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The Shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” - Luke 2:20

My favorite Christmas hymn to sing with kids is “Go Tell it on the Mountain.”  Only children sing this song with full exuberance, often shout-singing the call to GO! Tell it on the mountain!!! As endearing as this is, it also captures the infectious excitement that the shepherds must have felt after being the first to hear the “...good news of great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10) - the world changing news of Jesus’ birth.  Like Children, the shepherds were so overflowing with excitement that they could not contain it - they had to share it - maybe even shout it!  “And all who heard it were amazed…” (Luke 2:18)

Surrounded by shopping count-downs and fear-inducing “lightning deals” (buy this in the next 10 minutes or the price will quadruple!), it is easy to get caught up in the frantic, hectic, stress-filled busy-ness of buying gifts and overscheduling.  Our culture's consumer focus can rob the season of its joy.  So, this Advent I invite you to take some time to stop and make time to experience the miracle:

  1. Light a candle on the advent wreath and pray, O Come, O Come Emmanuel
  2. Breathe deeply while you look at the twinkling lights on a tree, marveling at the beauty God has created
  3. Instead of a shopping list, make a list of things you are grateful for
  4. Read Luke 2:1-20 with a child and talk about it with them, or read it to yourself as a bedtime story!

However you choose, make a point to clear space in your mind, your schedule, your heart…to make room to receive the one who is to come, the one who comes as great joy for all people.  Because the Good News is that the one we are waiting for has already come - Immanuel, God with us.  And this Advent and Christmas season are the perfect time to re-discover the overwhelming joy of this gift.  To experience it again with child-like wonder so that we can join our voices in singing (loudly and with gusto!), “Go! Tell it on the Mountain!  Jesus Christ has come!”