The Church divides the year into different seasons that emphasize the life of Christ and the life of the Church. Beginning on Sunday, December 2, we will enter the season of the Church year called Advent. Advent is a four-week season of preparation and anticipation leading up to Christmas, on December 25.

 

The focus of Advent is two-fold. On the one hand, we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world as both God and man so that our sins might be forgiven. On the other hand, we anticipate the day when Jesus will return to Earth and bring an end to this world. Those will be scary days, but we can look forward to the end of the world with hope because through faith in Jesus, the end of this world will mean the beginning of a new life with Christ for eternity.

 

Advent, then, is a time for us to repent and believe. Knowing that Jesus was born to forgive our sins, we repent (admit our failures to God) and believe that we are forgiven because of the death and resurrection of Jesus on our behalf. Also, knowing that Jesus is coming back, we repent and believe that when He returns, He will give us eternal life.

 

Source: http://www.adventdevotions.net/advent.htm

 

 

This past weekend we made it over to Eastern Iowa to see the family and had a wonderful time. Our nieces have grown so much since we last saw them and it's amazing how fast they are changing. We'll get to see them all again at Christmas time in a few weeks. Amazing how fast time flies this time of year - December starts Saturday!
 
Got a lot of Christmas shopping done this past weekend and need to finish up the cards. I always look forward to getting cards at the holidays and find them extra special if they include photos to hang on the fridge. I wish we had enough funds and time to visit everyone in person - but that's just not possible.
 
I need to do more stitching this week and work on a small quilt that I'm afraid to begin ... but I just need to suck it up and get going. It's almost always fixable and I need to realize I'm NOT a professional - so get over the whole "needs to be perfect" mentality. I really need to get it done and passed along before Christmas. If there are any quilters out there willing to hold my hand, let me know.
 
Have a wonderful week,
Tracy

I'll have to try to get some pictures tonight or tomorrow but it's big fluffy snow that's coating the ground pretty well.

 

At lunch I ran to Arbys with a co-worker and guess who doesn't yet have a scraper or brush in her new car? DOH! So we ran around and used our coat sleeves and some napkins to clear the windows. We were inside for about 40 minutes and the car was completely coated and when you got inside you felt like you were in a snow fort.

 

It's feeling more like the holidays now!

One word to describe this weekend? Awesome.

 

On Friday night the classes were great and the shooting and safety courses on Saturday were as well. We headed out to hunt using Megan, my montor's, muzzleloader around 2pm on Saturday afternoon and saw a ton of bucks chasing does, none of which would stop and allow for a shot. Except for one... She came around, posed and I had her all lined up when I saw blaze orange behind her. I pulled up and did not take the shot as someone had moved out of their position and was currently standing down in the gully about 100-200 yards down from the doe. Argh. I went back that night empty handed.

 

This morning, however, after braving 2 hours of cold rain and an aching back we decided to get up and move a couple feet around to our left and then Megan pointed out the does running from east to west. I remained standing and waited for some to stop. One finally did and as she took one last step out from behind the tree I got her. She ran up and over the berm and we found her about 100 yards away.

 

I learned to field dress and then we brought her back to the shed where she'll be picked up and donated to the HUSH program to help feed the needy.

 

All in all, a GREAT experience.

 

Sorry for the blogs that have come few and far between but it seems like I blink and a week has gone by. Amazing how fast life can go at times.

 

This weekend I will be doing something I've never done before. I'm going deer hunting. I took Hunter Education back in October and passed with a final test score of 50/50. I've gone trap and skeet shooting before - but shoot at a living thing? Nope, never.

 

So why now? I'm going now as it will be a mentored experience. I have classes friday night on deer biology, management, equipment, methods, photography and hunting laws. On saturday I get to head down to the shooting range for some firing and safety instruction before an afternoon of hunting out in the park. I'm so nervous - yet excited.

 

I'll hope to have a photo gallery up following the experience so be sure to check back. :)

Picked her up last night and had to take some photos today in the driveway.

 

Aint she purdy?

 

 

 

 

 

I was told I needed to put something glittery on my blog for all to see.

 

 

 

There ya go Sarah, happy? *grin*

 

Thank you all for the happy birthday wishes from forums, my Myspace, Facebook and the many emails that flooded my email box this morning. HE has truly blessed me with so many good people.

 

Oh, and for those asking - Dan gave me my gift early last night... a space heater for my stitching chair. WOO! (You know you're old when....)