Joyful and Triumphant

Saturday night, while John took the Christmas decorations from where they’d been stowed in our giant living room closet and I prepared dinner (which, coincidentally, was red, green, and white), we listened to Christmas music for the first time this season.

I love a good Mariah Carey or “Last Christmas” in December, but this year I was hesitant to turn on seasonal music. As much as I’ve been looking forward to Christmas and in theory wanted to get the decorations out, when the time came I kind of froze.

Some of that had to do with blogs I’ve been reading lately that are reminding me Advent isn’t Christmas; Advent is a season of waiting, of preparing, of hoping. I love that about Advent, and I didn’t want to be celebrating quite yet. The other thing, which I realized just before my doctor’s appointment last week, is that there is part of me that still doesn’t believe we’ll bring another little boy home in a few weeks. Again, not time to celebrate yet.

John and I agreed to listen to religious Christmas music, as a way of easing into the season. When the music started to play, this is what I heard:

O come all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem!

I was already finished cutting the onions, so that wasn’t the reason there were tears in my eyes.

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Rather, I felt a weight shift in me: Advent is a season of waiting, yes, but it is a season of joyful waiting. The hope is certain. The promise will most definitely be fulfilled.

I always kind of thought that having a birthday around Christmas would be a bummer. You’d get overshadowed every year. Now I’m learning that, at least from a mother’s perspective, this is the very best time of year to meet this little man.

We continued to listen to songs about welcoming a new baby boy into the world. I heard the word “joy” more and more. I am under no illusion that Henry is the Son of God, but I know for sure that he is a son of God, a child of our Father.

Two and a half weeks until I hold him in my arms. I make that statement based on trust, hope, love, and faith in our good and gracious God. And that is absolutely something to celebrate.

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http://carrotsformichaelmas.com/2012/12/03/little-holydays-the-feast-of-st-nicholas/

The adorable button isn’t working for whatever reason, so click the link above to read other posts joined together in the “Little HolyDays” Link Up: Advent Edition, hosted by three Catholic bloggers, interested in exploring the liturgical year.

Thanks to Haley at Carrots for Michaelmas and the other two bloggers for hosting!