The Story of Advent
December 16th, 2022
It was a hot August day. I was seven and my sister was four. It was silage season, and cutting was in full swing. Everyone on our farm was extremely busy! My family was also eagerly awaiting the arrival of a baby any day. As a farm family the seasonal responsibilities of planting, tending crops, and harvesting are the primary focus. There are even times when more than one activity is occurring simultaneously.
The anticipated arrival of the baby was not as pressing as the importance of getting the silage cut and into the silo. When my mother went into labor, she was dropped off at the hospital. No one stayed there to watch or wait. After several hours of labor, a phone call to my grandmother announced the birth. My sister and I were tasked to go out to the nearby field (within sight of Grandmother’s house) and tell my Dad that the baby had arrived. I still remember holding my sister’s hand, filled with joy and excitement as we walked across the field. We were bringing great news to my Dad, Granddaddy and Grandad that we had a BABY BROTHER!
The birth of my brother was a big event in our family! I can recall people visiting our home just to meet Tony.And so it must have been for Mary and Joseph. The angels announced the birth of the Savior! The first visitors were shepherds straight from the fields. After generations of waiting and anticipation the Messiah had arrived!That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were watching their sheep. All at once an angel came down to them and the brightness of the Lord’s glory flashed around them. The angel said, “Don’t’ be afraid! I have good news for you: this very day a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord! You will find him dressed in cloth and lying on a bed of hay.”After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying on a bed of hay. And Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. – Luke 2:8-12; 15-16; 19
- Marguerite McDowell