Advent Begins

Even though I spent over 12 hours yesterday, making my way back to South Florida from our family celebration in the mountains of North Carolina, I am still not feeling like I've made the transition from Thanksgiving to Advent.

But life teaches us that these shifts come to us, ready or not.  Here we are at the first Sunday of Advent.

Today at church we will make Advent wreaths.  Every year I take my straw form to church and wrap it with something different in terms of ribbons--I tend to stick to an Advent blue, although not everyone does.

Some years we light our wreath so regularly that we have no candle left to represent the first week of Advent by the time we get to Christmas.  Some years we can use last year's candles.

Each year, I have a fervent wish to have a more mindful Advent--some devotions in the evening or morning, a lighting of the candles.  I find myself missing the Advent calendars of my childhood--open a door and find a treat. 

Here's a calendar that my parents picked up in the early years of their marriage when they travelled Europe while stationed in France. 

The hearts are outlines, and thus, they link together--one for each day of Advent.

Perhaps this year, I'll create something each day of Advent and link it together.  Or maybe I will resolve to sketch more with my wonderful markers.  Let me see what happens.