23 Jan 2025, 21:43Victor Hulbert
How the Candle Shone
Some things happen almost by accident. My Advent Candle v-blog is a case in point.
A very good friend of ours has a tradition of burning an Advent candle, one section each day from 1 December until Christmas Eve. This year, she chose to extend the love by gifting us a candle.
On day one, we lit it and, as a thank you, recorded a short video for her. That led to a more general video, at which point I thought, “Well, if I’ve done it once, maybe I can do it twice.”
The twice ended up as 24 episodes, each one recorded on the day as the candle burnt down another segment. Posted on YouTube and Facebook, the inspiration kept coming and a few friends joined.
Somehow, the energy came as well. It is the first time I’ve managed to record and edit consistently since catching Long Covid in March 2020. Even so, it was a very simple production, just filming and editing on my phone.
I did miss one day due to pure exhaustion, and there were several other days when it was definitely a struggle that exacerbated the chronic fatigue, but one of the things that kept me going was the positive reaction people had to the messages – both from friends, former colleagues, and total strangers.
JN wrote, “What a powerful Christmas story from Pastor Hulbert’s Advent Candle series. A testimony of God’s miraculous hand on His children. Thank you once again, Luisa and Victor. I, too, take that gratefulness stance this Christmas.”
Because it was generally unplanned and unscripted, each episode was based on the varied experiences of what was happening around us on the day. That appealed to CG. “I so appreciate the simplicity, brevity, and honesty of your messages, the beauty of your home/van/countryside, and the overwhelming joy that radiates from you and Luisa despite the circumstances!”
Such responses gave us joy, especially as some folk seemed to watch them more than once. “I keep going back to them…what a nice way to keep us grounded in the Christmas story with well-thought-out and beautiful scenery, stories, people, and props.”
Gratitude
The episode that garnered the most reactions was when I sat with Luisa, and she talked about gratitude amid her year of cancer treatment.
“What a beautiful video!” LP wrote. “Luisa, you are one extremely brave and wonderful lady! You never stop smiling; please keep doing it.” HL said, “There is so much emotion in your expression of thanks, Luisa.”
Some folk watched day by day. A number who discovered the series partway through chose to binge-watch. RP was one of them. “Thank you, Victor. I enjoyed it very much and might watch them all over again.”
One of the real inspirations that kept me going came from several friends who were once part of our church family but who had, for whatever reason, made different choices.
“Hey Victor, my wife wanted me to tell you how much we’re enjoying your Advent calendar,” wrote a friend from my student days. Another wrote, “These have been so lovely to watch. What a great idea.”
One lady, a friend of a friend, wrote, “A powerful resource and tool for family Bible study and teaching the words of God, a resource for Sunday School.”
Motivation
Ever since I caught Covid-19 and my life radically changed, I have tried to use what little energy I have in a positive direction. The gift of encouragement takes little effort but can have profound effects. I found that in the hospital and in the years since. I am thankful for that gift and feel blessed that this Advent Candle series allowed me to share that gift with a broader audience.
We do not know what 2025 will hold, but I would like to hang on to the words of the apostle Paul and use them as my motto. “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Watch the series here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxagGvc-vHfa-BZ3dHWUMuU9uHpyqPUAy&si=IE-vzqgVzFfnYl0E
(First published in The Pilgrim, January 2025. A newsletter for retired church employees.)
Some things happen almost by accident. My Advent Candle v-blog is a case in point.
A very good friend of ours has a tradition of burning an Advent candle, one section each day from 1 December until Christmas Eve. This year, she chose to extend the love by gifting us a candle.
On day one, we lit it and, as a thank you, recorded a short video for her. That led to a more general video, at which point I thought, “Well, if I’ve done it once, maybe I can do it twice.”
The twice ended up as 24 episodes, each one recorded on the day as the candle burnt down another segment. Posted on YouTube and Facebook, the inspiration kept coming and a few friends joined.
Somehow, the energy came as well. It is the first time I’ve managed to record and edit consistently since catching Long Covid in March 2020. Even so, it was a very simple production, just filming and editing on my phone.
I did miss one day due to pure exhaustion, and there were several other days when it was definitely a struggle that exacerbated the chronic fatigue, but one of the things that kept me going was the positive reaction people had to the messages – both from friends, former colleagues, and total strangers.
JN wrote, “What a powerful Christmas story from Pastor Hulbert’s Advent Candle series. A testimony of God’s miraculous hand on His children. Thank you once again, Luisa and Victor. I, too, take that gratefulness stance this Christmas.”
Because it was generally unplanned and unscripted, each episode was based on the varied experiences of what was happening around us on the day. That appealed to CG. “I so appreciate the simplicity, brevity, and honesty of your messages, the beauty of your home/van/countryside, and the overwhelming joy that radiates from you and Luisa despite the circumstances!”
Such responses gave us joy, especially as some folk seemed to watch them more than once. “I keep going back to them…what a nice way to keep us grounded in the Christmas story with well-thought-out and beautiful scenery, stories, people, and props.”
Gratitude
The episode that garnered the most reactions was when I sat with Luisa, and she talked about gratitude amid her year of cancer treatment.
“What a beautiful video!” LP wrote. “Luisa, you are one extremely brave and wonderful lady! You never stop smiling; please keep doing it.” HL said, “There is so much emotion in your expression of thanks, Luisa.”
Some folk watched day by day. A number who discovered the series partway through chose to binge-watch. RP was one of them. “Thank you, Victor. I enjoyed it very much and might watch them all over again.”
One of the real inspirations that kept me going came from several friends who were once part of our church family but who had, for whatever reason, made different choices.
“Hey Victor, my wife wanted me to tell you how much we’re enjoying your Advent calendar,” wrote a friend from my student days. Another wrote, “These have been so lovely to watch. What a great idea.”
One lady, a friend of a friend, wrote, “A powerful resource and tool for family Bible study and teaching the words of God, a resource for Sunday School.”
Motivation
Ever since I caught Covid-19 and my life radically changed, I have tried to use what little energy I have in a positive direction. The gift of encouragement takes little effort but can have profound effects. I found that in the hospital and in the years since. I am thankful for that gift and feel blessed that this Advent Candle series allowed me to share that gift with a broader audience.
We do not know what 2025 will hold, but I would like to hang on to the words of the apostle Paul and use them as my motto. “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Watch the series here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxagGvc-vHfa-BZ3dHWUMuU9uHpyqPUAy&si=IE-vzqgVzFfnYl0E
(First published in The Pilgrim, January 2025. A newsletter for retired church employees.)
