Today is the twentieth day of Advent. Each day I will post a short blog aimed at kids that will help tell God’s story from the beginning to the birth of Jesus. And each day Meghan, my wife, will make a Christmas Tree ornament that helps us to remember the day’s Advent lesson. If you want to make them along with us all you will need is some felt, some glue, and some ribbon.I hope you will join us each day this Advent.You can catch up on any post you may have missed by clicking here.

Being a dad has changed my life. For example since I became a dad I have learned how not to gag when changing a diaper. And I have learned that the human body can function after being woken up at 1am, 3am and 5am, and finally at 7am.  Also before I was a dad I had no idea how funny jokes like, ‘Hi Mr Hungry, can I call you Very’, or `’Did I get a hair cut? No I got them all cut’ are. Turns out they are hilarious. Yes being a dad has changed my life.

Joseph discovered that his life was about to change too. Mary his fiancee told him that she was pregnant. But Joseph knew he wasn’t the father. Mary told him that an Angel told her that the Holy Spirit would give her a baby. Joseph didn’t believe her, and I can’t blame him. He felt hurt and betrayed, but he loved Mary so he decided to spare her any public shame and break off the engagement quietly.

All of that changed when an angel appeared to Joseph too, and explained that her baby really was from the Holy Spirit. From that moment on Joseph stuck by Mary. He put up with the mean things that were likely said to and about he and Mary. He accepted that his first born wouldn’t really be his. He became a great husband and dad.

Joseph reminds me that sometimes God’s plans for our life can be a lot different than our own plans. Those plans are good, but they can be hard.

Today on the twentieth day of Advent we remember that we need to follow God’s plans even when they are hard to understand.