Joy. Think about how central it is to Christmas. In fact, think of three songs we sing this time of year that include joy...or at least a form of the word 'joy'. So, do you really need a hint? It is found in 3 of the most popular Christmas hymns that we sing. I know all of you first thought of 'Joy to the World'. That was almost a "gimmie". 

Then I think of the first hymn that we typically sing on Christmas Eve...O Come, All Ye Faithful. Remember the first verse? "O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant..." Can you think of one more? It's found in another hymn we typically sing on Christmas Eve...Angels We Have Heard on High. Go ahead and start singing the first verse and catch what it is that the mountains do..."echoing their joyous strains".  

Now...how do we go about echoing those joyous strains? How is it that we can be reminded on a daily basis of the "good news of a great joy that has come to all people"? I believe it has something to do with living into the joyous advent[ure] that God sets before us.  

Join us on this 3rd Sunday of Advent as we light the candle that represents joy and think about what it means to live into a joyous advent[ure].  

See you Sunday!