It is easy to get caught up in the hulla balloo as Christmas draws near. Maybe that is why the prep before the crazy wonderful insane frenzy of Christmas mourn is something to consider. So Advent it is. The beautiful invitation to do the pause before the Claus in preparing the way of the Lord. Trying to keep Christ in Christmas as an invisible tense excitement permeates the hearts and minds within us where earthly meets the holy in the Advent and Christmas season. Getting caught up in the never ending prep of Christmas day and the holidays with shopping, baking, wrapping, visiting, travelling, fretting, cooking, carolling, card writing and the never ending traditions that mark our unique selves and our families. Funnily enough over the last few days, my granddaughter has been my gentle reminder for me responding to the invitation of pause.
She is asking alot of questions about Jesus and his birth date of December 25th. The little one asked her mom if she could have Jesus on a cross similar to mine and with a mommy preface to me, “Mom something she cannot break.” Bless her wee big heart as she is four. Mind you her questions are a bit intimidating as I try to tackle a response for her so she can grasp the why and where and the how of Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus and God. How does it all work? LOL.
The thing is when I try to explain something then of course there is another question right behind that one. Curious minds are good. Yikes!! God might you consider making it easier on a poor soul trying to make a go of all that You want us to do and share in going forth to spread the Good News. A Coles notes version possibly or an abridged version ….please know this is not said with disrespect. Thankfully Fisher Price has a Nativity scene set with little characters and a manger including the star to help. I am all about making visible to get a nugget of understanding to the invisible awe and wonder of our faith tradition and story.
So my mind wanders to the season of Advent where weeks of hope, peace, joy and love come forth giving credence to the pause of Christ the Lord coming anew. But Christ is also already here in our midst. We know this because we find Him in the crazy wonderful insane frenzy leading up to Christmas. Do we not realize that our traditions and preparations have the Lord walking with us? Is Christ not in the mall Santa and Christmas lights? Christ is all around. In the mincemeat tarts and Christmas rum cake (not too much rum please). In the wrapping of the gifts and the fretting about what are the kids going to think of what you got them. In the rush hour and last minute shopping. In the carollers singing with such beautiful voices. And Christ is there when you watch The Christmas Carol or Hallmark Christmas movies as you laugh or cry.
How can we not know that Christ is present even in our traditions? Do we allow Christ in during these times? I mean I love Christmas time as people who know me know that. I begin way earlier than most but that is me. There is something wondrous and wonderful about this time of year. It goes deep within me, shining a light and glow in me that I wrap tightly around me. Even when I woke up this morning seeing quite a few cm of snow that I have to shovel as I put on my bush jacket on, hat, gloves, and warm boots. It was dark when I went out but something about the beauty of new fallen snow and this time of year. Oh yes, belt out a Bing song….Im Dreaming of a White Christmas. To be Christ like in me while I find away to push the snow without heaving it. Haha.
The thing is that we live fully in our lives. God can speak to us in the playful characters of the Nativity scene or the shortbread cookies sprinkled with candied delights you just made. Not me of course, as baking does not seem to go well. Although I am going to attempt baking this Christmas with my girls. Oh my!! God is really going to need to be around. Just saying. Haha. I certainly smell the fresh pine wreath that is hanging inside my home as it drops its needles on my floor and catch them on my socks. Yep.
Can’t wait for my pop tarts on Christmas morning. Eating turkey and the full trimmings. Smelling the baking my sister drops off ( even I say nooooo). Chewing away on the traditional nuts and bolts that has been passed down in my family over the years. Finding a new ornament that has a story behind it. Seeing the eyes of the grandkids as they eat their daily chocolate from the Advent calendar. Turning on the Christmas lights and sitting there in the quiet. Giving and finding ways to help those in needs. Its a most wonderful time of year.
I ran across an inspirational thought from an Advent reading recently. It said, “do we ask Christ to really help us manifest the joy that we so earnestly sing about sharing with the world, recognizing that God’s delight can touch us in the most surprising of places?” (Eric Clayton, Finding God in the Christmas Prep) Me doing me and you doing you, it’s all of goodness. Just breathe as the preparation continues as knowingly or not it will be filled with Christ in the peace, hope, joy and love of the season. Blessings.
Let us pray for all those who are in need of our prayers, to those who care for those in need and for my dad at this time as his body struggles with receiving dialysis.
Karenpondering 