Happy Sunday! Today is December 1 and it is notable for a few reasons…

First, it is the beginning of the last month of the year. Some will be glad to get this last stanza over with while others will ride the positive momentum they have enjoyed from the past 11 months through the next 31 days. Whether 2024 has been a struggle or a blessing, I encourage you to make the most out of this final month.

Second, today marks the start of a big four-week run for Don’t Blink. December is the most significant month for my blog as I roll out my traditional yearly posts. This week I will reveal my recommended gift of the holiday season. The following week I will list my top five songs of 2024. Then, later in the month, I will publish my top 10 blog posts of the year followed by my end-of-year reflection. It is a great time to be a reader! But while I publish my most anticipated posts of the year in December, I also take some time to relax. Remember, quality doesn’t always translate to quantity—my total blogging output is often the least in December.

December is the biggest month for Don’t Blink.

Third, and by far the most important, December 1 happens to be the First Sunday of Advent this year. During this period, which will cover four Sundays and conclude on Christmas Eve, Christians strive to prepare for Christmas and the second coming. It is the ultimate 2-for-1. We take care to properly prime ourselves for Christ’s birth while also looking ahead to when He will return to earth for the final judgment.

We are now in Advent season.

Advent undoubtedly presents us with an incredible opportunity to contemplate and act in a way that will bring us closer to Jesus…but it isn’t always easy. Too often we package Advent as merely (and falsely) the beginning of Christmas, a period of time to “get our Yule on” as we shop, visit Santa, and bake goodies. I am not saying we can’t do these things before Advent ends, but I think it is important to make sure that the scale still tips in the proper direction. I struggle with this immensely on a personal level and also on a dad level. But this year I want to try to be more intentional preparing for the true reason of Christmas instead of plunging into the commercialization of it.

Need to prepare with Advent before we celebrate Christmas.

Have a great December, everyone! May you embrace the promise that this month brings. Don’t Blink.