First Sunday in Advent - Waiting in Hope

Advent begins today. It's the first season of the Christian calendar prior to the 12 Days of Christmas which begin December 25th. Advent means 'coming' and is a celebrated each Sunday by lighting four successive candles which symbolize the coming of light into the world at the birth of Jesus the Christ on Christmas Day. It's my absolutely favorite season of the liturgical year and has been since I was a little girl and purchased this little brass calendar with my Nana for the grand price of 15 cents. Obviously, my cherished Advent calendar needs a little cleaning and proper candles if I'm going to be able to use it the rest of the season.
And that is appropriate - because Advent is about preparing; preparing ourselves and organizing our lives in such a way that we are ready to not just celebrate the Christmas holiday, but preparing ourselves and organizing our lives in ways that tell the world that as Christians, we proclaim Jesus Christ to be not just Infant Holy, Infant Lowly but King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Traditionally, the first candle of the Advent season symbolizes hope, expressed poetically by the words of Charles Wesley in 1744;

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart

Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thy own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne.