Celebrating Advent {The Third Candle}

Happy Sunday to each of you! I hope it was a lovely weekend for you as well. :)

Today is the third week of Advent, and I finally got my little Advent arrangement put together. I say arrangement rather than wreath, because it isn't exactly in wreath form this year! 

I saw something so gorgeous on a friend's blog that I had to replicate it. With all my heart...Deborah made a lovely and unique combination of moss and Advent candles in a clay pot. You can see Deborah's here, on her blog banner...


 She simply used earth {dirt} in the bottom of the clay pot to hold the candles, which I thought was such a brilliant idea! I was kind of lame, and and couldn't convince myself to go outside to do it...Brrr! I ended up using a floral foam wreath, which I cut up into sections and arranged in my container to hold my candles. {I was using what I had on hand, but if I were to buy something for it, I'd have chosen regular flat styrofoam that I could have cut into a circle, and poked the candles through that...}

I did as Deborah had done, and added moss to the top, tucking it all around the candles...

 

I used a little galvanized metal pot for mine, because I was shopping at home! ;)


So, there you have it: Deborah's amazing idea for an Advent candle display {wreath}!


And now the candles are ready to be lit...Dim the lights...We light the first and second candle again. Then the third...{But if you are like me, you might get carried away and accidentally light them all! Oops!}

The third candle is The Shepherd's Candle.



"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. And angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." ~Luke 2:8-14

Oh, how I love the Shepherd's Candle! How surprised they must have been when that choir of angels appeared in the dark sky! And they didn't hesitate for a moment, hemming and hawing over whether or not to believe what they'd heard, or to do as the angel had said. They hurried to see the baby Jesus. Yes, maybe they were lowly and humble~ not at all those we'd imagine God would pick to tell such amazing news! But maybe this is just how He would want us to be: open and soft-hearted. Able to accept and trust that yes, this baby born that night is our Savior, Christ the Lord. 
 T

While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around,
And glory shone around.

“Fear not!” said he, for mighty dread

Had seized their troubled mind.
“Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind
To you and all mankind.

“To you, in David’s town, this day
Is born of David’s line
A Savior, who is Christ the Lord,
And this shall be the sign,
And this shall be the sign.

“The heavenly Babe you there shall find
To human view displayed,
All meanly wrapped in swathing bands,
And in a manger laid,
And in a manger laid.”

Thus spake the seraph and forthwith
Appeared a shining throng
Of angels praising God on high,
Who thus addressed their song,
Who thus addressed their song:

“All glory be to God on high,
And to the Earth be peace;
Good will henceforth from Heaven to men
Begin and never cease,
Begin and never cease!”

 Thank you for lighting the third candle with me! I hope you have a wonderful night!

Blessings,
Jenni