Advent: 2nd Sunday

How silently, how silently,
the wondrous gift is given;
so God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still
the dear Christ enters in.

I don't know what you guys do for Christmas. Do you have a countdown calendar? Do you have an advent calendar where you get a little chocolate or treat every day? Or do you do anything at all?

I don't know where you're coming from when you're reading my posts. But I will say that I am a Christian, and I believe firmly in the virgin birth of Christ and his resurrection and conquering of death. I believe in his life, his death, his miracles. I believe that he is fully God, fully man, and that Christmas is not about people, or presents, or food, but it is about his arrival in this world, and how it led to him taking away our sins and giving us the generous gift of eternal life with him in heaven as long as we accept him.

If you don't like this, please don't hate. It's what I think, it's what I believe. It's my lifestyle, it's my centre. Stop reading my blog if it bothers you. But I'm not backing off on what I say because of anything you'll say. It won't change anything.

For me and my family, each day we read these fun little cardboard books that tell the story of Jesus and his birth. Every Sunday, we sing a hymn, and then read a little lesson out of this book my mom has. It's a really thought-provoking read.

The thing that's struck me most about this Christmas season is the humility in which Jesus entered our world.
I go to a school where people walk around with $300 watches, $200 boots, and walk around with iPhones, iPads, iEverythings. In one of the richest communities in my area, it's easy to feel either poor or left out of the iCommunity.

But Jesus... Jesus was born amidst chickens, and pigs, and cows. And a donkey. He was born in less than ideal conditions, but he brought more happiness and joy on that day to complete strangers-- shepherds nonetheless. There were so many elements that were less than ideal, that weren't belonging to todays iCommunity, but that time's outcasts.

That means a lot to me. Sometimes (a lot actually), I feel like the outcast in my group of friends. I'm sitting alone at lunch, during classes, free times. But Jesus gathered up the outcasts. But not just the outcasts: He brought up that annoying popular girl, the stupid one over there, the video game nerds, the class nut, the school weirdo... He doesn't discriminate. He loves.