Moments of Joy

From the minute I awake in the morning I am bombarded with news—another school shooting, a local car crash, more dysfunction in government, casualties in Afghanistan, and it goes on.  Through Facebook and phone calls I learn of the struggle of family and friends.  I have my own problems to deal with, too.  All of this can wear me down.

In the midst of the struggles and sadness of everyday life, there are moments of joy that fill and delight me—sunlight shining through the golden leaves, the smile on a stranger’s face, a last perfect flower at the end of the season, a hauntingly beautiful melody, the first snow on bare branches, a hug from a friend.  These are all special gifts that light up an otherwise dark day.  I thank God for these moments.

(This was written for my church's Advent devotional book.)

What Are We Really Waiting For During Advent?

I wrote the following for an Advent devotion booklet for my church.  The Christian season of Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas; this year it began on December 1.  It is a time of waiting and preparation.  

What the heck is Advent?  I don't recall even celebrating Advent as a kid in the Methodist Church.  If you google Advent you get a definition, a bunch of Catholic websites, some fundamentalist websites about the Second Advent (second coming) and not much else.  I guess I don't really understand Advent when I think about it.  I know it is about waiting and that in many traditions it is broken down into weeks of hope, peace, love, and joy.  But. . . what are we really waiting for except Christmas?  Are we supposed to suspend what we know about Jesus/God, pretending he has yet to be born and waiting with hope, etc.?  I mean Jesus was born, died, rose.  We have his teachings and we know God is with us.  The Kingdom of God is here for those who are ready for it.  What are we really waiting for during Advent?

Is Advent about waiting for the Christmas tree or the presents beneath it?  I love spending time with my family and sharing a Christmas dinner but is that what I’m waiting for?  Most of us delight in singing Christmas carols and viewing Christmas lights, but is that it?  Is it the Christmas Eve service that I always attend, no matter where I am?  Are we waiting to hang out with family, read stories and attend Christmas programs together?  Or is it something deeper?  Is it simply a time for quiet reflection?  Are we waiting to receive something new from God, a special gift in our lives?  Can God’s love come to us in a new and different way?  Are we waiting for that?  Are we waiting for some sort of magic?  The key to the Kingdom?  Could Christmas change us in some way?  What are we really waiting for during Advent?