As the busy season of Advent comes to a close, we need a moment of reflective rest in God’s word. The service of Lessons and Carols was introduced in the early twentieth century with the idea that we should rest in God’s scripture as the dark of winter starts to take hold. The service takes us through the Holy Scriptures to see the scope of God’s great love for us. The scriptures read show us the creation of the world, the joy of mankind, sin entering in and marring the world, and the promise of the coming savior. Between readings, the singing of familiar carols helps lift our hearts and minds to the Lord as our response to his vast love for us. This is a service that has become a great tradition to many anglicans around the world and to us as well. We celebrate outside, under the cover of oak trees, nestled in blankets to remember the reason God came into this world.