Advent four Sundays.  Two Sundays about Jesus' birth, death, and ressurection, and two Sundays looking forward to him coming, again.  We live in a cool time.  It keeps getting closer to Jesus coming again, and we know how he died on the cross and rose again for our sins.  Advent is a neat time of reflection and anticipation of Jesus coming again.  Enjoy this Christmas, but remember, He is coming!!  Let the world know!!  We all need to be ready!