There is always so much activity this time of year in my life. Decorations to get out, go through, decide which and where to use, inside and outside, etc. Sometimes some things need replacing, so a trip to the store is in order. Then there are the Christmas cards - first a check of the list to see if there are any that need to be removed or updated or added, then a note to write to include in them, a trip to get the cards if I haven't bought them on clearance the year before, signing, addressing... and at least one trip to the Post Office for stamps and/or mailing them. Also, a gift list is started, refined, added to, and used as a guide with another trip - shopping for the gifts that can't be found on line, wrapping and... did I mention another trip - to the shipping place of choice?
I was traveling the highways again Saturday early morning, as I usually do for my typical weekend activities, but this time it was unusually busy on the roads. It was way too early for all this traffic on a Saturday! Why was everyone going so slowly, too? If you are going to do the speed limit, for goodness sake, get in the slow lane! I'm in a hurry here, trying to get to all my regular things and also trying to have time to squeeze in the extra stuff. As I was getting tense and anxious, a thought came to me, "Perhaps God wants me to slow down!"
My husband has a negative attitude about all the Christmas preparations. He feels Advent, the 4 weeks before Christmas, does not get enough attention. It is supposed to be a time of preparation, but more of a quiet, reserved waiting with anticipation than what we often turn it into. If my husband had his wishes, the tree and decorations wouldn't go up until Christmas Eve, and would stay up for the 12 days of Christmas, and come down on Epiphany, January 6th. Needless to say, he does NOT get that wish at our house. But I try to not go overboard ahead of time either.
Advent is a time to slow down, to enjoy the season of anticipation. Joseph and Mary must have been full of eager waiting as Mary came closer and closer to delivering the Son of God. At least they had a slow mode of travel to that historic destination - walking or riding a donkey. This gave them plenty of time for reflection on God's amazing gift about to enter this world as a baby. May we also take time to reflect on this season of preparation and quiet our hearts, filled with awe at this most amazing moment in time.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 NIV
written by Jan Andersen in anticipation
No comments:
Post a Comment