Happy Saturday! We had the most wonderful day. My aunt and uncle celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary today. It was a time of joy and reunion with family. My Uncle Rodney recognized that two others of his siblings had also surpassed the 50th anniversary mark. My parents were one of the now three families to surpass that golden mark in their lives. I am so proud to come from a long line of people who have committed themselves to each other in love in a lifelong journey. Governor Rick Perry sent his greetings to Uncle Rodney and Aunt Peggy through a state representative. The representative attended the celebration and read the proclamation. Afterward some of us went to see the decorations at the Gaylord Hotel. We walked the atrium and it was so amazing. We are hoping to go again and take Geni and Travis. It is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. It makes you feel like you are in Santa’s Workshop at the North Pole. I highly recommend the outing.

1 Peter 5: 8-9 says, “Control your selves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat. Refuse to give into him, by standing strong in your faith. You know that your Christian family all over the world is having the same kinds of suffering.” Here it is the holiday season. Temptation is all around. The temptation to eat too much or spend too much is in front of us each day between now and December 25. I think the greater temptation is to forget why we celebrate this event. For some of us the season of Advent and its meaning gets lost in the shuffle of the tree purchase, wrapping paper, decorations, gift buying and party going. Advent is a time of preparation. It is not the preparation of trees, cookie baking, gift purchases or wrapping, but the preparation for the coming of the Christ child.

Consider the preparations that must be made for the arrival of a baby. A room must be prepared. Clothing must be made available. Food must be made ready and diapers are a must. But most of all God gives us many months to begin to think about how we are going to care for the new arrival. And lastly, once this precious one arrives, there is no going back. That baby is here and is not going away. (even though Geni did try once to give Travis away to the corn dog man at Wal-Mart!)

God asks us to make room for Jesus in our hearts. We prepare our hearts by reading God’s Word and spending time in prayer daily. God feeds us daily through His Word, prayer and regular worship. God provides our clothing as He provides us with garments of praise and Thanksgiving and robes of righteousness. And then God provides with a season within the church year to prepare for the blessed event.

So as we are baking cookies, wrapping gifts, decorating trees find a time each day to remember your life in piety. Study God’s Word, pray, help someone, visit someone who cannot shop or is ill, and share what you have. Resist the temptation to overspend and become over stressed with what did not get done. Begin the day with quietness, meditation and prayer and the lion of temptation and stress will not stalk you because you are standing firm in the faith Jesus is standing between you and Satan and when we call on Him, He will help us to resist temptation. Resist the temptation to place a time with God somewhere on the list besides at the top. Each day place a quiet time with God at the top of the list and the rest of the list will fall into place.

Advent is a journey. Take joy in the journey. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.