WIDE ANGLE WEDNESDAY - ADVENT READING

Over the years, and you can probably see which book has been used the most, I like to have a book to read during Advent, the time leading up to Christmas. 

Some are ones that I can read during each day of Advent, such as “A Child is Born”, and some are what I call “dipping into” books, like the one entitled “Fill My Stocking” by Alan Titchmarsh, which is a Christmas Anthology.

Our Swiss friends sent me the book “Stars are Gleaming” that tells the Christmas story in words and beautiful pictures and last but not least is the one Mr. HCB bought me a couple of years ago, “Christmas Please!” which contains one hundred poems for the Festive Season.

I like to have them all out and near me in this special time of year, so that I can read something every day and remind myself of the “reason for the season”.

Whilst reading, I often write in my books - I feel no guilt in doing this - although I know some find this wrong - but they are MY books and sometimes it’s good to look back at what we have written.  I was obviously reading "A Child is Born" when we were on holiday in Tenerife in December 2007 and I wrote this on Day Three:

Lord,
I pray that I may be truly ready for your coming,
     not just have the cards written and sent,
          the presents wrapped,
the Christmas tree decked 
     with lights and decorations,
          but READY for YOU,
               the babe of Bethlehem
to come afresh into my life
     in a truly special way.