Welcome back, everybody! It has been an incredibly hectic month of December around here, which is why the website has not been updated as regularly, but now that the break is over, things should get back to normal.

Christmastime certainly does make things very non-normal in our lives, doesn’t it? Personally, it is my absolute favorite time of the year. You can ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that I am a different person at Christmastime…very non-normal. The decorations, the Christmas specials (final count=157…way behind from last year!), the family and friends, the constant reminders of Jesus and His birth, the time off from work, the list goes on!

But almost all of my celebrating takes place before Christmas Day. You see, I am all about anticipation. I love Dec.1-24 so much more than the 25th. I love the build up to this wonderful day and the excitement that comes with it! Those days of anticipatory celebration is what I take the most joy in. I think if we’re honest, many of us feel the same way. That’s why way too often on Dec. 26 or Jan. 2nd, we feel sad or depressed…because now it’s all over! I’ve been in that post-Christmas funk before, you can just ask Joy.

But the more I’ve been thinking about it all, the more I realize that there’s so much more waiting. Jesus came once…the first Advent. Advent means coming…that’s why we have Advent Calendars with little pieces of chocolate in them and the Advent Wreath that we lit every Sunday morning. Christmas celebrates the first Advent. But there’s good news! He’s coming again! There’s a second Advent! True, when Jesus comes back, it won’t be the same way it was at Christmas, but that’s okay, because it’s gonna be better!

So why don’t we take time, now that Christmas is over, to look forward to the 2nd Advent? Let’s dive head first into anticipation and spend every day in excitement for what we are waiting so eagerly for! Christmas is just a remembrance. We get to experience this one first hand! If that’s not enough to celebrate, I don’t know what is!

So, yeah. Christmas is over. But as Matthew West points out, “The Light of the World is still here.” Right now, He lives within us. But He’s also coming back again. He’s here and He’s coming. No matter what you’re favorite part of Christmas is, the build up or the day itself, there’s even more of a reason to celebrate on Dec. 26th and beyond!

Happy Advent, everyone.