First Sunday in Advent

Today is the first Sunday in Advent and I feel like I need it. Advent. That 4 weeks of preparation for our celebration of the birth of Jesus.

I woke up this morning to a full house with Addie and Reagan sleeping in the prayer room and more and more "stuff" from other people's storage encroaching in my living space. The girls are here because Marnie and Erik are at a destination wedding in Florida. The stuff is here because Chuck keeps on keeping on with the storage unit purchases. And until I put my foot down more and more of the "treasures" find their way onto kitchen and dining tables, corners in the family room and now almost every space in the back porch.

Advent is traditionally a time of preparation and the preparation that I need is to make space. Physically, mentally and spiritually....to make space for God in my life.

I have added some activity to my calendar which I hope will ultimately be space with God in community. I intend to pray at the church every morning from 8 - 8:30. I did that during Lent and found it to be personally helpful. Few people joined me, but it was an enforced discipline of "space and time making"

I also will start two "Christmas Care Groups" which will be times for lectio divina Bible study and prayer and conversation. I have no idea whether anyone will come, but I felt led to offer this.

What is interesting to me is how easily it is for everything to start to encroach on me so that I feel increasingly disconnected from God and from my best self. And it does not take much to be back "on track" or into a place of "attunement."

and so Advent, the opportunity to reflect and wait and prepare myself and others

always wondering what God will do with me and with us during these seasons.

Something new and interesting, I am sure.

I am getting ready.

Here is what Madeliene L'Engle wrote about Advent


Come in your naked, newborn might.
Come, with bolts of lightning hurled.
Come in your flaming, burning power.
Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come;
Come speak in joy untamed and wild.

And in the words of Richard Rohr:

This is what Advent means: to be chosen and upheld by God, to be filled with God's delight and Spirit, to bring justice to the nations, to not shout or break a bruised reed, to not snuff out a smoldering wick, to not grow discouraged until we establish justice, to hold God's hand and be God's promise, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison, to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness (Isaiah 42:1-9).

Advent is here - let us prepare ourselves again this year.

Come, Lord Jesus Come