Happy Advent!

It feels as if this season just snuck up on me! To be honest, I am not fully prepared for Advent yet. I haven’t found my Advent wreath from last year, although I didn’t have dinner yet and I did light a purple candle tonight. I hope that “counts.” 🙂

I did put up parts of my Nativity to get ready:

Mary and Joseph are starting their long trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

Meanwhile, in Bethlehem, the manger and the sheep are waiting for their arrival:

A new tradition that I am starting is what I call the “Advent Tree of Prayers.” I didn’t know that there already was something called an Advent Tree, otherwise known as a Jesse Tree, before I named it. On my tree, I intend to place prayer intentions each day of Advent, and pray for those people and intentions throughout the season. To make my “tree,” I cut down a branch from a pine tree in my yard.

And here is my first intention of the season!

More time in prayer, reading Scripture and participating in the sacraments are also on my agenda for this season.

What are your plans for Advent? Also, if you have any intentions for which you would like me to pray, please let me know! 🙂