This past Sunday marked the first Sunday in Advent. Every year, I look forward to the Christmas season, and every year, come January, I wonder where it went. That seemingly unending march toward Christmas ended long ago, only to be replaced by comments such as: “I can’t believe it’s December already!” and “I only have 2 weeks to do all my shopping?!” and “Where did this year go? Nevermind this month!” Indeed, time has been racing by while I've been making futile attempts at recreating that “Christmas feeling” I remember so well as a child. And I've realized that over the past several years, I've started to enjoy the anticipation of Advent more than the season itself. The anticipation harbors more hope, more promise: this year will be different, I’m sure of it. But every year I seem to be disappointed. Santa and gifts don’t do it anymore, and even the lights and music can become routine. I've outgrown the Christmas of my past. It’s time to recreate what Advent means to me, time to discover in what way I can most appreciate and reflect the spirit of Christmas. I don’t know what this will look like. New traditions? A new attitude? A new intentionality? Whatever it is, I must stop looking to the ghosts of my Christmas past to satisfy that desire to really experience the Advent season. After all, Advent itself implies a hope, a look to the future. And Advent deserves a renewed vigilance on my part, for at what other time can we sing,Come Thou long-expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
-Charles Wesley
2 comments:
This is my first season to truly be excited for Advent and what it means. The Christmas decorations, music, and cheer still do it for me, but Advent as a season of hope is moving more to the foreground.
Love you!
Great insight Amy!!! Just as each of us need to grow and make ourselves anew as we grow older, we also need to adjust our expectations. As children, events, people "things" come to us and we react! There comes a time when we must 'go after' those events and experience them from a different viewpoint. Unless we embrace those changes in our lives, we will become old and stale before our time.
Approach this Advent season fresh and anew... key on a thought or passage and experience it like you never have. Then and only then will this season be filled with all the Hope that it promises!
By the way, Rachel and I sang 'Come, thou Long Expected Jesus' last Sunday!! GREAT HYMN!!!!
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