Anna's Candles: Hope is like wanting a puppy!
“I want a
puppy!”
Anna’s bare
toes padded soft on the hardwood floor as she came through the dining room
proclaiming her desire. Papa, warm in a flannel shirt, was fixing candles
amidst a wreath atop the table. His strong arms stilled their effort, turning;
he peered at Anna over spectacles he used for reading.
“Anna! What
are doing out of bed my sweet?”
“Papa, I
want a puppy!”
“Yes child.
I heard.”
“Oh Papa,
she is the most loveliest puppy! Mr. Ferguson said she was a cockroach panel. Mama and I spied her as
we were heading to Maggie’s. I got
the most beautiful dress; a blue velvet dress. Mama even got me white patented
shoes to go with it.”
“Anna,” Papa
bent his large frame to match the four-year-old frame of his daughter, “first,
I think you mean a Cocker Spaniel…”
“That’s what
I said,” Anna interjected, rocking back and forth on her tiny feet. “She is so
pretty and perfect. I would take could care of her, might I have her?”
“A puppy is
a big responsibility! Did you and Mama go into Ferguson’s Pet Store on your way to Maggie’s?”
“No Papa!
Mr. Ferguson was sweeping leaves from the sidewalk when we passed by. He saw me
looking at the puppy. We talked. Then Mama and Mr. Ferguson talked about what a
great dog “Princess” would be for me.”
“Princess?”
“That is
what I would name her,” Anna’s eyes looked into Papa’s, pleading.
Papa opened
his arms to Anna and she curved in, fitting perfectly. He lifted her up wrapping
her in a warm embrace. He kissed her nose and eyelashes as was his custom, then
squeezed her cheek next to his as they both closed their eyes.
“Anna, Mama
and I will talk about the puppy. I am not sure you are quite old enough to take
care of one. I am glad you got a new dress for the Christmas Program. I know
you will be beautiful!”
They both
opened their eyes. Papa put a steading hand on the small of Anna’s back as
their foreheads came together.
“Can I show
you something?” Papa turned Anna’s gaze toward the table where he had been
working.
“What is it,
Papa?”
“It’s called
an Advent Wreath.”
“What’s an Advent
Wreath?”
“Anna, who
was born on Christmas?”
“Jesus.”
“Yes, and
what did Jesus do for us?”
“He died for
us, Papa.”
“That’s
right Anna! Well, Advent is a special tradition we do to remember that Jesus
came. It also is in celebration and hope of his coming again. The definition of
advent means ‘coming’ or ‘waiting’. There are three purple candles, one pink
candle, and one white candle.”
“What do the
colors mean, Papa?”
Papa smiled
at the child, ruffling her curls. “How would you like take part in Advent with
me and Mama?”
“Can I?”
Anna was timid and all aglow at the prospect of being a part of something so
special.
“Of course
you can,” came the mild sure voice of Mama. She slid her hand in the crook of
Papa’s arm, while stroking Anna’s cherub face with the other.
Papa
finished setting the candles into the wreath. He had Anna hold his hand as he
lit the first candle. Mama turned the lights off so the only illumed light was
from the fragile flame. Papa prayed, thanking Jesus for coming to the Earth,
for giving them hope, a new name, and a promise to come. They sang carols and
Papa read from his large weathered Bible.
“Anna?”
“Yes, Papa!”
“Just as you
hope for Princess, we hope for Jesus. It is the same feeling of excitement,
desire, and need. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Papa.”
“The
wonderful thing is that Jesus desires us just as much as we desire Him. He
hopes to talk with us. He hopes to spend time with us. He hopes for the day we
will be in Heaven with Him.”
“I love
Jesus so much, Papa!”
“Me too Anna…me
too!
Now, you
need to get off to bed little one.” Papa leaned in and kissed her soft cheek.
“I love you
Anna!”
“I love you
too, Papa!”
Anna took
Mama’s hand, singing as she headed off to bed:
Jesus loves me this I know, for the
Bible tells me so…
…I have been
contemplating the fall (see Genesis 3). I have been thinking what it must have
been like to walk and talk intimately with God? How it must have been to feel
no shame?
Can you
imagine what it must have been like to have that intimacy ripped from you? All
of it stripped bare and blistered - a scorch of sin that ran palpably deep.
I have been
trying to see it from God’s point of view. What He must have felt? While
complete as the triune God, I wonder if He longed for the cool of the evening
walking the rich sod of Eden with Adam and Eve. In His Omnipresence, did he see
his plan begin to unfold?
The bud of
hope begins to stretch itself in bloom. He spent the remainder of the Bible
getting back to us, making a way where He might have intimacy with us!
The first
Sunday of Advent is the Prophecy or Hope Candle. God is prophetic in all He
does. There are no accidents.
As we hope
for Him. As we are thankful for Immanuel (God with us), let us remember His
hope for us. His hopes to be our God, to shelter us in His mighty wings, to
comfort us, restore us, and have intimacy with us.
Oh, this
great HOPE of Christ! Thank you Jesus, again and again!
“Behold, I send My messenger, and He
will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come
to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom I delight. Behold,
He is coming,” says the Lord of Hosts. – Malachi 3:1
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