Advent Reflections

So, I've never really "done" Advent before, until this year. I've heard about it for many years. Initially, I thought it was a Catholic thing (no joke). Then I thought it was just for the really religious. And a few years ago, I thought it was just for families for the purpose of teaching their children about Christmas. Finally, this year I committed to "doing" Advent and really understanding its purpose.

And, it was awesome.

Every year leading up to Christmas, I try to meditate on the Incarnation and on why Christ came, but I so easily get distracted. This year, however, I felt so intentional each day as I meditated on Jesus coming as a babe to save us, that it really made a difference in my Christmas. Andrew and I had some of the sweetest moments together and with Sybil as we celebrated Christmas week. Every day our hearts just welled with thanksgiving and joy at the hope we have in Christ.

I swear our hearts almost exploded with the joy of the gift we call Sybil this year. There was one night where we went out to eat as a family. We had an awesome meal and Sybil was especially sweet. She was handing out kisses right and left and "oohing and ahhing" at all the Christmas lights. We took our sweet time and enjoyed each others' presence. When we pulled in the driveway, Andrew looked at me, smiling, and said, "Are you feeling it too?" I nodded and told him not to turn off the car but for us to just sit there. With tears in our eyes, we soaked up the moment. There was nothing extraordinary about that night--just dinner at a normal restaurant and a movie at the house, and a child whose been ours for over a year now. But in the simplicity of it all, with the hope of Christ coming and thanksgiving in our hearts, the ordinary became extraordinary to us. We felt His presence and His favor in His coming to our family. Our hearts began to burst. A moment became a memory.

This continued for several days after...even after Christmas day. Honestly, I feel it now still as I write. I feel His favor in the continued state of Advent--the coming of our Sweet Jesus. There's so much hope in knowing He's coming again. And when He comes, "He will wipe away every tear from their (our) eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (Revelation 21:4) There is so much hope in Advent.

May we be Advent-ing all year round. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May it be a year of continual waiting, expecting great things from the One worth waiting for!

Double fail today.

Andrew and I both had major parenting fails today. Not even parenting fails, but just major failures in any arena, to be frank. It was a scary day in the Laparra household. Here's why:

1. Andrew almost started the house on fire.
2. I almost let our daughter drown.

Thankfully, almost is the keyword here. We messed up big today, BUT there was lots of grace, and the house didn't burn down and Sybil is just fine.

A careless match thrown into a trashcan stuffed with paper, filled our house with smoke during breakfast this morning. Luckily, Andrew smelled it with his Superman nose--we were in the kitchen cooking after all, and there was smoke in there too. He ran to the bathroom, grabbed the trash can and ran it outside to the fire pit, where he dumped it safely. We spent all day trying to get the smoke out of the house.

Then at bath time, Sybil was disobeying. She was standing up in the tub and almost falling, so I spanked her (yes, we spank). She usually has a quick cry and then starts to obey. But today she was especially irritable and decided to throw a full-out fit. She was screaming in the bathtub and then just laid down face-first and inhaled a bunch of water. I had looked away for a second because Andrew was on Facetime with us. When I looked back at her and saw her under water, I dropped the phone and picked her up. She was jerking and having a hard time breathing--and still screaming, or at least trying to. I hung up on Andrew and wrapped her up in a towel and just held her until she calmed down.

She was pretty chill the rest of the night. I think it scared her as much as it scared me.

But as I was thinking about all of this today, I realized we are probably moments and inches away from tragedy every day. Any day, my child could drown or my husband could die in a car accident or my friend could get cancer, etc. Because we live in such a fallen and broken world, these things can (and do) happen whenever. However, because we serve a God who is gracious, these things don't happen as often as they could. It was ALL grace today when my house didn't burn down and my child didn't drown. I am just sure that God is protecting his children through out the day--preventing a car accident here, snuffing out a fire just in time there, etc. If we could only see all He ISN'T allowing to happen to us, I'm sure we'd be filled with gratitude at his protection on our lives.

We deserve death. This is a biblical fact. We are all depraved and not one of us can do good. We have sinned against a righteous God and He cannot tolerate us. But, thank God he sent Jesus in our place. Because Christ has lived the life we couldn't live, and died the death that we deserve, and rose from the grave, we don't have to die now. That's major grace. And anything past that? Still grace, more grace.

As Christmas nears, my joy grows fuller as I look to the Christ who came (and comes, and is coming). Everywhere I look I see signs of grace--all from Him, the source of life and grace. I'm so thankful we have a gracious God...and that my house didn't burn down, and my child didn't drown. Amazing grace.

What's not to love about December?

A few things I love this season...

-Being alone together. Going to a coffee shop with a book and my headphones and sitting in a corner with someone I love doing the same thing right next to me.
-Drinking a warm drink with both hands coddled around it and my face planted in the cup.
-Sybil's crinkled nose when she smiles so hard her face looks like it will explode.
-The sound of leaves blowing across the pavement.
-White Christmas lights strung beautifully, simply, and with tact.
-Kissing Sybil's forehead before I put her to sleep.
-Sweetly hugging my husband when he gets home from a hard day's work.
-Listening to instrumental Christmas music and thinking about Jesus as a baby.
-Climbing into a warm bed with freshly washed sheets, crisp and tight.
-The hope and promise of a Savior, who came and is coming, around every cold corner.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays, friends. Remember the reason for celebrating...Jesus, the only one who saves. Blessed be the Incarnate God.