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Advent Devotional Introduction

By: Alan Harvey

Posted: December 2, 2018

Category: Daily Devotional

While I have enjoyed The Sound of Music for years, I have often wondered how one song, My Favorite Things, was adopted into the collection of Christmas songs. Obviously, the references to “brown paper packages tied up with strings,” “crisp apple strudel,” and “sleigh bells” reminded many people of the holidays and so it became a standard in the Christmas music library. I was inspired by it and thought the insertion of “Christmas” would be an appropriate theme for the 2018 Advent Devotional.

The theme for the 2018 Advent Devotional is “My Favorite Christmas Things”. AS I suspected this congregation had a lot of favorite Christmas things. Within these pages you will learn of activities people have enjoyed over the holidays, like the Winter Haven Boat Christmas Parade and a special performance of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. You will become acquainted with members’ families and hear of ways they have celebrated Christmas, making these favorite Christmas things. v You will read of favorite foods enjoyed and some recipes have been included. A Christmas pin, a Christmas ornament, a holiday cookie baking tradition, twinkling lights, a Christmas Day stroll, and a neighborhood’s Christmas light display are among others’ favorite Christmas things.

As I projected some months ago, this Advent devotional could be a favorite one and I do believe the stories included will warm your heart and give inspiration to you as we prepare to celebrate once again our Savior and Lord’s birth. I thank all of those who contributed a story to this year’s work. Special thanks to Connie Shipley, for her secretarial service, for cover design and production of the 2018 Advent Devotional. May you and yours have a Blessed Christmas and a Joyous New Year.