Rachel’s Reflections

Today is the first Sunday of Advent.  It’s hard to believe that the Christmas season is here already.  But Thanksgiving is over, and that means Christmas is right around the corner.

I’ve been reading up on Advent over the last few days.  None of the churches I attended growing up celebrated Advent, so I wasn’t exposed to the custom until I joined the Navy.  Military chapels do celebrate Advent.  And I find I like the custom.  I like the idea of having a definite and ceremonial way to celebrate the anticipation of Christmas.  And it is also a way to keep oneself focused on the religious side of Christmas versus the commercialism.  Although, since Christmas is still seen primarily as a religious holiday in the Middle East, we don’t have all the commercialism.  And that is nice.

But aside from occasional decorations, we don’t have much to remind us that Christmas is approaching.  And that is why Advent is especially nice.  I decided this year that I would like to celebrate it, hence the research.  The church I attend doesn’t do Advent, and Jeremy didn’t seem interested, so I decided I’d celebrate it on my blog.

If you are not familiar with the custom, please read the wikipedia article on Advent as well as this other really good article called “The Season of Advent.” The American Bible Society website provides an Advent activity as well as Scripture readings for every day.  This one is oriented towards Catholics, but has very interesting Christmas traditions as well as Christmas food recipes.  My friend Gretchen Niesler wrote a nice post on her blog about Advent with some other ideas and resources for celebrating it in the home.

So today is the first Sunday of Advent.  Themes vary across traditions, but it seems commonest that this Sunday is called Hope.  As I haven’t ever done this before, you’ll forgive me if I “don’t do it right.”  But since traditions do vary, I felt at liberty to tweak things.

HOPE

The first purple candle is lit.

This first Sunday of Advent reminds us of our need for a Savior and the hope that became flesh in Jesus.  It reminds us of the prophecies of Jesus’ birth and the longing of the people of God for the Savior promised them as they waited for Him to come.  It reflects our own eager longing for our Savior to return, as we anticipate yet another Christmas.

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign:  “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Malachi 3:1-2

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 you delight.
Behold, He is coming,
Says the LORD of hosts.

Psalm 130: 5-8

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
And in His word I do hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
More than those who watch for the morning–
Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the LORD;
For with the LORD there is mercy,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.

Matthew 1:21

And she shall bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.

Isaiah 53:6

All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53: 11b

By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.

Matthew 18:11

For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

Matthew 1:22-23

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:  “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

(The following hymn can be heard here.)

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thy coming here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And show the path that brings us nigh.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

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Jeremy and I went to two parties today.  First we went to his command’s party at his Master Chief’s house.  We ate turkey and talked and those who wanted to played Guitar Hero (I think that’s what it’s called–where each person plays a different instrument in the band going off of the prompts on screen and the more you match the screen, the more points you get).

After that we went to my command’s party, at my LPO’s house (Leading Petty Officer).  We ate turkey again and played taboo and those who wanted to played Uno and Sorry and some played Poker.

After ten hours combined partying we went home, tired but happy.

So I’m thankful first of all, that I had somewhere to go on Thanksgiving.  So many do not.  I’m thinking of my shipmates who are on ships this Thanksgiving.  Some of them are really taking it hard that they’re missing Thanksgiving.  It made me feel a little guilty for enjoying myself this day.  I wish I could do something for them, but I don’t know what.

And then I’m thankful for Jeremy.  It’s so wonderful to have him here to spend the holiday with me.  It could so easily be that he or I would be out on a ship and be separated as we have been so much.  I’m so glad I get to be with him.  I’m very thankful for him–for his love, for his caring, for his companionship, for him.

And I’m thankful that I have a family back home that is supportive and that loves me.  Thanks guys!  I love you too!

And last, but not least, I thank you, God, that you have given me so many blessings.

Thank you.

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Today I was presented with my first ever Letter of Commendation (LOC)!

It was to commemmorate that I was selected as the third quarter’s Junior Sailor of the Quarter.  I received the LOC and a nice plaque.  My OIC (Officer in Charge) told me it was to go on my “I Love Me Wall” and asked if Jeremy had anything like it.  She said if he did, mine was to go higher!  I also have my picture on the awards wall in the foyer of my building.

It’s really nice I got something.  I work really hard and put in long hours and try to do extra stuff for the command and the sailors there; not just do the minimum like a lot of people do.  And I’ve never gotten anything like this before.  At DLI I was just trying to make it–to pass, which I didn’t end up doing.  I couldn’t shine there.  I spent all my effort trying to accomplish the minimum.  And at the John F. Kennedy I couldn’t shine either.  There wasn’t anything to shine at.  We cleaned all day and rarely went out, and when we did I was in training and trying to learn my job.  In a way I was at the bottom there too–among many others at the bottom.  So it wasn’t until I came here that I felt I could contribute something to the command.  Here I’ve been treated as an important and, increasingly, valuable member of the team.  And I feel good about being able to contribute.

I just wanted to share the good news.

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November 16 is the one year anniversary of this blog. As of right now, I have 57 posts and 6 drafts.  Those drafts are from our trip back in May.  If I ever get the pictures added to them, I’ll post them (in the May archives).

So all together that is 63 blog posts I wrote in a year.  That’s a little over 1 a week.  I thought for sure I’d end up with an average of at least 2 a week, but ever since our trip in May I’ve been super busy (working 60+ hours a week all summer and fall), and haven’t really wanted to do this blog.  But I’ve missed it, so I’ll try to keep it going, although I can’t guarantee I’ll post more.  Maybe my goal for this next year will be at least 2 posts a week or a total of 100+ over the next year.  I think that is a reasonable goal.

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Happy Veteran’s Day, everyone!

I didn’t have to work today, so I’m taking it easy at home.  It sure is tempting to take a lot of naps.  But I did manage to straighten up around the apartment; I cleaned off a counter that’s become the junk pile counter; and I’m doing laundry.  Other than that I plan to play on the computer and crochet on my afghan I’m making.  Like I said, easy day.

How about you?  How are you spending your Veteran’s Day (Remembrance Day for my Canadian family)?

In veteran’s news, Congress recently passed a law that now allows both former and active duty military to salute the flag when it passes or during the national anthem even while wearing civilian clothes.  Before you had to be in uniform, or in the case of former military, wearing their service’s or organization’s headgear.  But now you can render a traditional military salute even when out of uniform.  Before when wearing civilian clothes you had to stand at attention or put your hand over your heart like civilians do.  I should mention that military members can still do that; the salute thing is an authorization, not mandated.

This new law is going to take some getting used to for me.  In the Navy we don’t salute when uncovered, ever.  And we also don’t salute indoors.  So the idea of saluting in civilian clothes (when I would certainly be uncovered) is something I’m not sure would be “right.”  Interestingly it was someone from the Army (don’t remember if former or active duty) who proposed the bill.  The Army (and the Air Force) do salute uncovered.

So whether you salute the flag today or stand at attention or put your hand on your heart, or whether you don’t even see a flag today, have a happy Veteran’s Day!  And think of those “Down Range.”  May they come home soon.  Until then, I will continue to support them, to help make it possible for them to do their job.

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