Advent ~ Some Perspective

On Monday I was stressed and discouraged; I wrote about it, but more importantly, I prayed about it.

I found some quiet moments, and I took a few deep breaths.  I picked my 19 year-old daughter from work at 10:30 Monday night, and when we got home, she spontaneously decided to bless me by cleaning the kitchen!  Waking up early Tuesday morning, I stopped looking for Advent devotionals, prayers, readings, etc., and I did the ones here and here.  I set up our wreath and candles.  Last night, I did some decluttering, and some more praying.  Again this morning, I lit a candle, prayed, tried to be still, tried to listen.  Then I put on my playlist, and I did some more decluttering.  Tonight, I cleaned the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers out of the fridge, and I am making a shopping list.

I have a better perspective.  Advent is a time of preparation after all, and it is a season.

I read a great post here and was encouraged:

" Where we are is just where we are. Thankfully, God knows where that is and is perfectly capable of finding us and meeting us there. Advent is a season of preparation...a whole season to get ready! It is nice to have some things in order beforehand, but scrambling around in a dither to make everything ready before Advent even starts isn't really good for anyone. " 

I am starting where I am, taking one baby-step at a time, preparing my home and my heart, and focusing on the Light.

Advent ~ True Confessions

I bought Advent candles.

That's it.

My house is a wreck.

Seriously.

No. Seriously!

I have spent wasted the better part of the past week on the computer: looking, bookmarking, typing, sprucing, decorating.

On the computer.

The first day of Advent came

and went.

That's it.

I make excuses: "Not everybody's here; I haven't found the wreath prayers that i really want; my husband and kids don't even care about Advent; I can't get anybody's help; excuses; excuses; excuses!"  The truth is that I would rather plan than do; I would rather be lazy than work; I would rather withdraw and avoid than embrace the much-less-than-idyllic reality of my life.

But isn't that the reason He came?  Isn't that the reason for Advent ~ the reason for the season?  Wasn't everything about His coming oh-so-much-less-than-idyllic: Roman occupation, unwed mother, a stable, shepherds, fallen humanity . . .

. . . me?

Yes, He came for me.

 I need Advent ~ not my house, and more than my kids ~ I need Advent ~ deep in my soul ~ I need Advent ~ not just something that looks like Advent or sounds like Advent, but His coming.

" Into my heart, into my heart,

Come into my heart, LORD Jesus.

Come in today; come in to stay.

Come into my heart, LORD Jesus. "

Advent Playlist

St. Andrew's Novena

I fell in love with this novena during Advent last year:

30 Days of Giving Thanks ~ Day 30

16 years ago we welcomed a bouncing baby boy into our family
~ after four girls!  

  I always wanted a boy with blonde curls and big blue eyes;
he was that and oh so much more. 

 When he was a toddler he would sit in my lap, reach his arms up and around backwards, and choke the life out of hug me.

 I love his smile and his generosity and his exuberance.

 He does things every single day to make me proud.

He is growing up to be such an amazing young man!

Thank You, God, for Joshua!