Firsts.
I am very aware of "firsts" this year.
I had my first surgery this year-my gall bladder was removed and I don't miss it at all.
We experienced the first of our children to get married-much more fun than surgery!
I learned to drive a standard transmission car this summer.  Either that or I was "grounded" with no opportunity to drive because all our vehicles at home now are standards.
Each of these firsts had a level of nervousness and trepidation associated with them.  Others, like becoming a "mother-in-law" were filled with joy and sentimental feelings of getting older and my kids growing up!
Last week, we received our first Christmas greeting card of the year.  A wonderful start to the season and a reminder I need to get my cards sent.  Yesterday was our first Christmas party to kick off a month filled with festivities.  What an "excuse" to get together, eat junk & exchange presents (like pot bellied pigs in a Christmas gift exchange game?  We didn't get the pig-we got the better gift of a "Duck Dynasty Game"!)
Today, is the first Sunday of Advent.  We, in many churches, celebrate each Sunday leading up to December 25 by lighting a candle and having particular Bible readings corresponding to a theme that each candle represents.  There is a special awe and intrigue with candles, for children and adults alike!  Having a physical, tangible reminder of what Christmas is all about reinforces our beliefs and refocuses our eyes during the crazy days of December.
In the short devotional given during our Christmas party yesterday, a dear friend and coworker in Christ shared some neat thoughts that I'll plagiarize because they captured my attention.  Did you know the Apostle Paul had a brief account of the "Christmas story"?  Me, being a Bible school graduate and missionary for 25 years wondered what Cliff was talking about!  What Bible did he read from? I know Matthew has recorded his account and Luke 2 is a favourite passage (made popular by Charlie Brown's Christmas!).  But Cliff explained...I Timothy 2:15b describes the purpose of that first Christmas-why Jesus Christ was born.  "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners..."  Not complicated.  The world was full of sinners and needed a Saviour.  Therefore God sent His Son to be the One we all need.
This first day of December, on the first Advent Sunday of 2013, why not consider WHY the first Christmas happened and WHY we need Jesus to be FIRST in our hearts!
HAPPY ADVENT, EVERYONE!