After four years of celebrating a more robust Advent, my oldest now says that our practice makes Christmas better.

“I wish that other families did Advent the way that we do,” she said recently. “Then they could better appreciate the reason for the season—Jesus.”

Amen, baby girl. Amen.

Rev. Angie Mabry-Nauta is a writer and an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Reformed Church in America (RCA). She served as a solo pastor for six years. A member of the Redbud Writer’s Guild, Angie blogs at “Woman, in Progress…”. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @Godstuffwriter.