Are you ready for Christmas? The day we celebrate the birth of the Savior?
Do you have mile-long lists of gifts to buy, cards to send, decorating to do, things to bake? Are you starting to feel just a little bit frantic... worrying about money and keeping people satisfied? There are things you can do to simplify your life - and I will write about that more later. Today, I want you to sit back, take a breath and listen to your heart.
I love this season..... in my faith tradition, it is Advent.... the time of preparation for the coming of Jesus. A time to run counter to our commercial culture..... a time to SLOW DOWN.... to REFLECT .... to PRAY.
Jesus has never been about mandatory gift-giving or decorating. He was definitely about food - shared meals and celebrations! He was never about the frenzied excessive behaviors we exhibit at this time of year..... and what are we really supposed to be doing?
Preparing for the arrival of Jesus.
What would that To Do List look like?
I think it would have a LOT more sitting and listening on it. Maybe it would be more about being with friends and loved ones than spending money.
It would probably have personal touches to lonely people... rather than obligatory return cards to people you don't even know that satisfy some Christmas code of etiquette.
Sacrifice - giving until it's difficult.... to those who need it. True generosity recognizes good stewardship.
It might have forgiveness on it..... to the relative that made you so mad last year... to the grouchy shopper that cut you off in the traffic... and to YOU yourself for messing up - whatever that was.
It definitely would have recognition of the Almighty - whatever that looks like to you.
And gratitude - always gratitude.
The readings in my faith tradition this week are about the prophets who foretold the coming of the baby Savior.
Advent means that we get to be prophets. We get to share the good news about who is coming. Our LIVES will tell the story of the coming peace on earth, of Jesus, of the Kingdom of God.
It's time for us to go about our days living that message. It's time to re-think the way we spend the next few weeks.
Are you ready for Christmas? The day we celebrate the birth of the Savior?
AMEN!!! Could not have said it better myself...lets shift our focus to the real reason for the season!!!
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