During advent, we look back to those waiting for the messiah. However, our current celebration of waiting is that he has already come into the mess to take up our pain and suffering. That requires faith during trying times of waiting, which brings hope that the arrival has happened. It also exemplifies God’s glory that came down to us in a way we least expected. We often hear the word glory thrown around this time of year, but don't always understand its true meaning. When we see the glory of the lord descending down to the lowly shepherds announcing the arrival of the messiah, we see that God's power works through our individual stories.