This was preached on the First Sunday of Advent during the worship we had two baptisms. The babies were one family’s 4th and the other family’s 3rd child.  I was asked to share this with you.  (Since this was written as a sermon I do not always check grammar, punctuation & spelling as close as I should - please forgive - me it's Advent)

We can only imagine how these baptism families prepared for these births.  We know there is a lot of waiting & preparation for a first child.  Everything is new.  There is planning for the theme of the nursery, the excitement opening gifts at a shower, setting up the swing, pack & play, changing table and bassinet, washing and placing each new onesy and sleeper in the drawer.

But preparing for a third or fourth child is different.  You already went through it.  You have most of what you need.  You are still waiting and there is still preparation to be done.  But it is not quite like the first.  You pretty much know what is going to happen.  You’ve been through those midnight feeding; fevers, teething; and crying for no apparent reason.

There is that waiting and you do need some preparation.  Even if everything is not new.  Things need to be unpacked and set up.  Plans need to be made for taking care of the children during the birth.  There is that anticipation of what the baby will be like, his personality, her hair color, will the birth be late or early?

Anticipation, Preparation &Waiting for a birth.

Anticipation, preparing & waiting is also how we can describe the Advent Season.  It is the beginning of the new church year.  A time for reflection about the year past and anticipation and wonder about the year ahead. It is four weeks of waiting and preparing for the birth of Jesus. There is excitement and newness -  While at the same time it is something we have gone through before  

But each year Advent is something new and different.   Each year Advent calls us deeper.  Each year Advent asks us to contemplate more fully how the birth of Christ changes our lives.

Even though these families have had a new baby come into their family before - it is only when that child comes home from the hospital, spends everyday with the family, and becomes part of their routine that the child fully enters their lives.  Then everyone realizes how their lives have changed. 
  
It is the same with Advent, we never know how our lives will be changed until we experience it. And each year that experience is a little different.

It must be difficult to prepare for the birth of the third or fourth child with everything else going on in a busy family.  Working outside the home.  House work cleaning, cooking & washing all need to be done.  Children need to looked after and cared for.  There isn’t a lot of time left in the day to prepare for a new birth.  And the birth is one that needs to be prepared for - because that baby will be born with preparations or not.  So you need to make time to prepare.  It takes some planning.

During the season of Advent we too  have difficulty finding time to preparing for the birth. There are so many distractions.  It is too easy to get caught up in the holiday season, rushing from one place to the next. Running from one store to the next / one party to the next.  We end up trying to be everything to everyone - the best baker making hundreds of cookies, the best decorator spending days putting up lights and decorations inside and out, the best shopper finding the best present at the best price for each person you know, the best family writing the perfect Christmas card letter telling of everything your family did.

Advent in our society has turned from a time of preparing your inner-self for the birth of Christ to a time of preparing everything outward and physical. The words preparing and waiting end up being defined as watching for the right price and waiting in line to at the store to buy it.

Preparation, Anticipation Waiting

Just as these families prepared for the birth of their children.  Advent is a time to prepare for the Christmas season.  We need to make sure we are ready to celebrate the birth of the Christ  again.

Just as there is never merely another birth - there is never merely another Advent.  Advent is always new, always different and we are never quite sure what to expect.

Let us wait and prepare for the birth of the Christ Child.

Anticipate the unexpected! 

Let your life be changed!